Beith

Beith
Population	6,346
OS grid reference	NS349542
Council area	North Ayrshire
Lieutenancy area	Ayrshire and Arran
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BEITH
Postcode district	KA15
Dialling code	01505
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	NorthAyrshire and Arran
Scottish Parliament	Cunninghame North

This article is about the Scottish town. For the letter of the Ogham alphabet, see Beith (letter).

Beith is a small town in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Its population at the 2001 census was 6,346.

Beith Kirk in 1876, built on the site of Saint Inan's chapel.

One of its many claims to fame is that a signatory of the American Declaration of Independence, the Rev. John Witherspoon, was a former minister of its parish.

The sixteenth century poet Alexander Montgomerie was born in Hazelhead Castle, which is on the outskirts of Beith.

Dr Henry Faulds, the originator of the forensic use of fingerprinting as a means to identify criminals, was born in Beith in 1843.

It was also home to many world-famous cabinet works, such as Stevenson and Higgins.

The town was once served by two railway stations: Beith North and Beith Town. Both these stations are now closed, with the nearest station now being Glengarnock.

Beith also has its own golf course (the 8th hardest amateur course in Britain), two Beith Parish Churches of the Church of Scotland, 102nd Scout Group, and modern Primary school. The Royal Navy also maintains an armament depot, DMC Beith, in the area.

Beith Rocking Stone

The Beith Rocking Stone, weighing 11 tons, sits on top of Cuff Hill. Local Folklore states that the Rock once upon a time rocked from side to side on a balance point.

Beith Old Kirk gallery

• 
  Beith old kirk.
• 
  The Old Sundial dated 1841.
• 
  A memorial stone inside the old kirk.
• 
  Detail of the 'Agnus Dei' on the John Speir Memorial.
• 
  The John Speir memorial, previously at Speir's school.
• 
  Detail of the John Speir memorial.
• 
  The memorial to John Speir's wife.
• 
  The other John Speir memorial at it's original site.

External links

• Beith Website
• Community Website