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Kilmarnock

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For other uses, see Kilmarnock (disambiguation).
Kilmarnock
Dean Kilmarnock Castle
PopulationExpression error: "44,170 (Census 2004)" must be numeric
OS grid referenceNS429381
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townKILMARNOCK
Postcode districtKA1-KA3
Dialling code01563
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland

Kilmarnock (Cill Meàrnaig in Scottish Gaelic, and Killie locally) is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,170.[1] It is roughly between Glasgow and Ayr. It is the largest town in Ayrshire[2] The River Irvine runs through its eastern section and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'.[3]

History

The name comes from the Gaelic cill (kirk) and the name of Saint Marnoch or Mernoc who is also remembered in the name of Portmarnock in Ireland, and Inchmarnock. It may come from the three Gaelic elements mo (my) Earn (name of the saint) and the diminutive ag, giving Church of my little Earn. It is believed by some that the saint founded a church there in 322. There are 12 Church of Scotland congregations in the town, plus other denominations. In 2005 the Rev David W. Lacy, minister of the town's Henderson Church, was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The core of the early town appears to have lain around what is now the Laigh Kirk (Low Church), although the oldest parts of the current building are no earlier than the 17th century, extending north and northwest. A comparatively modest settlement until the industrial revolution, Kilmarnock extended considerably from around 1800 onwards. This resulted in formal, planned developments such as King Street, Portland Street, St. Marnock Street, and latterly John Finnie Street - the last often suggested as one of the finest Victorian planned streets in Scotland.

Geography

Areas of Kilmarnock include:

  • Altonhill
  • Annanhill
  • Ashdale - New development beside Kilmaurs Road
  • Barnweill
  • Beansburn
  • Bellfield
  • Bonnyton
  • Caprington
  • Gargieston
  • Grange Estate
  • Fisher Grange - New development
  • Hillhead
  • Howard Grange
  • Loanhead
  • Longpark
  • Kirkstyle
  • New Farm Loch
  • Onthank
  • Riccarton
  • Shortlees
  • Southcraig
  • Townholm
  • Wardneuk
  • Wellpark

Economy

Map of Kilmarnock town centre in 1819
Kilmarnock Cross in 1849

Kilmarnock's traditional industries were based around textiles and heavy engineering; Carpets (manufactured by BMK from the early 1900s, locomotives (Andrew Barclay and Sons) 1837-1970, and valves (Glenfield and Kennedy) a company still active to this date.

Economy

The carpets manufactured in Kilmarnock were internationally known for their quality and intricacy since the late 1800s. Many locations around the world chose to install BMK carpets. Famously, RMS Titanic was carpeted using carpets manufactured by Stoddard Carpets, the parent company and successor to BMK. Primarily due to a move by the UK market towards laminated and hard-wood flooring, but also partially due to a long decline in the industry in the area as well as cheaper, but noticeably less hard wearing foreign competition, carpet-making finally ceased in Kilmarnock in early 2005.

Archibald Finnie and his family lived at Springhill house (now a Nursing home) near the Grange Academy. They owned many coal mines, pits and other companies in Springside and other places. John Finnie Street is named after one of the family. Shoes were also a major product for some time, with Saxone having a factory in the town on the site of where the Galleon leisure centre now stands.

Kilmarnock had one of the earliest tram/railways in the world, running to Troon over the (recently restored) Laigh Milton Viaduct. The Glasgow and South Western Railway also set up their works here, producing nearly 400 locomotives by the time it was absorbed by the LMS in 1923. Some work continued but heavy repairs were sent to St Rollox. Locomotive repairs finished in 1952 and the works closed in 1959. Nevertheless locomotives are still made by Hunslett-Barclay, as well as the maintenance of existing diesel and electric multiple units. From 1946 tractors were also built in Kilmarnock, with a large Massey-Harris factory present on the outskirts of the town. It later became Massey-Ferguson before closing in 1978.

Glenfield and Kennedy still survives albeit with a fraction of its former workforce, which at its height numbered in the thousands. Kilmarnock however is still home to the world famous Johnnie Walker's brand Scotch whisky. On the outskirts of the town is Scotland's first privately run prison, HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Regeneration

Portland Street, 2006.
Multi-storey carpark - central Kilmarnock's main carpark.

