Kilmarnock
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| Kilmarnock | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| OS grid reference: | NS429381 |
| Statistics | |
| Population: | 60,000 |
| Administration | |
| Council area: | East Ayrshire |
| Constituent country: | Scotland |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom |
| Other | |
| Police force: | Strathclyde Police |
| Lieutenancy area: | Ayrshire |
| Former county: | Ayrshire |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | KILMARNOCK |
| Postal district: | KA1-KA3 |
| Dialling code: | 01563 |
| Politics | |
| Scottish Parliament: | Kilmarnock and Loudoun Central Scotland |
| UK Parliament: | Kilmarnock and Loudoun |
| European Parliament: | Scotland |
| Image:Flag of Scotland.svg | |
Kilmarnock (Cill Mhearnáig in Scottish Gaelic, and Killie locally) is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of about 60,000. It is roughly between Glasgow and Ayr.
Contents |
[edit] Origins
The name comes from the Gaelic cille (kirk) and the name of Saint Marnoch or Mernoc who is also remembered in the name of Portmarnock in Ireland. 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.
[edit] Early Development
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.
[edit] Industry and Commerce
Kilmarnock's traditional industries were based around textiles and heavy engineering; Carpets (manufactured by BMK from the early 1900's, locomotives (Andrew Barclay and Sons) 1837-1970, and valves (Glenfield and Kennedy) a company still active to this date.
The carpets manufactured in Kilmarnock were internationally known for their quality and intricacy since the late 1800's. 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.
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. Hunslett-Barclay have also been involved in the conversion of redundant locomotives into units suitable for new tasks. For example, a number of Class 20 diesels were converted into units suitable for spraying weedkiller on track beds.
Glenfield and Kennedy still survives albeit with a fraction of its former workforce, which at its height numbered in the thousands.
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.
Kilmarnock is also home to Johnnie Walker's Scotch whisky.
On the outskirts of the town is Scotland's first privately run prison, HM Prison Kilmarnock.
Image:John Finnie Street Kilmarnock.JPG
[edit] Transport
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.
[edit] Economic depression and urban blight
The textile and manufacturing sectors across Scotland suffered significant decline in the postwar period, and in particular from the 1960's, 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, Masey 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, with the new shopping centre at Pollok likely to place particular pressure.
This difficult economic climate is most visible in the town centre, the eastern part of which was extensively redeveloped from important historic buildings such as King Street Church and the Town Hall were demolished, and Duke Street (the link to the Palace Theatre and out to the London Road) built-over. Although providing large-plan retail space necessary for the likes of BHS and Woolworths, the massing and scale of the buildings has been less than successful
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 planning blight in the face of possible comprehensive redevelopment. The street has now been redeveloped, but has not 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 that can be found anywhere else in the area, although to be fair to Kilmarnock, this is not an issue that solely affects Kilmarnock as local businesses often struggle in modern times to be able to survive on the main streets.
Local media coverage suggests considerable discontent with the local authority, East Ayrshire Council, which is popularly viewed as being indifferent to the plight of the town centre.
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”. This assessment was perhaps a little harsh, as the town contains some fine parks e.g. Howard Park and residential areas e.g. London Road area.
Kilmarnock has failed to capitalise on Ayrshire's growing tourist industry, although a four-star hotel recently opened next to Rugby Park, the home of Kilmarnock F.C., and some new resturaunts have opened in the town centre.
Economic depression has also blighted the towns and villages east of Kilmarnock, in the Irvine Valley. The Irvine Valley Regeneration Partnership[1] attempted to counter this, but ceased activity in 2005.
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. Recently work has begun on a quality housing development on the derelict gapsite of the former Kilmarnock Infirmary north of the town centre.
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 Onthank, Longpark and parts of Shortlees. However the physical rehabilitation of housing in these areas has failed to tackle the underlying problems of social exclusion, and these areas remain amongst the most grim places to live in Scotland.
Much new housing has been constructed on the northern fringes of the town to service the demand for commuter housing. The upgrading of the A77 route to Glasgow to the M77 motorway in 2005 has made Kilmarnock a more attractive town for commuters and recent house price increases have reflected this.
[edit] Education
Kilmarnock has 17 schools, 13 primary and 4 secondary. There is also a college with in the town, Kilmarnock Technical College.
The secondary schools are:
The primary schools are:
- St Columba's RC Primary
- St Matthews RC Primary
- Mount Carmel RC Primary
- Loanhead Primary
- Hillhead Primary
- Kirkstyle Primary
- Bellfield Primary
- Shortlees Primary
- Silverwood Primary
- New Farm Primary
- Annanhill Primary
- Gargieston Primary
- Onthank Primary
[edit] Sport and Leisure
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
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 complex is the Galleon Centre, with a 25 metre swimming pool and a baby pool, an ice rink, squash courts, sauna, a gym and a games hall. It also has a bowling green and bar areas.
[edit] Areas of Kilmarnock
- Annanhill
- Ashdale - New development being built beside Kilmaurs Road
- Bellfield
- Caprington
- Gargieston
- Grange Estate
- Fisher Grange - New development being bulit
- Hillhead
- Howard Grange
- Loanhead
- Longpark
- New Farm Loch
- Onthank
- Riccarton
- Shortlees
- Southcraig
- Townholm
- Wardneuk
- Wellpark
[edit] Culture
Image:100 0044 IR.jpg 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. Another master of the written word, and from Kilmarnock, is William McIlvanney. He was born in 1936 in Kilmarnock. [2]
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. William and John Sloane, founders of W. & J. Sloane in New York City were born in Kilmarnock (and William was the great-grandfather of William Sloane Coffin). Kilmarnock has a large artisan community including cartoonist Malky McCormick, animator Alexander McCracken and Master craftsman Jamie Allan Kerr In the Castle of Kilmarnock, Dean Castle [3], there is an exhibition of armour and weapons, and the Van Raalte collection of musical instruments.
[edit] Notable people from Kilmarnock
- William and John Sloane, founders of W. & J. Sloane in New York City
- Margaret McDowall, member of the Scottish Swimming team and Silver medal winner at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics
- William McIlvanney, writer
- Kirsty Wark, journalist and television presenter
- Sir John Boyd Orr, biologist, politician and Nobel Peace Prize winner
- Robert Dunsmuir (1825-1889), Hudson Bay Company coal miner and then coal baron, richest man in western Canada and builder of Victoria's Craigdarroch Castle, was born at Hurlford, south east of Kilmarnock.
- James Johnston, bass player of Biffy Clyro
- Ben Johnston, drummer of Biffy Clyro
- Scottish professional wrestler Adrian McCallum, better known by his ring name of Lionheart
- Scottish Canadian comedian Colin Mochrie (of "Whose Line is it Anyway?" fame) was born and spent the first several years of his life in Kilmarnock.
- Malcolm Wallace, father of Scotland's hero, William Wallace, was born in Riccarton.
- James Robinson who played William Wallace as a boy in the motion picture Braveheart.
[edit] References
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[edit] Further reading
- Beattie, F (1994) Greetings from Kilmarnock
- Malkin, J (1989) Pictorial History of Kilmarnock
