Beith (locally /biːð/) is a small town in the Garnock Valley, North Ayrshire, Scotland approximately 20 miles (30 kilometres) south-west of Glasgow.

[5] An unsuccessful search for the saint's writings which were said to be preserved in the library of Bonci, Archbishop of Pisa, was made by Colonel Mure of Caldwell in the 19th century.

In 1733 forty or fifty Beith smugglers sacked the Irvine Customs House, escaping with a rich booty of confiscated contraband goods[9] and by 1789 a company of 76 soldiers were quartered in the town dealing with the continuing illicit trade in tea, tobacco, and spirits.

Hence, the Main Street's popular public house is still called the Smugglers Tavern, recalling the days when Beith's location between the coast and Paisley and Glasgow, made it a convenient stopping off point for those involved in nefarious activities.

Montgomery was dragged nearly 30 miles (50 kilometres) to Port Glasgow behind horses to be taken back to Virginia but escaped to Edinburgh before the ship sailed.

"[citation needed] Witherspoon was also the sixth president of Princeton University and showed great commitment to liberal education and republican government.

–His direct descendants include actress Reese Witherspoon,[14] and he is commemorated by statues in Washington D.C., [1] Archived 2 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine at the University of the West of Scotland in Paisley, and a plaque, placed by DSDI in 2009 in Beith town centre.

His mother, Janet Pollock, came from Boghall although she spent much of her life at the home of her uncle, Hugh Brodie, who farmed at Langcroft at the foot of Calder Glen, near Lochwinnoch.

A former employee of Dale, Matthew Pollock progressed the manufacturing by introducing machinery in a factory setting 3 miles (5 kilometres) outside of the town at Beith North railway station.

Balfour suffered the same problems as the Pollock Brothers in being unable to attract employees from the town willing to walk the 3 miles (5 kilometres) to work.

In the late-1920s, transportation switched away from the railway but the industry continued to burgeon with many companies producing high-quality furniture: Macneill Bros, specialised in board room and library fittings, Stevenson and Higgins made lift cages, which were fitted in many hotels and department stores, Balfours were for a number of years the main manufacturers of mantlepieces in Scotland, some were designed in the elegant style, and required the skill of expert woodcarvers.

[22] This history of carpentry is remembered in the nickname of the local football team, Beith Juniors, who are commonly referred to as "The Cabes" (Cabinet Makers).

[24] The Linwood car plant manufactured the Hillman Imp, a competitor to BMC's Mini, and provided up to 9,000 jobs during peak production but was closed by Peugeot-Citroen in 1981.

This involves the targeting of activity and resources by the community planning partnership in relation to housing, crime, income, employment, health, skills and training and access to services.

[32] A sundial dating from the 1840s is also visible,[33] and a stone coat of arms thought to originate from the Auld Kirk manse can be seen nearby, in Reform Street.

[34] Beith Townhouse was built by public subscription in 1817; the lower part of the building originally consisted of two shops, one of which was an ironmonger's operated by George B. Inglis from 1862 until around 1900.

Boece in his book of 1527 the Historia Gentis Scotorum (History of the Scottish People), says that this one entity was "nocht unlike the Loch Doune full of fische".

[42] The 16 acres (6 hectares) of woodland and gardens remain a popular site for dog walkers, bird watchers, and those out to enjoy the rural surroundings.

No clearly undisputed remains have been found of the tower or grange buildings,[53] however the New Statistical Account of 1845 written by the local minister, George Colville, states that the castle stood close to the Court Hill.

The area surrounding Willowyards and its whisky bond are characterised by a black staining that covers all living and non-living surfaces to varying degrees.

The organism causing what is commonly known as 'Warehouse Staining', is a black fungus, Baudoinia compniacensis which is harmless and feeds upon the 'Angels's Share' of alcohol evaporating from the whisky barrels.

This is a support group, affiliated to The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), which works with the Spier's Trust, North Ayrshire Council Ranger Service & Beith Cultural & Heritage Society.

The YMBB youth group was set up by members of the community to give the young people of Beith and district an opportunity to involve themselves in improving their town and the surrounding area, whilst at the same time providing a forum for learning additional skills, sharing ideas and socialising with their peers.

The YMBB committee included youth members, adults from the community and local councillors who assist in the overview of the group and with forward planning.

It is a community based group bringing together many from across Ayrshire to perform light-hearted entertainment in Beith, in a safe, inclusive environment where all are encouraged to give it their all.

The team participate in the West of Scotland League Premier Division and play their home games at Bellsdale Park, which is famous for its slope.

The club's most famous former player is Steve Clarke, who went on to play for St Mirren and Chelsea, and has been the manager of West Bromwich Albion, Reading and Kilmarnock.

As a result of campaigning and lobbying throughout 2010, North Ayrshire Council committed £300,000 towards the refurbishment of the synthetic pitch in advance of the facilities coming under community management in April 2012.

Garnock play their home games at Lochshore on the banks of Kilbirnie Loch and currently (2010) participate in the Scottish Hydro Premier League 3.

Beith also has its own 18-hole, 68-par golf course, in the Bigholm area just east of the town, a short walking distance from Saint Inan's chair at Lochland's Hill.