Carrick, Scotland

Traditional southern district of Ayrshire

Modern map of Carrick (red) within South Ayrshire (pale yellow).

Carrick (from the Scottish Gaelic carraig, meaning 'rock') is a former comital district of Scotland which today forms part of South Ayrshire.

## History

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The district of Carrick originally formed part of the 11th- to 12th-century Kingdom of Galloway, whose lords ruled it until 1186, when it was granted to Duncan, son of Gilbert of Galloway. He became the first to hold the Earldom of Carrick. His son Neil became the second Earl, but he had no male heir - accordingly, his daughter, Margaret (also known as Marjorie of Carrick) inherited and became Countess of Carrick.

Upon her death in 1292 the earldom passed to her son Robert de Bruce, later to become King Robert I of Scotland (r. 1306–1329).

Carrick saw some involvement in the Scottish wars of independence under the said Robert the Bruce, which culminated in his victory over the English at Bannockburn (1314). It witnessed much inter-family feuding during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, with various branches of the powerful Kennedys contending for land and honour.[1]

The ruins of Turnberry Castle on the Carrick coast, former seat of the Earls of Carrick

Carrick's scattered villages and rugged terrain made it a favourite haunt of the persecuted Covenanters in the seventeenth century, and its rocky coastline with its many hidden coves and inlets has made it a favourite location for smuggling.[1] Robert Burns made his living as an exciseman along that coastline in the late-eighteenth century.[2]

In 1469, the title "Earl of Carrick" became one of the lesser titles of the heir-apparent to the Scots (later British) throne; as of 2022,[update] this title is borne by William, Prince of Wales, whose principal Scottish title is "Duke of Rothesay".

The name Carrick comes from the Gaelic word carraig, meaning 'rock' or 'rocky place',[3][unreliable source] and may preserve an earlier name from Brittonic carreg, which has a similar meaning (cf. modern Welsh carreg).[4] Compare the English crag, from the Celtic.[5]

Maybole functioned as the historic capital of Carrick. The county was eventually subsumed into Ayrshire, which was divided naturally according to its river valleys into the three districts of Cunninghame (in the north along the River Irvine), Kyle (in the centre along the River Ayr), and Carrick (in the south along the River Doon). These three districts formed Ayrshire, one of the counties of Scotland. A major reorganisation took place in the wake of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889; this Act established a uniform system of county councils and town councils in Scotland, and restructured many of Scotland's counties. (See History of local government in the United Kingdom.)

Kyle and Carrick was the former name (1975–1996) of a local-government district in the Strathclyde region of Scotland. In 1996, it was re-constituted as a council area, but renamed South Ayrshire.

## See also

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* Galloway
* Galwegian Gaelic

## References

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1. ^ a b Maxwell, Hugh (2010). Old Carrick. Catrine, Ayrshire: Stenalke Publishing. p. 3\. ISBN 9781840335095. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
2. ^ Smith, Graham (1989). Robert Burns the Exciseman. Ayrshire: Alloway Publishing. pp. all. ISBN 9780907526438. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
3. ^ "Carraig". 7 March 2024.
4. ^ James, Alan G. "A Guide to the Place-Name Evidence - Guide to the Elements" (PDF). Scottish Place Name Society - The common Brittonic Language in the Old North. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
5. ^ Harper, Douglas. "crag". Online Etymology Dictionary. \- "probably from a Celtic source akin to Old Irish crec 'rock', and carrac 'cliff', Welsh craig 'rock, stone', Manx creg, Breton krag".

## External links

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* Map of Carrick 1654
* Map of Carrick 1832

* v
* t
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Carrick

Settlements|

Former burghs
Ballantrae
Girvan
Maybole

Others
Auchencrosh
Balkissock
Bargany
Barr
Colmonell
Crosshill
Dailly
Drumshang
Dunure
Greenan
Kirkmichael
Kirkoswald
Lendalfoot
Maidens
Minishant
Old Dailly
Patna
Pinmore
Pinwherry
Smyrton
Straiton

Administration|

National subdivisions
Ayrshire and Arran lieutenancy area
Carrick earldom
Kyle and Carrick local government district
Sheriffdom and County of Ayr
South Ayrshire Council area

Parliamentary seats (Scotland)
Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

Parliamentary seats (UK)
Ayrshire (1708–1868)
South Ayrshire (1868–1983)
Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (1983–2005)
Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock (2005–)

Culture|

* Gaelic in Carrick and Galloway
* Sawney Bean

Geography|

Islands
Ailsa Craig

Lochs
Craigdow Loch
Loch Bradan
Loch Doon
Loch Dornal
Loch Finloch
Loch Goosey
Loch Spaig
Loch Spallander
Loch Spouts

Rivers
River Doon
River Stinchar
Water of App
Water of Girvan
Water of Tig

History|

Heritage sites
Blairquhan Castle
Carleton Castle
Crossraguel Abbey
Culzean Castle
Dinvin Motte
Dunduff Castle
Dunure Castle
Glenapp Castle
Greenan Castle
Kirkoswald Parish Church
Knockdolian
Maybole Castle
Maybole Collegiate Church
Penkill Castle
Turnberry Castle

