West Kilbride
Encyclopedia
West Kilbride is a village in North Ayrshire
, on the west coast of Scotland by the Firth of Clyde
, looking across the water to Goat Fell
and the Isle of Arran
. West Kilbride and adjoining districts of Seamill
and Portencross
are generally considered to be a small town, having a combined population of 4,393 at the 2001 census.
cup and ring mark
ed stone is located on Blackshaw Hill, near West Kilbride. This stone is unusual, in that it is carved with three spirals. Although the purpose of such stones is not known, it is considered that they may have had religious importance.
Traces of an Iron Age
fortification
were uncovered when the house named "The Fort" was constructed in Ardrossan Road, Seamill.
, often known as St Bride. The name suggests there was once a cell or kil to Brigid in the area, although local legend has her visit to establish her church around 500AD (the landing point was supposedly in front of the now Seamill Hydro. The "West" prefix was added to disguish between other places which commemorates the same Celtic saint, such as the new town East Kilbride
in Lanarkshire
which was named "East" to distinguish it from the older "West". There has been a hamlet
in the area since 82 AD when the Roman general Agricola stationed 30,000 troops in the area of the village now known as Gateside. Roman roads can still be explored around the village to this day, and many Roman finds have been reported and lodged in Museums throughout Scotland. William Wallace
's uncle Crauford had an estate at Corsbie in the North of the village, and this is still in use as a caravan park called Crosby, to this day (Wallace's mother's family). In later years Robert the Bruce gave a grant of the lands of the Barony of Kilbride to the Boyds of Kilmarnock
. The village nestles beneath Law Hill (168m, 551 ft) and Tarbert Hill (138m, 453 ft) and is overlooked by Cauldron Hill (329m, 1,079 ft) - largely reputed to be from the Welsh "Cadron" ref. Geoffrey of Monmouth. It was once home to various mills and other works, and in the 18th century West Kilbride was primarily a weaving
village.
In 1826, the Hunterston Brooch
, a highly important Celtic brooch
of "pseudo-penannular" type was found by two men from West Kilbride who were digging drains at the foot of Goldenberry Hill, near Hunterston
. Made about 700 AD, the Hunterston Brooch is cast in silver, gilt
, and gold, silver and amber, and decorated with interlaced animal bodies in gold filigree
. In its centre, a cross and a golden Glory
represent the Risen Christ. The Hunterston Brooch is clearly object of very high status, indicating the power and great prestige of its owner. Nowadays, it is considered one of the most significant items of Celtic art
, and is housed in the Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
.
Several buildings in the area date back to medieval times. Law Castle
, situated at the foot of Law Hill, was built in the 15th century for King James III
's sister Mary. The castle is a simple rectangular structure with a sloping roof and several large chimneys protruding at each side. In recent years, Law Castle has been substantially restored and refurbished and it now letted for functions and as a holiday home.
Portencross Castle
, thought to date from the 14th century, is situated right next to the sea at Portencross
harbour. It is L-shaped and four storeys high, with a barrel-vaulted ceiling. The castle is currently roofless due to storm damage. A campaign to save Portencross Castle from private ownership received national publicity in July 2004 when it was featured on the BBC
's Restoration
television programme. The title for the castle and grounds was given to the group "Friends of Portencross Castle" on 22 December 2005. It is thought that a previous incarnation of the castle was a staging post on the route for the transport of dead Scottish Kings to the Island of Iona for burial.
Crosbie Castle (also known as Crosbie Towers) lies to the north west on the outskirts of West Kilbride. It was largely rebuilt from a tower demolished in the 17th century which was the home of Sir Ranald Craufurd (uncle of William Wallace) in the 13th century, and it is said that Wallace himself spent some time at Crosbie. Currently the castle lies at the centre of a caravan park also called Crosbie Towers. Having lain empty for a number of years due to internal fire damage, part of the building was demolished in early 2007 after heavy storms damaged the external walls of the castle. Although the building is a Category-B listed building, permission was not sought before demolition.
and its neighbouring sandy beach.
, which controls such matters as education, environmental services and social housing. Police services are operated by Strathclyde Police
. The Scottish Parliament
is responsible for policy on devolved matters
such as education
, health and justice
while reserved matters
are dealt with by the Parliament of the United Kingdom
.
West Kilbride forms part of the constituency of North Ayrshire and Arran, electing one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. Katy Clark of the Labour Party was elected in 2005 and re-elected in 2010 with a 47.4% share of the vote.
