Girvan

Girvan
Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Gharbhain
Girvan

 Girvan shown within South Ayrshire
Population 6,992 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference NX185975
Council area South Ayrshire
Lieutenancy area Ayrshire and Arran
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town GIRVAN
Postcode district KA26
Dialling code 01465
Police Strathclyde
Fire Strathclyde
Ambulance Scottish
EU Parliament Scotland
UK Parliament Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
Scottish Parliament Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
List of places: UK • Scotland •

Girvan (Scottish Gaelic:Inbhir Gharbhain) is a burgh in Carrick, South Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of about 8000 people. Originally a fishing port, it is now also a seaside resort with beaches and cliffs. Girvan dates back to 1668 when is became a municipal burgh incorporated by charter. It lies 20 miles south of Ayr, and 30 miles north of Stranraer, one of the principal ferry ports from Scotland to Northern Ireland.

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Places of interest and festivals

Culzean Castle lies a few miles north of the town. Turnberry golf course and hotel is located 5 miles north of Girvan. The coastline south of Girvan is famous for its geology, and also for Sawney Bean's Cave. The legendary murderer and cannibal Sawney Bean was a supposed resident of a nearby seaside cave until his eventual discovery and execution in Edinburgh.

Girvan has two Church of Scotland congregations - Girvan North Parish Church in Montgomerie Street (with a spire over 100 feet tall) and Girvan South Parish Church.

The town has several fish and chip shops and pubs. The Royal Hotel serves real ale. Just north of the town is a Grant's distillery, also there is a Nestle factory that manufactures chocolate that is shipped down to York and used in Kit-Kat and Yorkie bars.

The Girvan Folk Music Festival takes place on the first weekend of May each year. Girvan also has a folk music club which meets every Friday night in the Queen's Hotel, Montgomerie Street. Once a month they have a guest artist night.

The Lowland Gathering takes place in June each year and is held in the Victory Park in the centre of the town.

The annual Festival of Light takes place on the first Saturday in November. Its roots lie in the traditional bonfire night celebrations and the Celtic fire festival it replaced.[1]

Education and community

Girvan has its own secondary school, Girvan Academy. The town's harbour can be seen from the webcam which is part of the Girvan Online community website.

The town had a swimming pool, but on 14 January 2009 South Ayrshire Council voted to close it, ostensibly on the grounds that the pool had reached the end of its operational life.

The Hairy Tree

Historically, Girvan was significant as the home of the Hairy Tree. According to legend, the Hairy Tree was planted by Sawney Bean's eldest daughter in the town's Dalrymple Street. However, when her family was arrested, the daughter was implicated in their incestuous and cannibalistic activities and was hanged by locals from the bough of the tree she herself planted. According to local legend, one can hear the sound of a swinging corpse while standing beneath its boughs. The Hairy Tree's whereabouts are currently unknown, but two high profile campaigns have been launched to relocate it. The Girvan Online website is running a campaign which was started by local investigative journalist and horoscope writer Andrew Penguin.[2]

Stumpy Tower

Stumpy Tower is Girvan's former Jail. Stumpy Tower was built in 1789, and was used as a tollbooth in Reform riots in 1832.

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