From Visions of Roses, 1996, by Peter Beales, p. 62: Ayrshires are hybrids of Rosa arvensis; they generally make ideal ground coverers and are also good for growing up into the branches of trees. [See 'Splendens'.]

From The Graham Stuart Thomas Rose Book, 1994, p. 225: These "Ayrshires," [such as Bennett's Seedling, Dundee Rambler, Venusta Pendula, Splendens]...apart from their hardiness, have perhaps two attributes which might still recommend them for use today. One is that they are prostrate unless given support, and would presumably make a good weed-proof ground cover; the other is their value for climbing into trees.

From Roses: An Illustrated Encyclopaedia and Grower's Handbook, 1992, by Peter Beales, p. 3: R. arvensis was responsible for starting off those interesting ramblers, the Ayrshires.

From Roses, 1978, by Jack Harkness, p.150: Sometime early in the nineteenth century, a series of hybrids of R. arvensis was introduced to British rosarians as Ayrshire Roses. They had many advantages in those days, when there were scarcely any climbing roses to be had: they were hardy, they grew fast, they could cover banks or rough places, and they did not object to some shade, a rare thing for roses. 'Wilderness Rose' was the epithet used by Thomas Rivers. They would be called ramblers if they were still grown today; I have tried to avoid the word rambler, having had to explain its difference from a climber at regular intervals in the course of my profession. I think trailer is better. A climber climbs up; a trailer trails along; but a rambler can ramble anywhere.

From The Book of the Rose, 2d ed., 1892 by Andrew Foster-Melliar, p. 20: The Ayrshire Rose R. arvensis - This too, as its name implies, is a native species, found also throughout Europe. They have been well called running Roses, for the growth is extremely long, rapid, and slender. Being very hardy and ready to grow anywhere, they are better adapted for trailing...Several of the Ayrshires have probably been slightly hybridised, a mark of the true sorts being that the flowers are not borne in clusters.