Irvine, North Ayrshire

Irvine Scottish Gaelic: Irbhinn Scots: Irvin
Administrative centre and new town
The River Irvine and Irvine Harbour Court House High Street Sovereign House Bridgegate
Coat of Arms of Irvine
Irvine Location within North Ayrshire
Population	34,130 (2020)[1]
OS grid reference	NS325395
• Edinburgh	77.7 mi
• London	430.9 mi
Community council	Irvine
Council area	North Ayrshire
Lieutenancy area	Ayrshire and Arran
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	IRVINE
Postcode district	KA11 – KA12
Dialling code	01294
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Central Ayrshire
Scottish Parliament	Cunninghame South
List of places UK Scotland 55°37′12″N 4°39′41″W / 55.6201°N 04.6614°W / 55.6201; -04.6614

Irvine (/ˈɜːrvɪn/ UR-vin; Scots: Irvin,^[2] Scottish Gaelic: Irbhinn, [ˈiɾʲivɪɲ])^[3] is a town and former royal burgh on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The 2011 Census recorded the town's population at 33,698 inhabitants, making it the largest settlement in North Ayrshire, ^[4] and 22nd largest settlement in Scotland. Irvine was designated at the fifth and final Scottish new town in November 1966.^[5] Irvine is the administrative centre and the seat of the North Ayrshire Council administration which has its headquarters based at Cunninghame House. Irvine was the site of Scotland's 12th century military capital and former headquarters of the Lord High Constable of Scotland, Hugh de Morville.^[6] It also served as the capital of Cunninghame and was, at the time of David I, Robert II and Robert III, one of the earliest capitals of Scotland.^[7]

The town was once a haunt of Robert Burns, after whom two streets in the town are named: Burns Street and Burns Crescent. He is known to have worked in a flax mill on the Glasgow Vennel. Despite being classed as a new town, Irvine has had a long history stretching back many centuries and was classed as a Royal Burgh. There are also conflicting rumours that Mary, Queen of Scots, stayed briefly at Seagate Castle. There is still a yearly festival, called Marymass, held in the town. Marymass refers to Mary Queen of Scots and is celebrated for around a week starting from the 15th of August, and was therefore Mary's Mass hence Marymass.