For Scottish Parliament elections, West Kilbride forms part of the Cunninghame North
constituency, which elected SNP candidate Kenny Gibson to Holyrood
in 2007 with 30.7% of the vote. Gibson was re-elected in 2011 with 52.6% of the vote, a majority of 6,117.
West Kilbride is also represented by seven regional MSPs from the West of Scotland electoral region.
See also
, to the north of Irvine Bay
. It lies approximately 40 miles south west of Glasgow
, and overlooks the mountains of the Isle of Arran
to the west. The seafront at Seamill
features a long sandy beach, as well as rocky outcrops including the harbour at Portencross
.
The town is roughly square, with the low lying areas of Seamill extending southwards along the coastal A78
. The main town centre is raised up from the coast and lies among several hills - Goldenberry Hill, Law Hill
, Tarbet Hill and Cauldron Hill. Agricultural land in the vicinity of West Kilbride supports cereals, potatoes, and livestock, particularly sheep. The town's national grid reference
is NS205485.
77% of residents own their home, compared to 62.6% in the population as a whole; 34.3 live in detached houses compared to 20.4 in all of Scotland, and the proportion of semi-detached dwellings is also above average.
The main industries of employment at the 2001 census were:
Industries close to the village include the Hunterston B nuclear power station
and the nearby Hunterston Terminal
, owned by Clydeport.
A 24MW wind farm
, owned and operated by Airtricity
, is located on Busbie Muir (about 3 km east of Tarbert Hill), and has been operational since February 2004. Its capacity will increase to 30MW when three additional wind turbines become operational, scheduled for Autumn 2007.
and craftwork
, in return for a share of the profits.
In September 2006, West Kilbride Craft Town won the Department of Trade and Industry's "Enterprising Britain 2006" competition. Presenting the award, Alistair Darling
MP praised the resourcefulness and dedication of the West Kilbride community.
movement to minimise the town's contribution to climate change
and to build resilience in the local economy to the impacts of peak oil
.
Held on the first Friday of December every year, this is a Christmas event where shops open late as a procession of children and adults follow Santa to the village hall. Music, stalls and children's fairground rides are set up on Main Street and adjoining Glen Road, which are closed to traffic for the evening.
Scarecrow Festival
West Kilbride is the first town in Scotland to organise an annual "Scarecrow Festival". The purpose of the Scarecrow
Festival is to foster community spirit and civic pride within West Kilbride and its surrounding area. It celebrates West Kilbride's origins as an agricultural community, while looking to the future through the "Craft Town Scotland" initiative.
. The club hosted the Millennium British Ladies' Championship, and hosts the Scottish Boys' Championship once every three years.
The bowling club, located on Weston Terrace, has two bowling greens. Its most notable member is Margaret Ross, who was twice Scottish Champion (1976 and 1978) and British Singles Champion (1976). She also represented Britain internationally in 1976, 1978 and 1981-83.
Football pitches, tennis courts and a children's play park are situated near the entrance to Kirktonhall Glen.
St. Andrew's church, formerly known as St. Brides, belongs to the Church of Scotland
. In addition to being a church, it has several large function rooms which are used by local groups. It has a large rose stained glass window and a tall, gothic
bell tower
.
Overton Church, also belonging to the Church of Scotland, is located at the top of Ritchie Street. It is a red sandstone
building with a working bell tower. Overton Church website
St. Bride's is a small Roman Catholic chapel, on the north side of Hunterston Road, with a large garden behind it.
The Barony (or Barony Church), a large 19th century grey sandstone building, is situated just across the main street from St. Andrew's. This building no longer functions as a church; however, it remains in public hands, being used for many events such as auctions and art shows. Unfortunately, its 19th century stained-glass windows were illegally removed by its previous owner, despite the Barony's listed building status. Attempts to trace the windows were unsuccessful and it is surmised they have been sold to a private collector.
One of the oldest houses in West Kilbride is Kirktonhall House, which originally dates back to 1660, although the house was partially rebuilt and extended in 1791 and 1868. The house was birthplace to mathematician Robert Simson
, born 14 October 1687. A large monument to Simson stands in West Kilbride's cemetery. The house itself is now used as administrative offices by North Ayrshire Council.
The West Kilbride Institute and Public Hall, opened in 1900, has been home to the West Kilbride Hoticultural Society's flower shows from the same year. The building currently has a number of other uses, including a permanent local history museum, located on the first floor of the hall. The local library was housed here until 1996 when a dedicated home was built (see below).
