Largs is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire in Scotland. It lies roughly 33 miles (53 km) from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" (An Leargaidh) in Scottish Gaelic. The town markets itself on its historic connections with the Vikings and an annual fair is held in early September. In accordance with the 2011 Census, the town has a permanent population of around 11241. Largs expanded from the estates of North Cunninghame over which the Montgomeries of Skelmorlie ended up being temporal lords in the 17th century. Sir Robert Montgomerie developed Skelmorlie Aisle in the ancient kirk of Largs in 1636 as a family mausoleum. Today, the monolith is all that remains of the old kirk. From its beginnings as a modest village around its kirk, Largs turned into a bustling and popular seaside resort in the 19th century. Sizeable hotels were constructed and the pier was finished in 1834. It was not up until 1895, however, that the railway made the connection to Largs, which cemented the town's appeal. It also ended up being a popular region to live, and several remarkable estates were constructed. The most significant of which includes 'Netherhall', the residence of William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, the physicist and engineer. Even with its lowered status as a holiday resort, much of Largs is still focused towards tourism. There is the award winning Vikingar Centre at Barrfields, an interactive look into the history of Viking life; Kelburn Country Centre, Barrfields Pavilion Theatre, Largs Swimming Pool, Douglas Park and Inverclyde National Sports Training Centre. It is best known for 'Nardinis', the popular ice cream parlour, coffee shop and eatery, that dominates the Esplanade and which reopened in late 2008. For all your home renovations, make certain to find reputable professionals in Largs to make certain of quality.