Inverkip
Encyclopedia
Inverkip is a village and parish falling within the Inverclyde
council area and historic county
of Renfrewshire
in the west central Lowlands
of Scotland
. It lies about 4 miles (6.4 km) southwest of Greenock
on the A78 trunk road
. The village is served by Inverkip railway station
, on the Inverclyde Line
.
before the Act of Union
in 1707, with the parish containing all of Gourock
, Wemyss Bay
, Skelmorlie
and part of Greenock. Inverkip Parish Church dates from 1804 and is on the site of an earlier (twelfth century) kirk
. The graveyard contains the tomb of the chemist
Dr. James Young who was nicknamed 'Paraffin
' because of his pioneering work in oil
technology. He lived at nearby Kelly House, which burnt down in 1913, the report laying blame with the suffragettes.
The parish of Inverkip's chief claim to fame (or notoriety) was in relation to witches in the mid 17th century. A local verse recalls
"In Auld Kirk the witches ride thick
And in Dunrod they dwell;
But the greatest loon amang them a'
Is Auld Dunrod himsel'."
'Auld Dunrod' was the last of the Lindsay family of Dunrod Castle. As the result of a dissolute life he lost all his possessions and fell into the black arts. Local reputation had it that he was in league with the devil
, and he died in mysterious circumstances in a barn belonging to one of his former tenant farmers. Nothing now remains of the castle which stood at the foot of Dunrod Hill.
which has grown steadily since the 1970s and now boasts a small community of its own called Kip Village. Nearby the flue of the mothballed oil-fired Inverkip power station
– another creation of the 70s – looms large.
Cornalees Bridge (recently renamed the Greenock Cut Centre) is a visitor centre three miles (5 km) east of Inverkip and is part of Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park
.
Lunderston Bay
is a popular picnic spot nearby and the classical Ardgowan House
, built for Sir John Shaw-Stewart in the late 18th century, stands outside the village. It occasionally has open days and charity fêtes. The late 15th century Ardgowan Castle
is a ruin within the estate.
At the top of Langhouse Road a building reminiscent of the cold war can be found. The site which also used to house HMS Dalriada includes an underground bunker and a surface building. Conversion to residential use commenced in early 2011.
In Inverkip there is also a small village primary school, located on Station Road. It has around 290 pupils (including a pre-5 nursery) with capacity for 320.
Inverkip is mainly a residential village and does not boast a huge number of businesses. A sub post office is located within the pharmacy in what was (until 2010) the general store on Main Street, plus a retail and business block, named Kip Park, located to the north side of the village comprising a cafe', fast food outlet, supermarket and a private nursery. A hotel is also present in Inverkip, as well as a B&B
.
Inverkip is good for travelling as it is not far away from other attractions such as the shopping mall in Greenock and the Esplanade in Largs.
Inverclyde
Inverclyde is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Together with the Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire council areas, Inverclyde forms part of the historic county of Renfrewshire - which current exists as a registration county and lieutenancy area - located in the west...
council area and historic county
Counties of Scotland
The counties of Scotland were the principal local government divisions of Scotland until 1975. Scotland's current lieutenancy areas and registration counties are largely based on them. They are often referred to as historic counties....
of Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire (historic)
Renfrewshire or the County of Renfrew is a registration county, the Lieutenancy area of the Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire, and one of the counties of Scotland used for local government until 1975. Renfrewshire is located in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland, south of the River Clyde,...
in the west central Lowlands
Central Lowlands
The Central Lowlands or Midland Valley is a geologically defined area of relatively low-lying land in southern Scotland. It consists of a rift valley between the Highland Boundary Fault to the north and the Southern Uplands Fault to the south...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It lies about 4 miles (6.4 km) southwest of Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
on the A78 trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
. The village is served by Inverkip railway station
Inverkip railway station
Inverkip railway station is a railway station serving the village of Inverkip, Inverclyde, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Inverclyde Line, 46 km west of ....
, on the Inverclyde Line
Inverclyde Line
The Inverclyde Line is a railway line running from Glasgow Central station through Paisley and a series of stations to the south of the River Clyde and the Firth of Clyde, terminating at Gourock and Wemyss Bay, where it connects to Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services...
.
History
Inverkip was made a burgh of baronyBurgh of barony
A burgh of barony is a type of Scottish town .They were distinct from royal burghs as the title was granted to a tenant-in-chief, a landowner who held his estates directly from the crown....
before the Act of Union
Acts of Union 1707
The Acts of Union were two Parliamentary Acts - the Union with Scotland Act passed in 1706 by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland - which put into effect the terms of the Treaty of Union that had been agreed on 22 July 1706,...
in 1707, with the parish containing all of Gourock
Gourock
Gourock is a town falling within the Inverclyde council area and formerly forming a burgh of the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the Firth of Clyde...