The War Memorial, originally built in 1921, did not list the names of the dead. This deficiency was remedied on 3 June 2001 (the Sunday nearest D-Day
), when the memorial was re-dedicated with four new granite stones listing the names.
Kirktonhall Glen is a woodland walkway leading from West Kilbride to Seamill, gifted to West Kilbride in 1924 by Robert Barr. Through it flows the Kilbride Burn which enters the Firth of Clyde at Seamill.
The community centre in Corse Street houses many local groups and organisations including bridge, photo, snooker and music clubs, the local cub scouts, computer classes, yoga classes, and the North Ayrshire Music School. This building was originally the Paisley Convalescent Home, gifted by James Arthur of Carlung. Opened in the 19th century, it much later became a community centre and now
The town's library, opened in 1996, was purpose-built to replace the library originally located in the village hall and is located at the fork of Main Street and Halfway Street. The library is run by North Ayrshire Council.
lies on the Ayrshire Coast Line
between Largs
and Glasgow Central. The journey to Glasgow takes around 50 minutes. The station is unmanned, with only one passenger track.
and south to Ayr
. The service is number 585, and is operated by the Stagecoach Group
. Buses run approximately half-hourly; there is no bus station but there are several roadside bus stops throughout the town.
links West Kilbride to as far as Greenock to the north, and Prestwick
to the South. The B781 road links West Kilbride to Dalry
(and beyond to Glasgow via the A737) in the east. There are half-hourly buses northwards to Largs and Greenock, and southwards to Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston, Irvine and Ayr
. There is also a commuter bus service to Glasgow, the journey taking around 1 hour 35 minutes.
Notable residents of West Kilbride have included:
North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland with a population of roughly 136,000 people. It is located in the south-west region of Scotland, and borders the areas of Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire to the north-east and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the East and South...
, on the west coast of Scotland by the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
, looking across the water to Goat Fell
Goat Fell
Goat Fell is the highest point on the Isle of Arran. At 874 metres , it is one of four Corbetts on the island...
and the Isle of Arran
Isle of Arran
Arran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
. West Kilbride and adjoining districts of Seamill
Seamill
Seamill is a village in North Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland, about 5 miles north of Ardrossan and 8 miles south of Largs.It is sometimes considered part of West Kilbride, and sometimes considered as a village in its own right...
and Portencross
Portencross
Portencross is a hamlet near Farland Head in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Situated about 3 km west of Seamill and about 2 km south of Hunterston B nuclear power station, it is noted for its castle....
are generally considered to be a small town, having a combined population of 4,393 at the 2001 census.
History
Early history
A NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
cup and ring mark
Cup and ring mark
Cup and ring marks or cup marks are a form of prehistoric art found mainly in Atlantic Europe and Mediterranean Europe although similar forms are also found throughout the world including Mexico, Brazil, Greece, and India, where...
ed stone is located on Blackshaw Hill, near West Kilbride. This stone is unusual, in that it is carved with three spirals. Although the purpose of such stones is not known, it is considered that they may have had religious importance.
Traces of an Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
were uncovered when the house named "The Fort" was constructed in Ardrossan Road, Seamill.
Celtic
West Kilbride is generally believed to be named after the ancient Celtic Saint Brigid of KildareBrigid of Kildare
Saint Brigit of Kildare, or Brigit of Ireland , nicknamed Mary of the Gael is one of Ireland's patron saints along with Saints Patrick and Columba...
, often known as St Bride. The name suggests there was once a cell or kil to Brigid in the area, although local legend has her visit to establish her church around 500AD (the landing point was supposedly in front of the now Seamill Hydro. The "West" prefix was added to disguish between other places which commemorates the same Celtic saint, such as the new town East Kilbride
East Kilbride
East Kilbride is a large suburban town in the South Lanarkshire council area, in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. Designated as Scotland's first new town in 1947, it forms part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation...
in Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
which was named "East" to distinguish it from the older "West". There has been a hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
in the area since 82 AD when the Roman general Agricola stationed 30,000 troops in the area of the village now known as Gateside. Roman roads can still be explored around the village to this day, and many Roman finds have been reported and lodged in Museums throughout Scotland. William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
's uncle Crauford had an estate at Corsbie in the North of the village, and this is still in use as a caravan park called Crosby, to this day (Wallace's mother's family). In later years Robert the Bruce gave a grant of the lands of the Barony of Kilbride to the Boyds of Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
. The village nestles beneath Law Hill (168m, 551 ft) and Tarbert Hill (138m, 453 ft) and is overlooked by Cauldron Hill (329m, 1,079 ft) - largely reputed to be from the Welsh "Cadron" ref. Geoffrey of Monmouth. It was once home to various mills and other works, and in the 18th century West Kilbride was primarily a weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
village.
