Irvine is the principal town and commercial centre of North Ayrshire. A royal burgh since 1372, the town has a rich maritime heritage. It functioned as the chief port for Glasgow until the 18th century when the River Clyde was deepened and Port Glasgow developed.
Historical connections include Mary Queen of Scots who is celebrated annually with the week-long Marymass Festival in August. Robert Burns lived in Glasgow Vennel in Irvine (1781-3) and the town was the birthplace of author John Galt and the poet James Montgomery.
One of Scotland's five new towns in the 1960s, today the town is a diverse mixture of old and new architectural styles, with excellent shopping and commercial facilities. Irvine has an array of leisure facilities and developments including the Magnum Leisure Centre, the Scottish Maritime Museum and the 'Big Idea' invention centre.
Neighbouring Kilwinning has a history stretching back almost 1400 years Kilwinning is dominated by the remains of the 12th century abbey and this landmark is the most outstanding feature of the local skyline.
Click here for a detailed map of Irvine from Multimap. To see how Irvine looked in 1860 click here for an historic map of the area.