Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

Ardrossan - Saltcoats 1846

A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland
1846 June 6th.

From: 'Arbuthnott - Arrochar',

Ardrossan:

There are about sixty looms in the town, employed in the weaving of shawls and heavier articles, and lighter articles of silk and cotton.
And in Saltcoats nearly 450; many of the females are also engaged in working muslin.
Fairs are held in July, and on the fourth Thursday in November, for cattle and various kinds of merchandise; facility of communication is afforded, by excellent roads to all the neighbouring towns.

The substrata are limestone, freestone, and coal; the last was formerly wrought in the northern part of the parish, and in the vicinity of Saltcoats, but the workings have been, for some time, discontinued.
There are three limestone quarries in the upper part of the parish, the freestone is found both of a red and white colour, and there is an extensive quarry of the former, close to the town of Ardrossan, from which was raised the stone for building the town and forming the quay.
Near the town are also various kinds of whinstone, of which whole rocks have been blasted with gunpowder, and used in the formation of the breakwater. There are several strata of ironstone near the public baths, varying from two inches to nearly five feet in thickness, but, from their situation, the working of them has not been thought likely to repay the expense;
A variety of fossil shells is found in several parts, and it is generally supposed that the sea has considerably receded from this part of the coast

On Knock-Georgan, are the remains of a Danish camp; and on one of the other hills in the parish, is an artificial mound, of rectangular form, sixteen yards long, nine yards wide, and the same in height, with sloping banks, concerning which nothing authentic is recorded. Dr. Robert Simpson, professor of mathematics in the university of Glasgow, was a heritor of this parish, where he was accustomed to reside during the vacations, on his estate of Knockewart.