Troon occupies a strip of land along the coast of the Firth of Clyde about 30 miles south-west of Glasgow.

Today, it is a small, lively town of about 10,000 inhabitants with another 5,000 in the adjacent residential areas of Barassie and Meadowgreen, with the village of Loans just a stones-throw inland.

Records from the beginning of the 19^th century describe just a few cottages forming a clachan between what are now the new swimming pool and the marina. The story of the following 200 years revolve around the heads of the prominent families in the area.
For centuries prior and throughout the 18^th century, the lands around Troon belonged to the Fullartons. They lived in a house called Crosbie and from the mid-1700s in the new Fullarton House, both located in what is today known as Fullarton Woods. Colonel Fullarton raised four regiments in support of the Crown in the last two decades of the 18^th century and almost bankrupted himself in the process. The family's needs induced them to sell the lands around Troon to the Marquis of Titchfield who later became the 4^th Duke of Portland. Above is a postcard view of Fullarton House c 1910

All of these names still echo loudly in everyday Troon life as Fullerton Drive, Titchfield Road, Portland Street, and Crosbie Tower, as do Willockston (barracks) Road, Wallacefield (Road), Darley (Golf Course), Craigend (Road), and Burnside (Place) which are all named after farms of 200 years ago.

In 1812, the Duke of Portland opened the first Railroad in Scotland. Running from Kilmarnock, the original intention was to carry goods (particularly coal) to and from a new harbour which the Duke had built at Troon. However, almost from the outset, fare-paying passengers were also carried. They paid one shilling for a single journey outside (1/6d same day return) or one shilling and sixpence for a single journey inside (Half-a-Crown same day return). From about a mile north of Troon Station through to Kilmarnock, today's railway follows that original route ……. though the fare has gone up a little. Initially the wagons were horse-drawn but in 1820, the Duke bought one of Stephenson's first steam locomotives and graciously allowed it to be named The Duke.

In the summer of 1839, the Ayr/Irvine Railway was opened with a Station at Troon. By 1840, the line ran right through to Glasgow and this was the catalyst for the change in the status of Troon. The Old Station is now residential property north of Dundonald Road at the Marr College turn-off. The original line was closed and the rails lifted for scrap some years ago.

The sea has obviously played a major part in the history of Troon. The next update of this Site will touch on Smuggling and Shipwrecks.

In the meantime, if you want some real detail of these events, you can obtain a number of excellent books.

TROON TOPICS
AYRSHIRE TOPICS

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