People
Abbots of Crossraguel
Clan Kennedy
Earls or mormaers of Carrick
Marquesses of Ailsa and their predecessors

Sport|

* Girvan F.C.
* Maybole Juniors F.C.
* Turnberry golf course

Transport|

Railway lines
Girvan and Portpatrick Junction Railway
Maybole and Girvan Railway

Railway stations
Barrhill railway station
Girvan railway station
Maybole railway station

Roads
A77
A714

* v
* t
* e

South Ayrshire

Towns|

* Ayr
* Girvan
* Maybole
* Prestwick
* Troon

Villages, hamlets, and suburbs|

* Alloway
* Annbank
* Ballantrae
* Barassie
* Barr
* Barrhill
* Belmont
* Colmonell
* Coodham
* Coylton
* Craigie
* Crosshill
* Dailly
* Doonfoot
* Dundonald
* Dunure
* Failford
* Heathfield
* Joppa
* Kincaidston
* Kirkmichael
* Kirkoswald
* Lendalfoot
* Loans
* Maidens
* Minishant
* Monkton
* Mossblown
* Old Dailly
* Pinmore
* Pinwherry
* Seafield
* Straiton
* Symington
* Tarbolton
* Turnberry

See Also|

* Carrick
* Kyle
* Kyle and Carrick
* Strathclyde
* South Ayrshire Council elections

* Neighbouring council areas: East Ayrshire
* North Ayrshire
* Dumfries and Galloway

* v
* t
* e

Traditional provinces and districts of Scotland

Major districts (former counties, provincial lordships and rural deaneries)

* The Aird
* Annandale
* Angus
* Argyll
* Atholl
* Boyne
* Buchan
* Badenoch
* Breadalbane
* Caithness
* Carrick
* Lanark (or Clydesdale)
* Cowal
* Cunningham
* Desnes
* Eskdale
* Farines
* Fife
* Fothriff
* Galloway
* Garioch
* Garmoran
* The Glenkens
* Gowrie
* Kintyre
* Knapdale
* Kyle
* Lauderdale
* Lennox
* Liddesdale
* Lochaber
* Lorn
* Lothian
* Marr
* Mearns
* Menteith
* Merse
* Moray
* Nithsdale
* The Rhinns
* Ross (Easter and Wester)
* Stormont
* Strathavon
* Strathbogie
* Strathearn
* Strathgryfe
* Strathnaver
* Strathspey
* Sutherland
* Teviotdale
* Tweeddale

Minor districts

* Applecross
* Appin
* Ardgour
* Ardmeanach
* Ardnamurchan
* Assynt
* Avondale
* Balquhidder
* Benderloch
* The Black Isle
* Braemar
* Coigach
* Cromar
* Cromdale
* Douglasdale
* Durness
* Dùthaich MhicAoidh
* Eddrachilles
* Enzie
* Ettrickdale
* Ewesdale
* Formartine
* Gairloch
* Glen Albyn
* Glen Almond
* Glen Cassley
* Glen Clova
* Glen Dochart
* Glen Esk
* Glen Lethnot
* Glen Lyon
* Glen Moriston
* Glen Orchy
* Glen Prosen
* Glen Spean
* Glen Urquhart
* Glenelg
* Glengarry
* Glenshee
* Gruinard
* Howe of Fife
* Howe of the Mearns
* Kintail
* Kintyre
* Knoydart
* Lochalsh
* Loch Broom
* Locheil
* The Machars
* Midmar
* Moidart
* Morar
* Morvern
* Muir of Ord
* Rannoch Moor
* Rhinns of Kells
* Strath Gartney
* Strath of Kildonan
* Strath Oykel
* Strath Tay
* Strathallan
* Strathardle
* Strathbran
* Strathbraan
* Strathcarron (Forth)
* Strathcarron (Oykel)
* Strathconon
* Strathdearn
* Strathdeveron
* Strathdee (Deeside)
* Strathdon
* Strathfarrar
* Strathglass
* Strathisla
* Strathmore
* Strathyre
* Sunart
* Trossachs

Insular districts
For smaller islands, usually districts in their own right, see List of Scottish islands

| Islands of the Clyde|

* Arran
* Cumbrae

|

Islay|

* The Oa
* Rinns of Islay

Mull|

* Aros
* Ross of Mull

Skye|

* Duirinish
* Minginish
* Sleat
* Trotternish
* Waternish

Outer Hebrides|

* Harris (North Harris, South Harris)
* Lewis (The Lochs, West Side, Point, Back)

Orkney|

* Pomona
* Hoy and Walls
* Rousay
* Shapinsay
* South Ronaldsay
* Westray

Shetland|

* Mainland (Central Mainland, North Mainland, South Mainland, West Mainland)
* Fetlar
* Unst
* Whalsay
* Yell
* North Isles

Border areas

* Debatable Lands
* East March
* Middle March
* West March

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