In 1826, the Hunterston Brooch
Hunterston Brooch
The Hunterston Brooch is a highly important Celtic brooch of "pseudo-penannular" type found near Hunterston, North Ayrshire, Scotland, in either, according to one account, 1826 by two men from West Kilbride, who were digging drains at the foot of Goldenberry Hill, or in 1830. It is now in the Royal...
, a highly important Celtic brooch
Celtic brooch
The Celtic brooch, more properly called the penannular brooch, and its closely related type, the pseudo-penannular brooch, are types of brooch clothes fasteners, often rather large...
of "pseudo-penannular" type was found by two men from West Kilbride who were digging drains at the foot of Goldenberry Hill, near Hunterston
Hunterston
Hunterston, by the Firth of Clyde, is a coastal area in Ayrshire, Scotland, which is the seat and estate of the Hunter family. As an area of flat land adjacent to deep natural water, it has been the site of considerable actual and proposed industrial development in the 20th century. The nearest...
. Made about 700 AD, the Hunterston Brooch is cast in silver, gilt
Gilding
The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
, and gold, silver and amber, and decorated with interlaced animal bodies in gold filigree
Filigree
Filigree is a delicate kind of jewellery metalwork made with twisted threads usually of gold and silver or stitching of the same curving motifs. It often suggests lace, and in recent centuries remains popular in Indian and other Asian metalwork, and French from 1660 to the late 19th century...
. In its centre, a cross and a golden Glory
Halo (religious iconography)
A halo is a ring of light that surrounds a person in art. They have been used in the iconography of many religions to indicate holy or sacred figures, and have at various periods also been used in images of rulers or heroes...
represent the Risen Christ. The Hunterston Brooch is clearly object of very high status, indicating the power and great prestige of its owner. Nowadays, it is considered one of the most significant items of Celtic art
Celtic art
Celtic art is the art associated with the peoples known as Celts; those who spoke the Celtic languages in Europe from pre-history through to the modern period, as well as the art of ancient peoples whose language is uncertain, but have cultural and stylistic similarities with speakers of Celtic...
, and is housed in the Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
Medieval
Law Castle
Law Castle is situated on the lower slopes of Law Hill in West Kilbride, only a short walk from the railway station. The castle is a simple rectangular structure with a sloped roof and several large chimneys protruding at each side....
, situated at the foot of Law Hill, was built in the 15th century for King James III
James III of Scotland
James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
's sister Mary. The castle is a simple rectangular structure with a sloping roof and several large chimneys protruding at each side. In recent years, Law Castle has been substantially restored and refurbished and it now letted for functions and as a holiday home.
Portencross Castle
Portencross Castle
Portencross Castle, also known historically as Portincross Castle, is situated in Portencross, on the west coast of Scotland, about 3km from West Kilbride. The site has been fortified since the 13th Century...
, thought to date from the 14th century, is situated right next to the sea at Portencross
Portencross
Portencross is a hamlet near Farland Head in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Situated about 3 km west of Seamill and about 2 km south of Hunterston B nuclear power station, it is noted for its castle....
harbour. It is L-shaped and four storeys high, with a barrel-vaulted ceiling. The castle is currently roofless due to storm damage. A campaign to save Portencross Castle from private ownership received national publicity in July 2004 when it was featured on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Restoration
Restoration (TV series)
Restoration, Restoration, Restoration is a set of BBC television series where viewers decided on which listed building that was in immediate need of remedial works was to win a grant from Heritage Lottery Fund...
television programme. The title for the castle and grounds was given to the group "Friends of Portencross Castle" on 22 December 2005. It is thought that a previous incarnation of the castle was a staging post on the route for the transport of dead Scottish Kings to the Island of Iona for burial.
Early modern
The town became known as a weaving and agricultural town, one of many Ayrshire towns specialising in potatoes. Since the town became linked by rail to Glasgow in 1878, it began to attract more visitors, particularly to the Hydropathic spa at SeamillSeamill
Seamill is a village in North Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland, about 5 miles north of Ardrossan and 8 miles south of Largs.It is sometimes considered part of West Kilbride, and sometimes considered as a village in its own right...
and its neighbouring sandy beach.
