Doonfoot
Encyclopedia
Doonfoot is a part of the town of Ayr in south-west Scotland
.
In 2008 there were many new houses built in Doonfoot, expanding the population substantially.
Doonfoot contains a primary school, a play park, and a local convenience shop. There are also plans for a new retirement home and community centre to be built along the Dunure Road sometime in the near future.
Belleisle Park, one of the largest parks in Ayr, borders Doonfoot. It contains two municipal golf courses run by South Ayrshire Council, Seafield and Belleisle. The latter was designed by James Braid
and has hosted the Scottish Open
and a number of amateur tournaments. It is often cited as one of the best public courses in Scotland, after courses such as St Andrews
and Carnoustie
. The park also houses a number of animals, including deer
and an aviary
. There is also a walled garden with a sundial
in the middle, and a large glasshouse which contains tropical plants. In early 2009 two violent youths broke into the Pet's Corners grounds and shot two deer, this led to a decline in visitors and in the summer of 2009 forced the Pet's Corner to close indefinitely due to a lack of visitors. The large glasshouse containing tropical plants and an excellent statue is in a state of disrepair and closed to the public. The walled garden is still open, but rather quiet now as the Pets Corner was the main draw for families.
Doonfoot is thought to extend westwards from the River Doon
to the ruin of Greenan Castle
, overlooking the seashore
. The island of Arran
is clearly visible across the Firth of Clyde
from many points throughout Doonfoot. The beach at Doonfoot is popular in summer but, like many beaches along the Ayrshire
coast, has failed to meet European Union standards for cleanliness under the Blue Flag scheme. The beach is often populated with a large number of seagulls.
The area known as Doonfoot was incorporated as part of the town of Ayr when the former Burgh of Ayr's boundaries were expanded in 1935 to take in the former villages of Alloway and Whitletts. Politically, since 1997 the area south of the Slaphouse Burn has been part of the Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley
constituency rather than the Ayr
constituency. Boundaries for UK Parliament constituencies were changed again in 2005, and Doonfoot was reunited
with Ayr, but the division persists for the Scottish Parliament
. This was unpopular locally, and former Member of Parliament Phil Gallie
challenged this in court by way of a judicial review
but this was unsuccessful.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
In 2008 there were many new houses built in Doonfoot, expanding the population substantially.
Doonfoot contains a primary school, a play park, and a local convenience shop. There are also plans for a new retirement home and community centre to be built along the Dunure Road sometime in the near future.
Belleisle Park, one of the largest parks in Ayr, borders Doonfoot. It contains two municipal golf courses run by South Ayrshire Council, Seafield and Belleisle. The latter was designed by James Braid
James Braid (golfer)
James Braid was a Scottish professional golfer and a member of the Great Triumvirate of the sport alongside Harry Vardon and John Henry Taylor. He won The Open Championship five times...
and has hosted the Scottish Open
Scottish Open (golf)
The Scottish Open, which has been sponsored by Barclays Capital since 2002, is one of the richer golf tournaments on the European Tour. It is currently played at Castle Stuart Golf Links in Inverness in the North of Scotland...
and a number of amateur tournaments. It is often cited as one of the best public courses in Scotland, after courses such as St Andrews
St Andrews Links
St Andrews Links in the town of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, is regarded as the "home of golf". It is one of the oldest courses in the world, where the game has been played since the 15th century...
and Carnoustie
Carnoustie
Carnoustie is a town and former police burgh in the council area of Angus, Scotland. It is situated at the mouth of the Barry Burn on the North Sea coast...
. The park also houses a number of animals, including deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
and an aviary
Aviary
An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...
. There is also a walled garden with a sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
in the middle, and a large glasshouse which contains tropical plants. In early 2009 two violent youths broke into the Pet's Corners grounds and shot two deer, this led to a decline in visitors and in the summer of 2009 forced the Pet's Corner to close indefinitely due to a lack of visitors. The large glasshouse containing tropical plants and an excellent statue is in a state of disrepair and closed to the public. The walled garden is still open, but rather quiet now as the Pets Corner was the main draw for families.
Doonfoot is thought to extend westwards from the River Doon
River Doon
The River Doon is a river in South Ayrshire, Scotland. The river flows 23 miles from Loch Doon, joining the Firth of Clyde just south of Ayr. Its course is generally north-westerly, passing near to the town of Dalmellington, and through the villages of Patna, Dalrymple, and Alloway, birthplace...
to the ruin of Greenan Castle
Greenan Castle
Greenan Castle is a 16th century tower house, possibly on the site of an ancient fort, around 2.5 miles south-west of Ayr in South Ayrshire, Scotland...
, overlooking the seashore
Seashore
-Landform:* Coast* Intertidal zone, between high and low water lines* National seashore, a special designation in the United States* Shore-Other:* Seashore , an open source image editor, based on GIMP written in Cocoa for Mac OS X...
. The island of Arran
Isle of Arran
Arran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
is clearly visible across the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
from many points throughout Doonfoot. The beach at Doonfoot is popular in summer but, like many beaches along the Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
coast, has failed to meet European Union standards for cleanliness under the Blue Flag scheme. The beach is often populated with a large number of seagulls.
The area known as Doonfoot was incorporated as part of the town of Ayr when the former Burgh of Ayr's boundaries were expanded in 1935 to take in the former villages of Alloway and Whitletts. Politically, since 1997 the area south of the Slaphouse Burn has been part of the Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley
Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, Scotland. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
constituency rather than the Ayr
Ayr (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Ayr is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
constituency. Boundaries for UK Parliament constituencies were changed again in 2005, and Doonfoot was reunited
Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock (UK Parliament constituency)
Ayr, Carrick, and Cumnock is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created for the 2005 general election from parts of the old Ayr and Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituencies....
with Ayr, but the division persists for the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
. This was unpopular locally, and former Member of Parliament Phil Gallie
Phil Gallie
Philip Roy Gallie was a British politician who served as a Conservative Member of Parliament for Ayr from 1992 to 1997 and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South of Scotland region from 1999 to 2007...
challenged this in court by way of a judicial review
Judicial review
Judicial review is the doctrine under which legislative and executive actions are subject to review by the judiciary. Specific courts with judicial review power must annul the acts of the state when it finds them incompatible with a higher authority...
but this was unsuccessful.
Links
- Alloway & Doonfoot Community Council
- Doonfoot Primary School
- Belleisle Golf Course
- About Ayr - About Ayr, South Ayrshire Council website information about Ayr
- South Ayrshire Council - South Ayrshire Council's website contains comprehensive information about the services provided by the Council