Trace the history of Ayr from a fortress 800 years ago to a county town, royal burgh, garrison, and the administrative centre of Scotland today. The Ayr you see today is a bustling shopping centre, but if you scrape back just a few layers you’ll discover reminders of years gone by. On this walking tour, you’ll travel back in time to explore some of the town’s amazing architecture, as well as its murky underbelly. Along the way, you’ll hear stories about the town’s past and the people that shaped it, including: • Robert Burns, the bard • The betrayal and torture of Cornelius Anderson • Maggie Osborne and her witchcraft • Why John Loudon McAdam isn’t really the father of the tar road • The ingenious method devised to thwart body snatchers in the 1800s There’s much more than meets the eye on these quaint streets, so let’s get stuck in and see what we can find!