Governance
West Kilbride is governed by North Ayrshire Council as part of the unitary local authority of North Ayrshire and Arran based in IrvineIrvine, North Ayrshire
Irvine is a new town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. According to 2007 population estimates, the town is home to 39,527 inhabitants, making it the biggest settlement in North Ayrshire....
, which controls such matters as education, environmental services and social housing. Police services are operated by Strathclyde Police
Strathclyde Police
Strathclyde Police is the territorial police force responsible for the Scottish council areas of Argyll and Bute, City of Glasgow, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West...
. The Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
is responsible for policy on devolved matters
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
such as education
Education in Scotland
Scotland has a long history of universal provision of public education, and the Scottish education system is distinctly different from the other countries of the United Kingdom...
, health and justice
Scots law
Scots law is the legal system of Scotland. It is considered a hybrid or mixed legal system as it traces its roots to a number of different historical sources. With English law and Northern Irish law it forms the legal system of the United Kingdom; it shares with the two other systems some...
while reserved matters
Reserved matters
In the United Kingdom reserved matters and excepted matters are the areas of government policy where Parliament had kept the power to make laws in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales....
are dealt with by the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
.
West Kilbride forms part of the constituency of North Ayrshire and Arran, electing one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. Katy Clark of the Labour Party was elected in 2005 and re-elected in 2010 with a 47.4% share of the vote.
For Scottish Parliament elections, West Kilbride forms part of the Cunninghame North
Cunninghame North (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Cunninghame North is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. It elects one MSP by the first past the post method of election once every four years...
constituency, which elected SNP candidate Kenny Gibson to Holyrood
Scottish Parliament Building
The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh. Construction of the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament held their first debate in the new building on 7...
in 2007 with 30.7% of the vote. Gibson was re-elected in 2011 with 52.6% of the vote, a majority of 6,117.
West Kilbride is also represented by seven regional MSPs from the West of Scotland electoral region.
See also
- North Ayrshire (UK Parliament constituency)North Ayrshire (UK Parliament constituency)North Ayrshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until 1918. It returned one Member of Parliament , using the first-past-the-post voting system.-Boundaries:...
(1868–1918) - Bute and Northern Ayrshire (UK Parliament constituency)Bute and Northern Ayrshire (UK Parliament constituency)Bute and Northern Ayrshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system.-History:...
(1918–1983) - Cunninghame North (UK Parliament constituency)Cunninghame North (UK Parliament constituency)Cunninghame North was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983 until 2005, when it was largely replaced by North Ayrshire and Arran...
(1983–2005)
Geography
West Kilbride is situated on the west coast of Scotland, among hills beside the sea at the Firth of ClydeFirth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
, to the north of Irvine Bay
Irvine Bay
Irvine Bay is on the eastern shore of the Firth of Clyde, on the coast of North Ayrshire in the West of Scotland. The area is famous for its long sweeping sandy beaches and views across to the Island of Arran...
. It lies approximately 40 miles south west of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, and overlooks the mountains of the Isle of Arran
Isle of Arran
Arran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
to the west. The seafront at Seamill
Seamill
Seamill is a village in North Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland, about 5 miles north of Ardrossan and 8 miles south of Largs.It is sometimes considered part of West Kilbride, and sometimes considered as a village in its own right...
features a long sandy beach, as well as rocky outcrops including the harbour at Portencross
Portencross
Portencross is a hamlet near Farland Head in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Situated about 3 km west of Seamill and about 2 km south of Hunterston B nuclear power station, it is noted for its castle....
.
The town is roughly square, with the low lying areas of Seamill extending southwards along the coastal A78
A78 road
The A78 is an A road in Scotland. It connects Greenock and Prestwick on a route which follows the northern section of the Ayrshire coast.-Route:...
. The main town centre is raised up from the coast and lies among several hills - Goldenberry Hill, Law Hill
Law Hill
Law Hill is a hill in the North Ayrshire town of West Kilbride, overlooking the Firth of Clyde and the hills of Arran beyond. The summit rises above the village, with nearby Law Castle a few minutes walk away....
, Tarbet Hill and Cauldron Hill. Agricultural land in the vicinity of West Kilbride supports cereals, potatoes, and livestock, particularly sheep. The town's national grid reference
British national grid reference system
The Ordnance Survey National Grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references used in Great Britain, different from using latitude and longitude....
is NS205485.
