MAYBOLE, a parish and markettown, in the district of Carrick, county of
Ayr, 9 miles (S.) from Ayr, and 12 (N. E.) from Girvan;
containing 702* inhabitants. This place, the name of which
is of very doubtful origin, appears to have been the
chief seat of judicature for the district of Carrick, and
to have been the residence of the Earls of Cassilis, in those
times denominated Kings of Carrick, and of the principal
families of the district: the town still retains
many vestiges of its former importance. It was erected
into a burgh of baronv in 1516 by charter of James V.,
which conferred on the inhabitants the privilege of a
weeJily market, the right of election of bailies and other
officers for the due administration of affairs, and all
other liberties and immunities appertaining to a free
burgh. There are several streets of neat houses, and
the town is paved, lighted, and supplied with water by
the corporation; the approaches have been improved
by the formation of good roads in different directions,
and some of the streets have been widened: the adjacent
scenery is interesting. A public library is supported
by subscription, and there is also a circulating
library. An agricultural association called the Carrick
Farmers' Society has been long established, and holds
meetings in the town to award premiums for improvements,
and for the exhibition of stock, when, among
other prizes, are voted two pieces of plate annually given
by the Marquess of Ailsa and Sir Charles D. Fergusson
of Kilkerran.
The inhabitants are principally employed in weaving
for the manufacturers of Glasgow and Paisley, which is
not confined to the town, but is practised in every small
hamlet throughout the parish; and it is calculated that,
on an average, from £500 to £700 are weekly paid to
the weavers by the agents of the manufacturers who
supply them with work. There are some good shops
for the sale of merchandise; and the various trades connected
with an extensive agricultural and manufacturing
district are carried on here. At Dunure is a small fishing
harbour, where cargoes of lime and bone-dust are
landed in vessels from Ireland; but the fisheries have
their chief market at Ayr. The post-office has a delivery
twice a day. The market is on Thursday, chiefly for
butter, eggs, and fowls, the grain raised in the parish
being generally sent to Ayr; and four fairs are annually
held, called the Candlemas, Beltane, Lammas,
and Hallow E'en fairs: they were formerly amply furnished
with stores of all kinds, but are now mostly
limited to the hiring of servants. Under the charter of
James V. the burgh is governed by two bailies, and a
council of burgesses seventeen in number, who supply
vacancies, as they occur by death or resignation, from
their own body; the bailies and the subordinate officers
of the corporation are elected annually. The magistrates
exercise jurisdiction within the burgh, and hold weekly
courts for the determination of civil suits to any amount
and the trial of petty misdemeanors, in which the townclerk
acts as assessor; they also exercise a summary
jurisdiction in a court for the recovery of debts not exceeding
six shillings and eight pence. The town-house
is an old building, ill adapted to its purpose; and attached
to it is a small prison, equally unsuitable, used
for the confinement of prisoners pjeviously to their committal
to the gaol of Ayr.
The PARISH is nine miles in length and about five in
extreme breadth. It is bounded on the north, and
partly on the east, by the river Doon, which separates
it from the parishes of Ayr and Dalrymple; on the east
by the parish of Kirkmichael; on tlic south by the river
Girvan; and on the west by the parish of Kirkoswald
and the Firth of Clyde. The surface, in general undulating,
is towards the north-east intersected by a lofty
ridge called Hrown-Carrick Hill, which commands an
extensive an<l richly- varied prospect over the river Doon,
the sea, and tlie si)acious tracts of fertile country around,
including the districts of Kyle and Carrick, the town of
Ayr, and other interesting objects. The rivers are the
Doon c.nd the Girvan; the former appears to have changed
its ancient course, and to have made for itself a shorter
and more direct channel previously to its influx into the
sea. There are various springs of pure water, affording
generally a good supply, one of which, called the Well
Trees Spout, discharges about 1000 imperial gallons per
hour; there are also some chalybeate springs, formerly
in repute, but not at present much regarded. The soil
is various: that of the arable lands is of a light dry
quality, and abundantly fertile; in other places there is
a strong clay, and in some parts moss and moorland.
In this parish the number of acres is estimated at 20,681,
of which 16,684 are arable, 95.5 in woods and plantations,
about 600 meadow, and '2400 hilly pasture and
moor. The crops are wheat, oats, beans, barley, potatoes,
and turnips; the system of agriculture is advanced,
and a considerable portion of the moorland has been
lately reclaimed and brought into cultivation. Great
progress has been made in draining the land. The farm
houses and offices on the larger farms are in general
substantial and commodious, but on the smaller many
of the buildings are inferior; the lands are inclosed
chiefly with hedges of thorn, and various improvements
in agricultural implements have been rapidly growing
into common adoption. Considerable numbers of young
cattle are fed on the hills; they are now almost exclusively
the Ayrshire, which have been found to answer
better than the Galloway, formerly fed in the parish.
There are also a few sheep; they are chiefly of the Cheviot
and black-faced kinds, but on some farms the
Leicestershire have been lately introduced. The substrata
are mainly sandstone, limestone, ironstone, and
shale; the sandstone is of a reddish colour, and in some
instances passes into conglomerate. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £20,742.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery of Ayr, synod of Glasgow and
Ayr; and the patronage is in the Crown. The stipend
of the incumbent averages about £300, with a manse
built in 1806, a small but comfortable residence; and a
glebe comprising several acres, valued at £30 per annum.
The church, erected in 1S08, is a substantial edifice
adapted for a congregation of about 1300 persons; and
its distance from many parts of the parish rendering additional
accommodation necessary, two other churches
of the Establishment have been erected, one at Fishcrton,
on the coast, and the other at the west end of Maybole,
affording together sittings for 1100 persons. There are
places of worship for the Free Church and United
Presbyterian Church; also a small place of worship for
Wesleyan Methodists, seldom or never used. The parochial
school affords a good course of instruction, and
the master, who has an assistant, receives a salary of £34,
with a money equivalent for a house and garden, and an
allowance of £5 to be distributed in prizes among the
scholars; the fees average about £100. There are various
other schools in the parish, of which one is supported
by subscription, and two have each a free schoolroom.
A savings' bank has also been established.
There are still some remains of the ancient collegiate
church of this place, which was endowed for a rector
and three prebendaries, and of which the revenue at the
dissolution of the cliaptcr was granted to the Earl of
Cassilis, by whose family, and by others who contributed
to the preservation oF its remains, it is used as a place
of sepulture. A portion of some conventual buildings
is likewise remaining, and the orchards attached to them
are yet to be traced. These relics have been lately surrounded
with walls, and the inclosure tastefully planted
by subscription of the inhabitants. Remains also exist
of various ancient castles scattered throughout the parish.
Of the castle of Maybole, the ancient baronial
residence of the Earls of Cassilis, the principal part is
still in good preservation; and there are considerable
portions left of those of Newark, Greenan, DundufF,
Dunure, and Kilhenzie. Of the others, there remain
only slight fragments of the dilapidated walls. On the
farm of Trees are the vestiges of an encampment;
and several more are to be seen in different parts, one
of which, near the castle of DundufF, is in very tolerable
preservation. In the Provost's house, now the Red Lion
inn, a meeting for discussing the Roman Catholic and
the Reformed doctrines took place between Quintin
Kennedy, Abbot of Crossraguel, who had in bis chapel
of Kirkoswald proclaimed himself ready to defend the
mass against all objectors, and the celebrated Reformer,
John Knox: it was continued for three days. Dr.
Macknight, author of the Harmony, and the Truth of the
Gospel Histories, was for some time incumbent of this
parish.