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Girvan Town
The town of Girvan, originally called Invergarvan, from its
being situated at the influx of the Garvan or Girvan to the
sea, is delightfully situated on the left bank of the river; 13
miles north by east of Ballantrae; 41 north-north-east of
Portpatrick; 12 south-south-west of Maybole; 21 south by west
of Ayr; 54 from Glasgow; and 93 from Edinburgh. It runs along
the sea-side directly opposite Ailsa Craig, and commands a
magnificent view of the frith of Clyde, and its gorgeous
encincturing scenery: See articles AILSA CRAIG and CLYDE.
But as to its interior landscape, or the appearance and
grouping of its houses and streets, it is utterly unworthy of
its splendid site. Heron, in the narrative of his Scottish
tour, in 1793, though sufficiently prompt and liberal in his
praises whenever an object not positively displeasing met his
eye, describes the town as then in so miserable a plight that
he was obliged to move onward to Kirkoswald to find a night's
lodging and he says respecting Girvan: "The houses are huts
more miserable than those of Ballantrae. They are so low as
to seem, at the south end of the village, rather caves dug in
the earth, than houses built upon it. On the north-west side,
and close upon the banks of the river, are, indeed, some more
decent and commodious houses." The place is exceedingly
improved since the period when Heron wrote. Still it is
far inferior in neatness and dignity to many Scottish towns of
its size; and, with a small aggregate proportion of
exceptions, consists of cottages one story high, distributed
into a workshop and a dwelling-room, — the latter, in many
instances, being occupied by two or even three families. Even
the recently built erections are, in a large proportion of
instances, small houses, occupied by the lowest order of
immigrant Irish, who come hither in search of employment in
cotton-weaving. The whole population, with inconsiderable
exceptions, are cotton-weavers and their families. The
number of hand-looms, including a few in the vicinity, was, in
1838, no fewer than 1,800. The fabrics woven are almost all
coarse cottons for
the manufacturers of Glasgow. - Girvan harbour, till
very recently, with from 9 to 11 feet of water at the mouth
of the river, admitted only vessels of small burden; but it is
now so far improved as to admit of a steamer of from 90 to 100
feet keel, and to afford some facility for the exportation of
coals and agricultural produce. The small bay at the
embouchure of the river is an excellent fishing-station; but
though capable of yielding an abundant produce, of great
variety and of prime quality, it has been very lazily and
limitedly plied. — The town has a small subscription-library,
two circulating libraries, a considerable number of friendly
societies, a savings' bank, a branch office of the Royal bank
of Scotland, a branch-office of the Ayr bank, a weekly market,
and two annual fairs. — Girvan was erected into a burgh-of-barony
by royal charter, in 1696, granted in favour of Sir Archibald
Muir of Thornton, provost of Edinburgh; but it now holds of
Hamilton of Bargany. The burgh property consists of houses, and
has suffered no alienations within these forty-six years. In
1832 the revenue was £148 14s. 6d., and the expenditure £73 12s. 9d.
The debt of the burgh amounts to £1,500, and is heritably
secured over houses. The jurisdiction of the magistrates
extends over the burgh and the barony of Baliochtoul. A bailie
court is held weekly on Wednesday in the town-hall. Civil
causes to the amount of £2 in value are tried there; and
prosecutions are entertained for petty delinquencies within
burgh, for which fines, not exceeding £1, are imposed; and if the fine
imposed is not paid imprisonment
follows. The magistrates have no assessor; yet are sometimes
assisted in their judicial deliberations by professional
advice. The magistrates and council have the patronage of
the offices of town-clerk treasurer, billet-master, and
town officers. The treasurer has no salary. All the
office-bearers are chosen annually. All persons wishing to
trade or manufacture within the burgh must enter as freemen,
and pay £2 to the common good. There are no incorporated
trades enjoying exclusive privileges. The sett of the burgh was
altered from what it had previously been by the late Sir Hew
Dalrymple Hamilton, Bart., the superior. He increased the
number of the council from 12 to 14, including two bailies.
He provided that four of the council should retire annually by
ballot, without prejudice to their being re-elected, and that
the vacancies should be filled up by the votes of the resident
burgesses from the members of their incorporation; that the
senior bailie should, in virtue of his office, remain a
councillor, and the junior bailie fill the office of senior
magistrate for the ensuing year, his place being supplied by a
new election ; and that in the event of the death, or retiring,
of any of the bailies during the period of their holding
office, the person last in office should become junior bailie
till next annual election. There are 74 householders, whose
rents amount to £10; of whom 52 are burgesses. The number
of those whose rents amount to £5, but not to £10, is 40; of
whom 18 are burgesses. The police of the burgh is not
regulated by special statute; it is under charge of the
magistrates. There is no special establishment for watching
and cleaning. Persons are employed for these purposes when
"need requires," who are paid from the general fund. Sixty of
the inhabitants are appointed constables annually by the
magistrates, who act, when required, for the preservation of
the peace, and are paid either from the general fund, or from
tines imposed upon delinquents. Population, in 1830, 5,300.
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