Demography
At the 2001 census, the population of West Kilbride was 4393. Approximately 85% were born in Scotland, and 10.6% were born in England (op cit). Compared to the population of Scotland as a whole, the number of children aged 5–15 is above average, as is the proportion of adults age 45+ (op cit). 2.2% of the community were born outside Europe (op cit).77% of residents own their home, compared to 62.6% in the population as a whole; 34.3 live in detached houses compared to 20.4 in all of Scotland, and the proportion of semi-detached dwellings is also above average.
Work and employment
The local area is predominantly rural, but agriculture accounts for only 1.4% of local employment. Managers and professional occupations make up 33.7% of the employed population, compared to the average of 23.8% for the whole of Scotland.The main industries of employment at the 2001 census were:
| Industry | % of employed population |
|---|---|
| Health and social work | 14.6% |
| Manufacturing | 11.8% |
| Real estate and renting and business activities | 11.3% |
| Wholesale & retail trade and repairs | 10.3% |
| Education | 9.6% |
Farming and local industry
The area is noted for its Ayrshire potatoes. These grow well locally, thanks to the use as fertiliser of the abundant supply of seaweed conveniently deposited on the nearby shore by winter storms. For this reason West Kilbride was sometimes referred to as the "Tattie Toon". Other crops grown include sweetcorn (for cattle food), barley, root vegetables and summer berries, especially strawberries. Cattle and sheep are also farmed locally.Industries close to the village include the Hunterston B nuclear power station
Hunterston B nuclear power station
Hunterston B Power Station is a nuclear power station in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located about 9 km south of Largs and about 4 km north-west of West Kilbride. It is operated by EDF Energy...
and the nearby Hunterston Terminal
Hunterston Terminal
Hunterston Terminal, in North Ayrshire, Scotland, is a coal-handling port located at Fairlie on the Firth of Clyde, and operated by Clydeport. It lies adjacent to Hunterston estate, site of Hunterston Castle....
, owned by Clydeport.
A 24MW wind farm
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
, owned and operated by Airtricity
Airtricity
Airtricity was founded in 1997 in the Republic of Ireland and now is a renewable energy company owned by Scottish and Southern Energy...
, is located on Busbie Muir (about 3 km east of Tarbert Hill), and has been operational since February 2004. Its capacity will increase to 30MW when three additional wind turbines become operational, scheduled for Autumn 2007.
Crafts
Through the endeavours of the local initiative group, West Kilbride is now achieving fame as the "Craft Town Scotland". The village boasts a growing number of craft shops and studios, as well as several leading artists including Silversmith Marion Kane. The Initiative Centre provides a convenient way for craftspeople to sell their artArt
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
and craftwork
Handicraft
Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means...
, in return for a share of the profits.
In September 2006, West Kilbride Craft Town won the Department of Trade and Industry's "Enterprising Britain 2006" competition. Presenting the award, Alistair Darling
Alistair Darling
Alistair Maclean Darling is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament since 1987, currently for Edinburgh South West. He served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2007 to 2010...
MP praised the resourcefulness and dedication of the West Kilbride community.
Sustainability
West Kilbride is a community contemplating joining the Transition TownsTransition Towns
Transition Towns is a grassroots network of communities that are working to build resilience in response to peak oil, climate destruction, and economic instability...
movement to minimise the town's contribution to climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
and to build resilience in the local economy to the impacts of peak oil
Peak oil
Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline. This concept is based on the observed production rates of individual oil wells, projected reserves and the combined production rate of a field...
.
Festivals and public events
Yuletide NightHeld on the first Friday of December every year, this is a Christmas event where shops open late as a procession of children and adults follow Santa to the village hall. Music, stalls and children's fairground rides are set up on Main Street and adjoining Glen Road, which are closed to traffic for the evening.
Scarecrow Festival
West Kilbride is the first town in Scotland to organise an annual "Scarecrow Festival". The purpose of the Scarecrow
Scarecrow
A scarecrow is, essentially, a decoy, though traditionally, a human figure dressed in old clothes and placed in fields by farmers to discourage birds such as crows or sparrows from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.-History:In Kojiki, the oldest surviving book in Japan...
Festival is to foster community spirit and civic pride within West Kilbride and its surrounding area. It celebrates West Kilbride's origins as an agricultural community, while looking to the future through the "Craft Town Scotland" initiative.
