Muirkirk

Village in East Ayrshire, Scotland.

Village in Scotland

Muirkirk

Location within East Ayrshire

Population1,340 (mid-2020 est.)^[1]LanguageEnglish
ScotsOS grid referenceNS697274Council area

East Ayrshire

Lieutenancy area

Ayrshire and Arran

CountryScotlandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townCUMNOCKPostcode districtKA18Dialling code01290PoliceScotlandFire Scottish Ambulance Scottish UK Parliament

Kilmarnock and Loudoun

Scottish Parliament

Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

List of places: UK; Scotland

55°31′19″N 4°04′00″W / 55.52194°N 4.06667°W / 55.52194; -4.06667

Muirkirk (Scottish Gaelic: Eaglais an t-Slèibh) is a small village in East Ayrshire, southwest Scotland. It is located on the north bank of the River Ayr, between Cumnock and Glenbuck on the A70.

Conservation

The Muirkirk & North Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area was set up to protect the populations of breeding hen harrier (Circus cyaneus), golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria), merlin (Falco columbarius), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and short-eared owl (Asio flammeus).

Population

As of 2019, the estimated population of Muirkirk is 1,386. ^[2]

History

The village developed around its church, which was built in 1631, and was a fertile recruiting ground for the Covenanter movement.

The village partook in curling since at least 1750, and has one of the earliest written accounts of this, by the minister, Rev John Sheppard.^[3]

In recent times, the village has fallen into decline due to its geographic isolation and the collapse of its coal and iron industries, but attempts are being made at regeneration through the Muirkirk Enterprise Group which was set up in 1999.

Notable people

Jocky Dempster, former professional footballer with Queen of the South F.C., St Mirren and Clyde F.C.
Danny Masterton, footballer with Ayr United and Clyde, lived almost his whole life in Muirkirk.^[4]
Willie Ferguson, professional footballer with Chelsea F.C. and Queen of the South F.C.
John Lapraik, poet
John Loudon McAdam, who developed his system of road laying in Muirkirk
Isobel Pagan (Tibby) - poet
Bill Shaw, pre-war footballer
Prof Sir Tom Symington, pioneer in Cancer research
Alan Gebbie, professional footballer with St Mirren F.C. and Aldershot F.C.^[5]

References

^ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
^ "Locality Populations".
^ Curling: An Illustrated History, by David B Smith ISBN 0-85976-074-X
^ The Scotsman, 23 May 2020.
^ "Gebbie Allan Image 1 St Mirren 1935".

External links

Media related to Muirkirk at Wikimedia Commons
Muirkirk's Official Website
Muirkirk Enterprise Group

East Ayrshire

Administrative centre: Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire Council Headquarters, London Road, KA3 7BU
Council structure: Chief Executive: Eddie Fraser; Provost of the Council Cllr Jim Todd; Leader of the Council Cllr Douglas Reid

Towns