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AILSA CRAIG

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Originally appearing in Volume V01, Page 439 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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AILSA See also:

CRAIG , an See also:island See also:rock at the mouth of the See also:Firth of See also:Clyde, ro m. W. of See also:Girvan, See also:Ayrshire, See also:Scotland. It is of conoidai See also:form, with an irregular elliptic See also:base, and rises abruptly to a height of 1114 ft. The only See also:side from which. the rock can be ascended is the See also:east; the other sides being for the most See also:part perpendicular, and generally presenting lofty columnar forms, though not so See also:regular as those of See also:Staffa. This island is composed of micro-See also:granite with riebeckite, of See also:great See also:interest on See also:account of the rare occurrence of this type in See also:Britain. It is comparatively See also:fine-grained' and of a greyish See also:colour. Its essential constituents are See also:felspar, See also:quartz and riebeckite—a soda See also:amphibole. The last of these minerals occurs in small irregular patches between the idiomorphic felspars which Dr J. J. H. Teall has found to be a soda See also:orthoclase. The rock is allied to paisanite described by C.

A. Osann and has been termed ailsite by See also:

Professor M. F. See also:Heddle. It forms part of an intrusive See also:mass which, on the See also:south and See also:west cliffs of the island, has a columnar arrangement and is traversed by dykes of See also:dolerite, most of which run in a See also:north-west direction. The See also:age of this mass is uncertain, as its relations to other rocks are not visible in the island. As riebeckitegranophyre has been found in See also:Skye it may be of See also:Tertiary age. The rock is a favourite material for See also:curling-stones, about three-fourths (according to estimate) of those in use in the countries where the See also:game obtains being made of it. On this account curling-stones are popularly known as " Ailsas " or " Ailsa Craigs." A columnar See also:cave exists towards the See also:northern side of the island, and on the eastern are the remains of a See also:tower, with several vaulted rooms. Two springs occur and some scanty grass affords subsistence to rabbits, and, on the higher levels, to goats. The precipitous parts are frequented by large flocks of solan geese and other See also:sea birds. The lighthouse on the See also:southern side shows a flashing See also:light visible for 13 m.

In 1831 the twelfth See also:

earl of Cassillis became first See also:marquis of Ailsa, takingthe See also:title from the Craig, which was his See also:property. When See also:John See also:Keats was in Girvan during his Scottish tour in 1818 he apostrophized the rock in a fine See also:sonnet.

End of Article: AILSA CRAIG

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