Sport
West Kilbride Golf Club, a championship links course, is situated at Fullerton Drive, Seamill. The original designer of the course was "Old Tom Morris"Tom Morris, Sr.
Thomas Mitchell Morris, Sr. , otherwise known as Old Tom Morris, was a pioneer of professional golf. He was born in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, the "home of golf" and location of the St Andrews Links and died there as well. His son was Tom Morris, Jr...
. The club hosted the Millennium British Ladies' Championship, and hosts the Scottish Boys' Championship once every three years.
The bowling club, located on Weston Terrace, has two bowling greens. Its most notable member is Margaret Ross, who was twice Scottish Champion (1976 and 1978) and British Singles Champion (1976). She also represented Britain internationally in 1976, 1978 and 1981-83.
Football pitches, tennis courts and a children's play park are situated near the entrance to Kirktonhall Glen.
Landmarks
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
. In addition to being a church, it has several large function rooms which are used by local groups. It has a large rose stained glass window and a tall, gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
.
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
building with a working bell tower. Overton Church website
St. Bride's is a small Roman Catholic chapel, on the north side of Hunterston Road, with a large garden behind it.
The Barony (or Barony Church), a large 19th century grey sandstone building, is situated just across the main street from St. Andrew's. This building no longer functions as a church; however, it remains in public hands, being used for many events such as auctions and art shows. Unfortunately, its 19th century stained-glass windows were illegally removed by its previous owner, despite the Barony's listed building status. Attempts to trace the windows were unsuccessful and it is surmised they have been sold to a private collector.
Robert Simson
Robert Simson was a Scottish mathematician and professor of mathematics at the University of Glasgow. The pedal line of a triangle is sometimes called the "Simson line" after him.-Life:...
, born 14 October 1687. A large monument to Simson stands in West Kilbride's cemetery. The house itself is now used as administrative offices by North Ayrshire Council.
The War Memorial, originally built in 1921, did not list the names of the dead. This deficiency was remedied on 3 June 2001 (the Sunday nearest D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
), when the memorial was re-dedicated with four new granite stones listing the names.
Kirktonhall Glen is a woodland walkway leading from West Kilbride to Seamill, gifted to West Kilbride in 1924 by Robert Barr. Through it flows the Kilbride Burn which enters the Firth of Clyde at Seamill.
Education
West Kilbride Primary School serves West Kilbride, Seamill and Portencross. Opened in 1983, it replaced the previous Victorian-era school which had burned down in 1980 on the same site. The original school could support up to 250 pupils. The newer school has exactly 465 pupilsThe community centre in Corse Street houses many local groups and organisations including bridge, photo, snooker and music clubs, the local cub scouts, computer classes, yoga classes, and the North Ayrshire Music School. This building was originally the Paisley Convalescent Home, gifted by James Arthur of Carlung. Opened in the 19th century, it much later became a community centre and now
Transport
Rail
West Kilbride railway stationWest Kilbride railway station
West Kilbride railway station is a railway station in West Kilbride, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line.- History :...
lies on the Ayrshire Coast Line
Ayrshire Coast Line
The Ayrshire Coast Line is one of the lines within the Strathclyde suburban rail network in Scotland. It has 26 stations and connects the Ayrshire coast to Glasgow...
between Largs
Largs railway station
Largs railway station is a railway station in the town of Largs, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Ayrshire Coast Line, south west of .- History :...
and Glasgow Central. The journey to Glasgow takes around 50 minutes. The station is unmanned, with only one passenger track.
Bus
A bus service connects West Kilbride northwards to GreenockGreenock
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...
and south to Ayr
Ayr
Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
. The service is number 585, and is operated by the Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
. Buses run approximately half-hourly; there is no bus station but there are several roadside bus stops throughout the town.
Road
The main A78 roadA78 road
The A78 is an A road in Scotland. It connects Greenock and Prestwick on a route which follows the northern section of the Ayrshire coast.-Route:...
links West Kilbride to as far as Greenock to the north, and Prestwick
Prestwick
Prestwick is a town in South Ayrshire on the south-west coast of Scotland, about south-west of Glasgow. It adjoins the larger town of Ayr, the centre of which is about south...
to the South. The B781 road links West Kilbride to Dalry
Dalry, North Ayrshire
Dalry is a small town in the Garnock Valley in Ayrshire, Scotland.-History:Dalry means "King's Valley" or more simply the "Rye Meadow"; indicating a small settlement on the Rye Burn. Its history has signs of early inhabitants in the area...
