Dalry, North Ayrshire is situated on raised ground between two tributaries of the Garnock, the Caaf and the Rye. The town appears to owe its birth to a market charter of 1681. In 1700 there were only six houses in the village. Some fifty years later it was shown on maps as 'quite a substantial place irregularly developed between the Rye and Caaf Waters'. By 1800 it housed around 800 people mainly employed in silk and cotton manufacture. With the railway came heavy industry - ironworks, coal mining, brickworks and limeworks. The relics of these industries can still be seen in and around the town. The main industry today is evident in the large Roche Vitamins works producing vitamin C for a worldwide market. The town square or Cross is the starting point for most of the walks and has a number of distinguished buildings.Near the granite Biggart Fountain is the 50m spire of St Margaret's Church which dominates the scene. Other buildings include the crow-stepped bank, the library in the former town hall and the Trinity Church. Most date from the 1850's. For more information on the history of Dalry click the History button. Click the Activities button for more information on things to do around Dalry. Click here for a detailed map of Dalry from Multimap.