The textile and manufacturing sectors across Scotland suffered significant decline in the postwar period, and in particular from the 1960s, in the face of greater foreign competition. Kilmarnock was no exception, with the closure or significant reduction of many of its traditional large employers; Glenfield and Kennedy, Massey Ferguson, BMK, and Saxone. Although significant attempts have been made this decline and attract new employers, Kilmarnock saw a continuing net loss of jobs in the five years to 2005.

Although traditionally a main shopping area for most of the surrounding districts, patterns have changed over the last 20 years; traditional centres such as Ayr have been joined by new developments at Braehead and East Kilbride.

This difficult economic climate is most visible in the town centre, the eastern part of which was extensively redeveloped with important historic buildings such as King Street Church and the Town Hall being demolished, and Duke Street (the link from Kilmarnock Cross to the Palace Theatre and out to the London Road) built-over.

More recently Portland Street, which formed the northerly part of the main shopping area, lay abandoned for many years due to a decline in retail trade and in the face of possible comprehensive redevelopment. The street has now been redeveloped, but has not yet regained its former degree of popularity, with a Gala Bingo and a J.D. Wetherspoons taking up much of one side of the street and the rest largely occupied by chain stores.

In 2004 the Rough Guide to Scotland described the town as “shabby and depressed, saddled with some terrible shopping centres and a grim one-way system”.[citation needed] The town, however, contains some fine parks e.g. Howard Park, Dean Park and Kay Park and residential areas including London Road, Dundonald Road, McLelland Drive and Howard Park Drive. The town also boasts a fine collection of gift shops, cafes, bars and restaurants within the very desirable Bank Street area whilst offering retail options within its retail-parks at Queens Drive and Glencairn Square.

According to the local press in November 2007: the new SNP council have drawn up a Top Ten Hit List on "eyesore" buildings in the town and their owners and have revealed plans to crack down hard on property owners who have left their buildings fall into disrepair. A Plan of Action is being carried out to get something done with each of these sites. Many of the buildings in disrepair are irreplaceable listed buildings such as the former ABC cinema (previously The Kings Theatre) in Titchfield Street.

Dean Castle Palace

A four-star hotel recently opened next to Rugby Park, the home of Kilmarnock F.C., and new restaurants, such as Merchants and award winning The Jefferson Restaurant have opened in the town centre. Regeneration activities have been discussed for Kilmarnock town centre; in early 2006 an application to Historic Scotland's Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme was successful, and as at July 2006 an application under the Heritage Lottery Fund's Townscape Heritage Initiative Scheme was pending. Work has pretty much finished on a quality housing development on the gapsite of the former Kilmarnock Infirmary north of the town centre.

Dean Castle Gatehouse

In the past there have been major efforts to improve the quality of life for residents in the town's worst housing estates, especially in parts of Shortlees, Longpark and Onthank. Though the physical rehabilitation of housing in these areas has partly tackled the underlying problems of social exclusion, Onthank is arguably that most successful area of regeneration in question.[citation needed]

The September 11th memorial plaque at the Dean Castle

Much new quality housing has been constructed on the northern fringes of the town to service the demand for commuter housing. With a journey time of 20 minutes from Kilmarnock to Glasgow (roughly half that of the existing train service (2007)), the M77 has transformed the link between Glasgow and Kilmarnock. The upgrading of the A77 route to Glasgow to the M77 motorway in 2005 has made Kilmarnock more accessible for commuters and recent house price increases have reflected this.[4]


George Hotel

The George Hotel was built in the 19th century and is "B" Listed. It was situated on the land at the top of Portand Street. (This land was once the home of Kilmarnock Bowling Club.) It was one of the top hotels in the area. The George was Kilmarnock's 5-star hotel. The hotel closed in 1920. There were plans for the hotel to be demolished when the Town Council purchased the property, but the plans were changed. The same year as the George Hotel closed part of the building was adapted and used as the George Cinema. The three story building still remains today, the building still looks similar to the way it did in the days of the George Hotel. Nowadays the building is used by Mason Murphy as a furniture shop and the rest of the property is a disco.[5] HB Number 35956 Item Number: 142 (page 6)

References

Notes

  1. ^ Brinkhoff (2007)
  2. ^ "Kilmarnock Largest town in Ayrshire". Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  3. ^ Smellie (1898)
  4. ^ "Huge rise in Scots house prices". Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  5. ^ http://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/devser/documents/campappendix1-2.pdf%7C title = Historic Scotland 78-80 Portland Street | accessdate=2008-05-01

