Prestwick is situated on the west coast of Ayrshire with fine flat sandy beaches which stretch from Ayr in the south, to Troon. The Island of Arran can be seen in its entirety from the promenade. In the evening, some of the finest sunsets in the world can be seen as the sun drops behind the highest peak on Arran, 'Goat Fell'.

Prestwick can not only boast to being the oldest Royal Burgh in Scotland, it was also the home of the first Open Golf Championship in 1860, when the event was held at Prestwick Golf Club.

'Bruce's Well' is situated next to St. Ninians Church. It is reputed that Robert the Bruce had a skin problem and drank from the well because of the waters healing powers.

The Freeman's Building was built in 1844 and was the meeting place for the Freemen of the Burgh. It now used as the Registry Office for the town.

In 1913, aircraft were first seen at the field that was to be the site of Prestwick Airport, but it was not until 1934 that it was used as an airtrip for the new generation of light aircraft.

The land was bought by David McIntyre who installed hangarage, a control tower, lecture facilities which saw the beginning of Scottish Aviation Limited. Accompanied by The Duke of Hamilton, he made the first flight over Everest.

World War II saw Orangefield House, which dated from the 17th century, brought into use as the airport terminal. Training was halted with the installation of a huge base for the US Airforce. Scottish Aviation Ltd also began production of aircraft with the last new aircraft rolling off the assembly line in 1998, after almost 60 years of production. In 1941 the Palace of Engineering from the Empire Exhibition site at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, was erected at Scottish Aviation and provided much needed factory space for the rapidly expanding aircraft production.

With the expansion of trans Atlantic flights, new facilities were urgently required to cope with increasing passenger numbers. A new control tower was built in 1962, followed by a new terminal in 1964. Orangefield House was demolished in 1966 to enable the construction of a new taxiway.

In 1960, history was made when Elvis Presley stopped over at Prestwick on his way back from Germany to the US at the end of his national service.

The airport is now owned by a New Zealand company and called Glasgow Prestwick International. A new slogan ( 'Pure Dead Brilliant' ), is now to be seen on the face of the terminal building which portrays how we hope our visitors will look on not only the improved facilities, but on Scotland as a whole, and more importantly, our own region.

The Freeman's Hall

Prestwick Airport

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