IRVINE, a seaport town and royal burgh of Scotland,
in the bailiwick of Cunningham, and county of Ayr; it is
agreeably situated at the mouth of a river of the same name
on the Frith of Clyde, at the distance of eleven miles north
of Ayr, sixty-seven from Edinburgh, twenty-five south-south-
west of Glasgow, and six and a half west of Kilmarnock.
It is a town of considerable antiquity, as appears by the re-
cords of the burgh, Alexander II. having granted a charter
to the burgesses, confirming some other royal grants. It
is a small but thriving place, consisting, besides smaller
streets, of one broad street, running from south-east to north-
west the whole length of the town, on the south side of the
river, but connected with the town by a bridge. The road
leading to the harbour is lined by a row of houses on either
side, and mostly inhabited by seafaring people; and the road
leading to Ayr is provided with houses in the same way.
The bridge of Irvine is the widest and handsomest in the
county. This burgh possesses a town-house, a parish
church, and three other places of worship. There is an
excellent academy, in which the higher branches are taught,
a subscription free-school, several private schools, a news-
room, and a subscription library. This port had formerly
employed in the herring fishery several busses, that is, ves-
sels fitted out under certain regulations to entitle them to
a bounty. At present there are about one hundred ves-
sels belonging to the port, tonnage 11,000, navigated by
about seven hundred and thirty men. About twenty-one
of these vessels are employed in the North American trade,
three or four in the Mediterranean, one to India, and the
remainder in the Irish or coast-trade. There is a consider-
able timber and grain trade at this port, and a very exten-
sive coal-trade. In 1834, the quantity of coal exported,
principally to Ireland, was 91,462 chalders, equal to about
137,600 tons. The annual revenue of customs is from
£3000 to £4000. Ship-building, chain, cable, and rope-
making are carried on to some extent in Irvine. As a
royal burgh it is governed by a provost, two bailies, a dean of guild, treasurer, and twelve councillors. The population of the town and parish was 7007 in 1821, and 7200 in 1831.