Landmarks

File:Church445.jpg
  • Johnnie Walker - burial place at the kirk yard of St Andrew's Glencairn Church
  • 1 – 3 Dunlop Street / 12 Strand Street: a 2-storey corner building dating from the early 19th century and a rare survivor of comprehensive redevelopment schemes in both the 19th and 20th centuries. Purported to be Johnnie Walker’s original shop.
  • The Dick Institute
  • Kilmarnock War Memorial: Elmbank Avenue (1926 - 1927), B-Listed, Architect James Miller,[1]
  • Dean Castle - the original keep dates from around 1350 and the palace around 1460 [2]
  • Burns Monument (1879)
  • Dean Park
  • Kay Park - The 30 acre park was purchased, laid out and gifted to the town by Alexander Kay. It opened in 1879 and is the home of the Burns Monument [3]
  • Howard Park Kilmarnock - Previously "Barbadoes Green" where the roots of Kilmarnock Football Club can be traced back to.[4] "Lady's Walk in Howard Park commemorates the grief-stricken walks taken by the young widow of The Earl of Kilmarnock who was sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered in London in 1746, later commuted to beheading. His widow sadly died a year after his execution.[5]
  • Kilmarnock railway viaduct (1843 - 1850)
  • Kilmarnock railway station (1846)
  • Old High Kirk (1732 - 1740)
  • The Laigh Kirk and Kirkyard
  • St Marnock’s Parish Church (1836)
  • West High Church (1844)
  • Sandbed Street Bridge (circa 1762)The oldest surviving bridge in Kilmarnock [6]
  • Palace Theatre (Kilmarnock) (1863): The imposing Corn Exchange, whose red-sandstone Italianate tower, by James Ingram, dominates the cross at London Road and Green Street, was opened on 16 September 1863 as a multi-use concert hall [7]
  • Former Kilmarnock Standard Printing Offices (1890)
  • The Procurator Fiscal’s Office (1852), formerly Kilmarnock Sheriff Court until the building of the new Sheriff Court building across the road.
  • Kings Theatre, Kilmarnock
  • Bank Street
  • John Finnie Street(1864)
  • King Street, Kilmarnock (1804)
  • Clydesdale Bank (1975): Green Street (near the multi storey car park)
  • Kilmarnock Cross

Kilmarnock Infirmary

Kilmarnock Infirmary which was situated in Portland Street opened in 1868.It opened in order to meet the need of the growing population in Kilmarnock. The hospital was extended at various times, usually paid for by fund raising events. The building later became the nurses home. In the summer of 1994 the building was gutted by fire. Before this time Kilmarnock Infirmary had been succeeded by Crosshouse Hospital which was opened in 1982.

Transport

View from Kilmarnock railway station onto John Finnie Street
The Kilmarnock railway viaduct
The partial 'suspension' bridge over the Dean Ford at the Kilmarnock Water in Kilmarnock.

In 1812 the famous Kilmarnock and Troon Railway opened, mainly to carry coal from the area to the harbour at Troon, but also carrying passengers.

In 1904, Kilmarnock had its own tramway system built. The name of the company was Kilmarnock Corporation Tramways. An electric power station was built in the south bank of the River Irvine at Riccarton. Overhead power lines and tram lines were laid. With continued upgrading and expansion, the tram network at its peak went from Ayr Road in Riccarton at its southerly point, to Knockinlaw Road in Beansburn in the North. At Kilmarnock Cross, the line had an easterly spur that stretched along London Road, through Crookedholm and finally terminating at Hurlford. There had been proposed extensions along Portland Road, up John Finnie Street, West Langlands Street and eventually towards Crosshouse, but by this time, increasing costs and the far more flexible motor bus had made inroads and the trams ceased operation in 1926 during the General Strike. The council decided not to restart the service and the infrastructure was soon dismantled. Today the town is served by Kilmarnock railway station.

Kilmarnock has excellent road links to Glasgow with the most recent via the M77. The latest upgrade was instigated in 2004, and involved extending the M77 a further 9 miles (15 km) south to the village of Fenwick, near Kilmarnock. This replaced the dangerous 4-lane unsegregated dual carriageway of the A77 that dropped to a two lane single carriageway for the bend just north of the Mearnskirk turn-off, and the A77/B764 (Eaglesham) junction (causing vehicles to queue dangerously on the outside lane on a bend to enter the B764 from the south) which were prone to fatal accidents. The scheme also included the Glasgow Southern Orbital (GSO) which bypasses the B764 Eaglesham Moor road to East Kilbride. It was completed in April 2005.

