Since I'm not sure what the weather will do today, I'm posting a photograph taken a couple of days ago.
This view of the Low Green, looking out over Doonfoot to the Brown Carrick Hills, shows all that remains of Ayr Burgh's Common Lands, granted under Royal Charter to the Burgh in the 14th century.
The green has mainly been used for sports and games, including, in the 1870s, a croquet area for ladies. Ayr Thistle and the Ayr Academy Football Clubs also used the green in the 1870s, but then football matches were banned due to the turf damage.
The Burgh Council started making improvements to the area in the 1880's with, in 1881, the first part of the Esplanade and the sea wall which was washed away the following year and had to be rebuilt. In 1892 a public fountain was presented to the town by James Steven and erected on the green while in about 1887 a bandstand was built. It remained at the Low Green until 1951-2.
The Royal Flying Corps used the Low Green as a landing strip from the beginning of World War I until 1916, when they moved to the Racecourse.
4 comments:
I'd love to see someone try and hang their washing out on the common land! Which, i presume, they are entitled to do...lovely green space...been a long time since I've been to Ayr...must come down sometime soon.
The weather has turned out rather lovely upriver - same with you?
Weather has been lovely this afternoon, but turning cloudy now.
Grant, you can graze your sheep and cows there as well so long as you are not in the farming industry!
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