In the centuries after the Romans left Scotland, Beith was in the territory known as Strathclyde. The first reference to it was probably in the battles of Beit woods in the 6th century when the locals fought the Northern Picts and Scots.
At that time the inhabitants were Druidic worshipers of Baal, and the birch was one of the sacred trees. Cluff hill still remains commemorating this as "cluff" was a druidic priest. Records remain of standing stones and a rocking stone that was known as a place of sacrifice.
St. Inan in the late 9th Century was a well known priest who lived in Beith. He converted the locals to Christianity and his fame as a Christian doctor meant that his works were preserved in the library of Bruci, the Archbishop of Pisa as late as 1619. His Saints Day of 18th August was the date of the local fair well into the current century.
In the 12th century the Parish comprised the Barony of Beith and the Lordship of Giffen. The Barony of Beith was gifted by Richard de Moreville, son and successor of Hugh de Moreville, constable of Scotland and Lord of Cunningham, to the Abbey of Kilwinning. His wife, Avicia of Lancaster, gave the lands of Beith, Bath and Threepwood to the Monastery in perpetuity around 1198.
The
church of Beith was originally a chapel planted by the local
Monastery of Kilbirnie.
The Old Kirk was founded in 1593. In 1688 Kirktoun of Beith had five houses plus the Manse and the Church.
With industrialisation the population grew from 700 in 1759, to 2408 in 1814; to 4012 people in 624 houses in 1851, and to 6241 of a population in 1871.
Today Beith is a local community around 10,000 people. Censuses showed population growth from 1981 to 1991 being from 6700 to 7240. Over the last ten years additional housing has increased this number significantly as it now serves as a dormitory to workers in Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Irvine.