In 2006, Junction 2 was rebuilt in conjunction with the building of the adjacent Silverburn Shopping Centre. The northbound off-ramp and southbound on-ramp are now routed via the access roundabout to the shopping centre.

Much of the original section of the A77 that carried the traffic now accommodated by the M77 has been converted into a two lane single carriageway and a parallel cyclepath.

Kilmarnock lies on the main road between Edinburgh, Livingston, South Lanarkshire and Ayrshire (Irvine).

Education

Kilmarnock has 17 schools, 13 primary and 4 secondary. There is also a college with in the town, Kilmarnock College, formerly Kilmarnock Technical College.

The secondary schools are:

The primary schools are:

Sport and leisure

The Dean Ford over the Kilmarnock Water at the Dean Country Park in Kilmarnock. 2007.

The town is host to a football club named Kilmarnock F.C., the oldest professional club in Scotland. Their home ground is the curiously named Rugby Park. The reason for the name of the ground is that when founded, the club played both football and rugby. The club has the largest supporter base of any team outwith Scotland's four major cities. Rugby Park was also one of the first football grounds in Scotland to have floodlights installed. In recent years the stadium has been modernised, firstly to bring it in line with the all-seating regulations, then rebuilt totally to make a new ground. It has also hosted international football matches as well as music concerts, the most recent one was when Elton John performed here in June 2005. Derek Olgavie is also a regular appearance in the Palace Theatre.

The town also regularly plays host to professional wrestling shows, promoted by the British Championship Wrestling promotion.

There are two golf courses in the town, Annanhill Golf Course and Caprington Golf Course, which has both an 18 hole course and a nine hole course. Both these courses are council owned and run by East Ayrshire Council.

The local Leisure complexes include the Galleon Centre: with a 25 metre swimming pool, baby pool, ice rink, squash courts, sauna, gym, games hall, bar area, bowling green and the New Northwest Centre (formerly the Hunter Centre) which contains an up-to-date community gym and various local medical facilities.

A leisurely stroll around the town will reveal many fine buildings. Kilmarnock boasts a large number of listed buildings. The Dick Institute, opened in April 1901, was severely damaged by fire only eight years after it opened. Some of the museums collections were lost in the fire. It reopened two years after the fire in 1911. The Dick Institute was used as an Auxiliary Hospital in 1917 during World War One.It is now shared by the Arts and Museums Service, and the Libraries, Registration and Information Service. The two Art Galleries and three Museum Galleries house permanent and temporary displays of Fine Art, Contemporary Art and Craft, Local and Industrial History and Natural Sciences. The Lending Library, Audio Library, Junior Library, Reference Library and Learning Centre are all housed on the ground floor.

Culture

The first collection of work by Scottish poet Robert Burns, Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect was published here in 1786. It was published at the current site of the Burn's Mall, dedicated to his work. This edition is known as the Kilmarnock Edition.

Two areas of Kilmarnock "Ellerslie" and "Riccarton" are associated with William Wallace and his father. Claims have been made that this is the true origin of his birthplace, and recently these have been largely substantiated. The claim that Wallace was born in Elderslie near Paisley no longer seems tenable.

John Bowring, renowned polyglot and fourth governor of Hong Kong, was Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock in 1835.

In the Castle of Kilmarnock, Dean Castle [1], there is an exhibition of armour and weapons, and the Van Raalte collection of musical instruments.

Notable people

Twin towns

France Alès, France;
Belgium Herstal, Belgium;
Germany Kulmbach, Germany;
Spain Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain;
Georgia (country) Sukhumi, Georgia


References

Notes

  1. ^ "Architecture Kilmarnock". Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  2. ^ "Dean Castle". Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  3. ^ "Kay Park". Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  4. ^ "Kilmarnock Football Club roots". Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  5. ^ "Lady's Walk - Howard Park". Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  6. ^ "Sandbed Street Bridge - The oldest surviving bridge in Kilmarnock". Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  7. ^ "The Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock". Retrieved 2008-05-13.

Bibliography

  • Beattie, Frank (1994) Greetings from Kilmarnock, Ochiltree : R. Stenlake, ISBN 1-87207-441-3
  • Brinkhoff , T. (2007) City Population: Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Scotland, Online statistics [accessed 8 July 2007]
  • Malkin, John (1989) Pictorial History of Kilmarnock, Darvel : Alloway, ISBN 0-907526-42-X
  • Smellie, Thomas (1898) Sketches of Old Kilmarnock, Section II, limited edition of 250 copies, Kilmarnock : Dunlop & Drennan
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