, Wemyss Bay
Wemyss Bay
Wemyss Bay is a village on the coast of the Firth of Clyde falling within the Inverclyde council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The name may derive from the Gaelic uaimh, meaning 'cave'...
, Skelmorlie
Skelmorlie
Skelmorlie is a village in North Ayrshire, Scotland.Although it is the northernmost settlement in the council area of North Ayrshire it is contiguous with Wemyss Bay, which is in Inverclyde. The dividing line is the Kelly Burn, which flows into the Firth of Clyde just south of the Rothesay ferry...
and part of Greenock. Inverkip Parish Church dates from 1804 and is on the site of an earlier (twelfth century) kirk
Kirk
Kirk can mean "church" in general or the Church of Scotland in particular. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.-Basic meaning and etymology:...
. The graveyard contains the tomb of the chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
Dr. James Young who was nicknamed 'Paraffin
Paraffin
In chemistry, paraffin is a term that can be used synonymously with "alkane", indicating hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2. Paraffin wax refers to a mixture of alkanes that falls within the 20 ≤ n ≤ 40 range; they are found in the solid state at room temperature and begin to enter the...
' because of his pioneering work in oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
technology. He lived at nearby Kelly House, which burnt down in 1913, the report laying blame with the suffragettes.
The parish of Inverkip's chief claim to fame (or notoriety) was in relation to witches in the mid 17th century. A local verse recalls
"In Auld Kirk the witches ride thick
And in Dunrod they dwell;
But the greatest loon amang them a'
Is Auld Dunrod himsel'."
'Auld Dunrod' was the last of the Lindsay family of Dunrod Castle. As the result of a dissolute life he lost all his possessions and fell into the black arts. Local reputation had it that he was in league with the devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
, and he died in mysterious circumstances in a barn belonging to one of his former tenant farmers. Nothing now remains of the castle which stood at the foot of Dunrod Hill.
Places of interest
Today Inverkip is mainly of significance because of the large marinaMarina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
which has grown steadily since the 1970s and now boasts a small community of its own called Kip Village. Nearby the flue of the mothballed oil-fired Inverkip power station
Inverkip power station
Inverkip power station is an oil-fired power station in Inverclyde, on the west coast of Scotland. It is actually located closer to Wemyss Bay than Inverkip, and dominates the local area with its chimney, the third tallest chimney in the UK and Scotland's tallest free-standing structure...
– another creation of the 70s – looms large.
Cornalees Bridge (recently renamed the Greenock Cut Centre) is a visitor centre three miles (5 km) east of Inverkip and is part of Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park
Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park is the collective name for areas of countryside set aside for conservation and recreation on the South Clyde estuary in Scotland....
.
Lunderston Bay
Lunderston Bay
Lunderston Bay on the east coast of the Firth of Clyde provides a popular beach and picnic area and is part of Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. It lies in Inverclyde to the south of Gourock and gives access to a coastal walk continuing further south to Inverkip....
is a popular picnic spot nearby and the classical Ardgowan House
Ardgowan House
Ardgowan House is a late 18th-century mansion and estate on the Firth of Clyde near Inverkip, Scotland. Ardgowan is located in Inverclyde, in the former county of Renfrewshire. The Ardgowan estate has been held by the Stewart family since the early 15th century. The present house was begun in 1797,...
, built for Sir John Shaw-Stewart in the late 18th century, stands outside the village. It occasionally has open days and charity fêtes. The late 15th century Ardgowan Castle
Ardgowan Castle
Ardgowan Castle, also known as Inverkip Castle, is located in the grounds of Ardgowan House near Inverkip, Scotland. It is by the Firth of Clyde in Inverclyde, in the former county of Renfrewshire. The three-storey ruin is protected as a category B listed building.-History:In 1306, Inverkip was...
is a ruin within the estate.
At the top of Langhouse Road a building reminiscent of the cold war can be found. The site which also used to house HMS Dalriada includes an underground bunker and a surface building. Conversion to residential use commenced in early 2011.
In Inverkip there is also a small village primary school, located on Station Road. It has around 290 pupils (including a pre-5 nursery) with capacity for 320.
Inverkip is mainly a residential village and does not boast a huge number of businesses. A sub post office is located within the pharmacy in what was (until 2010) the general store on Main Street, plus a retail and business block, named Kip Park, located to the north side of the village comprising a cafe', fast food outlet, supermarket and a private nursery. A hotel is also present in Inverkip, as well as a B&B
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
.
Inverkip is good for travelling as it is not far away from other attractions such as the shopping mall in Greenock and the Esplanade in Largs.