a royal and parliamentary burgh, seaport, and market-town of Ayrshire, Scotland, situated on the estuary of the Irvine water, 29 miles distant from Glasgow, and 10 from Ayr. The old burgh on the N. side of the water is connected with the S. side by a stone bridge of four arches. Its buildings are a townhall and six churches. The harbour has 8 feet of water at the bar in high tide; and at the port there were registered (Dec. 31, 1855) 4 steamers and 113 sailing vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 17,719 tons. The principal export of the place is Ayrshire coal, the amount shipped in 1855 being 264,625 tons, or half the quantity shipped in that year from the Scottish ports. During the same year there entered the harbour 243 sailing vessels, of 19,555, and 132 steam-vessels, of 26,467 aggregate tonnage; and cleared out 4008 sailing vessels, of 336,384, and 163 steam-vessels, of 29,144 aggregate tonnage. In the summer months the suburban villas on the shore are frequented by visitors for sea-bathing. Irvine was created a royal burgh by King Robert I. in 1308, and is governed by a provost and eighteen councillors. It unites with Ayr, Campbellton, Inverary, and Oban, in returning a member to parliament. Population in 1851—royal burgh, 4790; parliamentary burgh, 7534.