View source for Maybole

{{Short description|Town in South Ayrshire, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{infobox UK place
| country                          = Scotland
| gaelic_name                      = Am Magh Baoghail
| static_image_name                = Maybole from the Cemetery Brae - geograph.org.uk - 239174.jpg
| static_image_width               = <!-- allows control of the image width. Should be omitted in most cases (will default to 240) -->
| static_image_alt                 = <!-- for a description of the image per [[WP:ALT]] -->
| static_image_caption             = Maybole from the Cemetery Brae
| official_name                    = Maybole
| population                       = {{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Maybole}}
| population_ref                   = ({{Scottish settlement population citation|year}})<ref name="auto1">{{Scottish settlement population citation}}</ref>
| os_grid_reference                = NS301100
| coordinates                      = {{coord|55.3551|-4.68|display=inline,title}}
| map_type                         = Scotland
| unitary_scotland                 = [[South Ayrshire]]
| lieutenancy_scotland             = [[Ayrshire and Arran]]
| constituency_westminster         = [[Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock (UK Parliament constituency)|Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock]]
| constituency_scottish_parliament = [[Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley]]
| post_town                        = MAYBOLE
| postcode_district                = KA19
| postcode_area                    = KA
| dial_code                        = 01655
| edinburgh_distance_mi            = 71
| london_distance_mi               = 325
}}

'''Maybole''' ({{Langx|gd|Am Magh Baoghail}}, {{Lit|plain of danger}}) is a town and former [[burgh of barony]] and police burgh in [[South Ayrshire]], Scotland.<ref>Moss, J. (2022:131). ''Celtic Places & Placenames: Heritage Sites & the Historical Roots of Six Nations''. United Kingdom: Pen & Sword Books.</ref> It had an estimated population of {{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Maybole}} in {{Scottish settlement population citation|year}}.<ref name="auto1"/> It is situated {{convert|9|mi|km}} south of Ayr and {{convert|50|mi|km}} southwest of [[Glasgow]] by the [[Glasgow and South Western Railway]]. The town is bypassed by the [[A77 road|A77]].
<!-- Headings as per wp:UKCITIES -->
<!-- == Governance == -->
<!-- == Geography == -->
<!-- == Demography == -->
<!-- == Economy == -->

== History ==
[[File:Maybole Collegiate church 1789.jpg|left|thumb|St Cuthbert's in 1789]]
There are no written records or mention of the town and district until the [[12th century|twelfth century]] although the area was indeed mentioned by the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] during their [[Scotland during the Roman Empire|occupation of South Scotland]]. The inhabitants were then known as the [[Damnonii|Damnii]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=First Facts |url=http://www.maybole.org/history/books/carricks%20capital/chapter1.htm |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=www.maybole.org}}</ref>

Maybole has Middle Ages roots, receiving a charter from [[Donnchadh, Earl of Carrick]] in 1193. In 1516 it was made a [[burgh of regality]], although for generations it remained under the suzerainty of the [[Clan Kennedy]], afterwards [[Earl of Cassillis|Earls of Cassillis]] and (later) [[Marquess of Ailsa|Marquesses of Ailsa]], the most powerful family in Ayrshire. The [[Archibald Angus Charles Kennedy, 8th Marquess of Ailsa|Marquess of Ailsa]] lived at Cassillis House, just outside Maybole until its sale in 2007.<ref>"Party-loving Scots laird drops dead in Florida toilet hours before he is due to be guest at Highland Games", ''Daily Record'', by Stephen Houston, 22 January 2015, https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/party-loving-scots-laird-drops-dead-5021460</ref> In the late seventeenth century, a census recorded Maybole was home to 28 "lords and landowners with estates in Carrick and beyond."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maybole Visitor Guide - Accommodation, Things To Do & More |url=https://www.visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/maybole-p242701 |website=visitscotland.com}}</ref>

In former times, Maybole was the capital of the district of [[Carrick, Scotland]], and for long its characteristic feature was the family mansions of the barons of Carrick. [[Maybole Castle]], a former seat of the Earls of Cassillis, dates to 1560 and still remains, although aspects of the castle are viewed as "of concern".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maybole Castle, High Street, Maybole &#124; Buildings at Risk Register |url=http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/details/911348 |website=buildingsatrisk.org.uk}}</ref> The public buildings include the town-hall, the Ashgrove and the Lumsden fresh-air fortnightly homes, and the Maybole combination poorhouse.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maybole Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland |url=https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/maybole/maybole/ |website=undiscoveredscotland.co.uk}}</ref>

Maybole is a short distance from the birthplace of [[Robert Burns]], the Scots national poet. Burns's mother was a Maybole resident, Agnes Brown.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |title=Notables |url=https://www.maybole.org/notables/notables1.htm |website=maybole.org}}</ref>

In the nineteenth century, Maybole became a centre of boot and shoe manufacturing.

[[Margaret McMurray]] (??-1760), one of the last native speakers of a [[Scottish Lowlands|Lowland]] dialect of [[Scottish Gaelic]], is recorded to have lived at Cultezron (not to be confused with nearby Culzean), a farm on the outskirts of Maybole.

