Kyle (or Coila poetically; gd, Cuil) is a former
comital
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
district of
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
which stretched across parts of modern-day
East Ayrshire
East Ayrshire ( sco, Aest Ayrshire; gd, Siorrachd Àir an Ear) is one of thirty-two council areas of Scotland. It shares borders with Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire. The headquar ...
and
South Ayrshire. It is supposedly named after
Coel Hen
Coel (Old Welsh: ''Coil''), also called ''Coel Hen'' (Coel the Old) and King Cole, is a figure prominent in Welsh literature and legend since the Middle Ages. Early Welsh tradition knew of a Coel Hen, a 4th-century leader in Roman or Sub-Roman ...
, a legendary king of the
Britons
British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs mod ...
, who is said to be buried under a mound at
Coylton
Coylton ( sco, Culton) is a village and civil parish in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is east of Ayr and west of Drongan, on the A70. Sundrum Castle Holiday Park is to the west of the village, in the grounds of Sundrum Castle, which partly d ...
.
Geographical extent
The area is bordered by the historical districts of
Cunninghame
Cunninghame ( gd, Coineagan) is a former comital district of Scotland and also a district of the Strathclyde Region from 1975 to 1996.
Historic Cunninghame
The origin of the name (along with the surname ''Cunningham'') is uncertain. The endi ...
to the north,
Clydesdale Clydesdale is an archaic name for Lanarkshire, a traditional county in Scotland. The name may also refer to:
Sports
* Clydesdale F.C., a former football club in Glasgow
* Clydesdale RFC, Glasgow, a former rugby union club
* Clydesdale RFC, South ...
to the east and by
Carrick to the south. The
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde is the mouth of the River Clyde. It is located on the west coast of Scotland and constitutes the deepest coastal waters in the British Isles (it is 164 metres deep at its deepest). The firth is sheltered from the Atlantic ...
lies to the west.
Kyle was the central of the three districts in the
sheriffdom of
Ayr
Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire Subdivisions of Scotland, council area and the historic Shires of Scotlan ...
(
Ayrshire), which was divided naturally by its three primary rivers all running in a generally westward direction to flow into the firth of Clyde. The
River Irvine
The River Irvine ( gd, Irbhinn) is a river that flows through southwest Scotland. Its watershed is on the Lanarkshire border of Ayrshire at an altitude of above sea-level, near Loudoun Hill, Drumclog, and SW by W of Strathaven. It flows west ...
forms the northern boundary of Kyle with Cunninghame; the
River Doon
The River Doon ( gd, Abhainn Dhùin, ) is a river in Ayrshire, Scotland. Its course is generally north-westerly, passing near to the town of Dalmellington, and through the villages of Patna, Dalrymple, and Alloway, birthplace of Robert Burns. ...
established its southern boundary with Carrick. Additionally, Kyle itself was sub-divided into two parts. To the north of the
River Ayr
The River Ayr (pronounced like ''air'', ''Uisge Àir'' in Gaelic) is a river in Ayrshire, Scotland. At it is the longest river in the county.
The river was held as sacred by pre-Christian cultures. The remains of several prehistoric sacrificial ...
was "Kyle Stewart" (sometimes called "Stewart Kyle"
or "Walter's Kyle"
), lands held by the FitzAlans (the future Stewart Kings of Scotland) since the 12th century. To the south was "Kyle Regis" or "King's Kyle",
[ lands historically retained by the monarch under royal authority from the royal castle at Ayr.
Kyle was combined with Cunninghame and Carrick under Ayrshire County Council as a result of the ]Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889
The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict. c. 50) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which was passed on 26 August 1889. The main effect of the act was to establish elected county councils in Scotland. In this it foll ...
; this Act established a uniform system of county council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.
Ireland
The county councils created under British rule in 1899 continue to exist in Irel ...
s and town councils in Scotland and restructured many of Scotland's areas.
Kyle and Carrick District
From 1975 to 1996 Kyle and Carrick
Kyle and Carrick ( gd, A' Chùil agus a' Charraig) was one of nineteen local government districts in the Strathclyde region of Scotland from 1975 to 1996.
History
The district was formed by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 from part of ...
was the name of a local government district in Strathclyde
Strathclyde ( in Gaelic, meaning "strath (valley) of the River Clyde") was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government et ...
region, although the larger part of historic Kyle formed Cumnock and Doon Valley
Cumnock and Doon Valley ( gd, Cumnag agus Srath Dhùin) was one of nineteen local government districts in the Strathclyde region of Scotland from 1975 to 1996.
History
The district was created in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) A ...
district. In 1996 Kyle and Carrick was constituted as a Unitary Authority, but renamed South Ayrshire.
Council ward
In local government the area of Kyle makes up a council ward, bordering the council wards of Troon; Prestwick; Ayr North and Maybole, North Carrick & Coylton in the South Ayrshire Council area. It has three local councillors belonging to the Conservative Party
The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right.
Political parties called The Conservative P ...
, the Scottish National Party and the Labour Party. The area of Kyle includes the villages of Annbank, Mossblown
Mossblown is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland, a little larger than neighbouring Annbank. It was a coal mining community but the mines have been closed for some time now. There is a book available written by a local historian entitledOld A ...
, Tarbolton
Tarbolton ( sco, Tarbowton) is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is near Failford, Mauchline, Ayr, and Kilmarnock. The old Fail Monastery was nearby and Robert Burns connections are strong, including the Bachelors' Club museum.
Meaning ...
, Monkton, Symington and Dundonald as well as a number of smaller surrounding settlements such as Craigie, St Quivox and Loans
In finance, a loan is the lending of money by one or more individuals, organizations, or other entities to other individuals, organizations, etc. The recipient (i.e., the borrower) incurs a debt and is usually liable to pay interest on that de ...
. The area encompasses the northern portion of South Ayrshire excluding Troon
Troon is a town in South Ayrshire, situated on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland, about north of Ayr and northwest of Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
Troon has a port with freight services and a yacht marina. Up until January 2016, P&O ope ...
, Prestwick
Prestwick ( gd, Preastabhaig) is a town in South Ayrshire on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland about southwest of Glasgow. It adjoins the larger town of Ayr to the south on the Firth of Clyde coast, the centre of which is about south, an ...
and Ayr
Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire Subdivisions of Scotland, council area and the historic Shires of Scotlan ...
. It is bounded by the northern and eastern borders of the South Ayrshire Council area, which border North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north ...
and East
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...
Ayrshire respectively. The southern border of the area follows the River Ayr
The River Ayr (pronounced like ''air'', ''Uisge Àir'' in Gaelic) is a river in Ayrshire, Scotland. At it is the longest river in the county.
The river was held as sacred by pre-Christian cultures. The remains of several prehistoric sacrificial ...
between Ayr and the administrative border between South Ayrshire and East Ayrshire.
Kyle Castle
At Dalblair near Cumnock
Cumnock (Scottish Gaelic: ''Cumnag'') is a town and former civil parish located in East Ayrshire, Scotland. The town sits at the confluence of the Glaisnock Water and the Lugar Water. There are three neighbouring housing projects which lie just ...
, at the confluence of Guelt and Glenmuirshaw Waters, lie the ruins of the once impressive 15th century Kyle Castle.
References
External links
Map of Kyle
{{coord, 55.5, -4.3, region:GB, display=title
Geography of East Ayrshire
Districts of Scotland
History of East Ayrshire
Geography of South Ayrshire