Hurlford
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One of the leading roads leading into Hurlford |
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Hurlford shown within East Ayrshire | |
Population | 4,968 |
OS grid reference | NS456366 |
• Edinburgh | 75 miles |
• London | 404 miles |
Council area | |
Lieutenancy area | |
Country | Scotland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | KILMARNOCK |
Postcode district | KA1, KA3 |
Dialling code |
01560 01563 |
Police | Scottish |
Fire | Scottish |
Ambulance | Scottish |
EU Parliament | Scotland |
UK Parliament | |
Scottish Parliament | |
Hurlford (Scottish Gaelic: Àth Cliath or Baile Àtha Cliath) (officially Hurlford and Crookedholm) is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It has a population of 4,968. Hurlford's former names include Whirlford and Hurdleford. The village was named Whirlford as a result of a ford crossing the River Irvine east of Hurlford Cross, near Shawhill. It shares its name in Gaelic, Àth Cliath ("The Ford of the Hurdles") with the Irish capital Dublin.
The village's Blair Park is home to Hurlford United F.C. and many notable footballers have been trained there.
The village is mostly contained in the Kilmarnock East and Hurlford ward of East Ayrshire Council while some outlying hamlets are in the Irvine Valley ward.
Traditionally part of Riccarton parish, the village is now a quoad sacra parish in its own right. Hurlford is home to four church buildings—the Hurlford Kirk and Hurlford Church, both in Main Road, Crookedholm; St Paul's Roman Catholic Church on Galston Road; and the Mauchline Road Church.
Hurlford Church, the former Free Church built in 1857, is part of the Church of Scotland. Mauchline Road Church was formerly part of the Unitarian Church. It is now used as luxury housing. The Hurlford Kirk, which was the original parish church built in 1875 has also been converted into a house, having become redundant as a church in 1996 when its congregation merged with that of the Free Church.
Hurlford Primary School, formerly Hurlford Grammar and Secondary School is the non-denominational primary school for the area and also houses Hurlford Nursery School. The building itself dates back to 1905.
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Rothesay, visited and congratulated the staff and children on 20 June 2005 on their achievements transforming school meals, which was followed by the school winning the Soil Association's School Food Award at the BBC's Good Food Show, presented by Jamie Oliver.