== Notable landmarks ==
[[File:Maybole Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1212766.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Maybole Town Hall]]]]
[[File:Maybole Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 1470530.jpg|thumb|upright|The disused Maybole Parish Church]]
* The ancestral seat of the Marquesses of Ailsa is [[Culzean Castle]], now run by [[National Trust for Scotland|The National Trust for Scotland]] and located {{convert|4|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} west from Maybole. This dates from 1777; it stands on a basaltic cliff, beneath which are the Coves of Culzean, once the retreat of outlaws and a resort of the fairies.
* [[Maybole Town Hall]] incorporates a tower which dates back to the 16th century.<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num= LB37708|desc=Town Hall, High Street, Maybole|access-date=6 July 2022}}</ref>
* Cassillis Castle, near Maybole, is a category A 14th century castle with 17th century and 19th century baronial extensions.
* A primary rail service is at [[Maybole railway station]]. Set up in 1860.
* {{convert|2|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} to the south-west are the ruins of [[Crossraguel]] (from ''Crois Riaghail'' meaning 'Cross of St Regulus' ) Abbey, founded about 1240.
* ''Our Lady and St Cuthbert Catholic Church'' in Maybole was opened in 1878 and it was largely funded by Catholic convert [[Margaret Radclyffe Livingstone Eyre|Margaret Radclyffe Livingstone Eyre (born Kennedy)]].<ref>{{Cite ODNB|title=Eyre, Margaret Radclyffe-Livingstone- [née Lady Margaret Kennedy], styled countess of Newburgh (1800–1889), philanthropist|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-45582|access-date=2020-12-13|date=2004 |language=en|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/45582|isbn=978-0-19-861412-8 |last1=Mitchell |first1=Rosemary }}</ref> A Scottish Episcopal congregation was established in 1847 to serve the English and Irish weavers in the area, and the present St. Oswald's Church was completed in 1883.
* In the early 20th century, Maybole added a Baptist church. This was admitted to the Baptist Union in 1901 and appointed its first full minister in 1919, a year after the Great War finished.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Baptist Church of Maybole History |url=https://www.maybole.org/community/churches/BaptistChurch/history.htm |website=maybole.org}}</ref>
* Kirkoswald, where [[Robert Burns]] spent his seventeenth year, learning land-surveying, lies a little farther west. In the parish churchyard lie the real people who inspired two of Burns's fictitious characters Douglas Graham ([[Tam o' Shanter (Burns poem)|Tam o' Shanter]]) and [[John Davidson (poet)|John Davidson]].
* Farther south are the ruins of [[Turnberry Castle]], where [[Robert the Bruce]] is said to have been born. A few miles to the north of Culzean are the ruins of [[Dunure Castle]], an ancient stronghold of the Kennedys.

[[File:Maybolehousing.jpg|thumb|Housing on the site of the old St Cuthbert's shoe factory]]
[[File:Maybolecross.jpg|right|thumb|The head of the old Maybole Cross in the gardens of Maybole Castle. The cross bears the coats of arms of the Kennedy family of Cassillis and has a rare Moon dial on one face.]]

== Education ==

The town has three primary schools: Cairn Primary, Gardenrose Primary and St Cuthberts Primary.

The secondary school for Maybole is [[Carrick Academy]] (a school of Rugby).

== Sports ==
The local football club, [[Maybole Juniors F.C.]], play at Ladywell Stadium. They are members of the [[West of Scotland Football League]].

== Notable cultural references ==
The lyrics of [[The Waterboys]]' "[[Glastonbury Song]]" include: "I dreamed myself from the sultry plains, To the old green square back in old Maybole ..."

==Notable residents==
* Sir [[Gilbert Blane]] (1749–1834), 18th–century physician and Royal Navy reformer.
* [[Bernard Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae]] (1911–1980), part of the Fergusson family, and Governor-General of New Zealand, 1962–67.
* [[Robert MacBryde]] (1913–1966), a well-known painter of the 'Modern' school of art and theatre designer.
* [[John Loudon McAdam]] (1756–1836), Scottish engineer and roadbuilder of the eighteenth century.
* [[Norris McWhirter]] (1925–2004), founder of the ''Guinness Book of World Records'', is descended from the McWhirters of Maybole.<ref name="auto" />
* [[Sir William Montgomery-Cuninghame, 9th Baronet|Sir William Montgomery-Cuninghame]] (1834–1897), recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]] in 1854 during the Crimean War 
* [[R Guy Ramsay|Rev R Guy Ramsay]] (1895–1976), Scottish Baptist minister and President of the [[Baptist Union of Scotland]], 1948–49.
* [[Thomas Ramsay (Scottish Baptist)|Thomas Ramsay]] (1857–1934), first pastor of [[Maybole Baptist Church]], 1901–19, and President of the [[Baptist Union of Scotland]], 1921–22.
* Rev Dr [[William King Tweedie]] (1803–1863), Scottish historian, biographer and minister of the [[Free Church of Scotland (1843–1900)|Free Church of Scotland]].

==Twin towns==
* [[Beloeil, Belgium|Belœil]], Belgium
* [[Crosne, Essonne|Crosne]], France
* [[Schotten]], Germany
* [[Arco, Trentino]], Italy

==See also==
*[[Minishant]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{EB1911|wstitle=Maybole|volume=17|page=931}}
 	
==External links==
{{commons category|Maybole}}
* [http://www.maybole.org/ Maybole Home Page] 
* [http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/about/maybole/ About Maybole]
* [http://www.scottish-places.info/towns/townfirst480.html Its page in the Gazetteer for Scotland]

{{Carrick}}
{{South Ayrshire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Maybole| ]]
[[Category:Towns in South Ayrshire]]
[[Category:Carrick, Scotland]]