(and beyond to Glasgow via the A737) in the east. There are half-hourly buses northwards to Largs and Greenock, and southwards to Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston, Irvine and Ayr
Ayr
Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
. There is also a commuter bus service to Glasgow, the journey taking around 1 hour 35 minutes.
Notable residents
- Violinist Nicola BenedettiNicola Benedetti- Early life and the Yehudi Menuhin School :Benedetti was born in West Kilbride, North Ayrshire to an Italian father and a Scottish mother. She started to learn the violin at the age of four...
, who was born in West Kilbride, won the title of BBC Young Musician of the YearBBC Young Musician of the YearThe BBC Young Musician of the Year is a televised national music competition. It is broadcast on BBC Two and BBC Four biennially, despite the name, and hosted by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
in 2004, and has played at numerous concerts around the world. - Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace PrizeThe Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
laureate John Boyd Orr, who spent most of his childhood in the village. - Margaret FordMargaret Ford, Baroness FordMargaret Anne Ford, Baroness Ford is a British peer and Chair of the London 2012 Olympic Park Legacy Company. She is a former Chief Executive of Good Practice Limited, Senior Non-Executive Director of Serco, Managing Director of Royal Bank of Canada Capital Markets She is currently Chairman of...
, Chair of the Olympic Park Legacy Company and President of the charity Epilepsy ActionEpilepsy ActionEpilepsy Action is a UK based charity providing information, advice and support for people with epilepsy.The organisation was founded in 1950 as the British Epilepsy Association and adopted Epilepsy Action as its working name in 2002....
. - Former Scotland international rugbyRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player Brian GossmanBrian GossmanBrian Gossman was a Scottish international rugby union player.He was capped for three times between 1980-83. He also played for West of Scotland FC.In 2004, he was charged with the rape of a woman in Northern Ireland... - Concert pianist and music scholar Roy Howat
- Glasgow RangersRangers F.C.Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
winger Danny McLardy, who played during the 1963, 64, 65, and 66 seasons; when recruited, was the youngest player recruited for World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
football, b. 1946 in West Kilbride. - Jamie Moffat - Trustee of The Moffat Charitable Trust and former Chairman of Kilmarnock F.C.Kilmarnock F.C.Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
- Mathematician Robert SimsonRobert SimsonRobert Simson was a Scottish mathematician and professor of mathematics at the University of Glasgow. The pedal line of a triangle is sometimes called the "Simson line" after him.-Life:...
- Scottish artist Alasdair TaylorAlasdair TaylorAlasdair Grant Taylor was a Scottish artist and sculptor.- Life :Alasdair Taylor was born in Ross-shire and trained as an artist at the Glasgow School of Art, subsequently living in Denmark and Glasgow. In 1967 he moved to Portencross, Ayrshire, where he lived reclusively with his wife Annelise...
- Major Hartley Whyte, whisky magnate with Whyte and MackayWhyte and MackayWhyte and Mackay Ltd is a Scottish company producing alcoholic beverages. It was founded in 1844 and is based in Glasgow. Since May 2007, Whyte and Mackay has been owned by United Breweries Group, a large Indian conglomerate....
Ltd, featured in the "Major Whyte's whiskyisms" advertising campaign.
In the news and popular culture
- West Kilbride is one of the UK's leading UFO hotspots, according to a 2004 Ministry of DefenceMinistry of Defence (United Kingdom)The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
report.
- Scenes in the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Para HandyPara HandyPara Handy, the anglicized Gaelic nickname of the fictional character Peter Macfarlane, is a character created by the journalist and writer Neil Munro in a series of stories published in the Glasgow Evening News under the pen name of Hugh Foulis....
television series were filmed at sea off PortencrossPortencrossPortencross is a hamlet near Farland Head in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Situated about 3 km west of Seamill and about 2 km south of Hunterston B nuclear power station, it is noted for its castle....
.
- An episode of STV's TaggartTaggartTaggart is a Scottish detective television programme, created by Glenn Chandler, who has written many of the episodes, and made by STV Productions for the ITV network...
series was partly filmed in West Kilbride's Main Street.
- An episode of BBC ScotlandBBC ScotlandBBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
's The Beechgrove GardenThe Beechgrove GardenThe Beechgrove Garden is a television programme broadcast on BBC Two Scotland since 1978, but since 10 April 2007 now broadcast on BBC One Scotland. It is a gardening programme. The original plot of land used was the small area of garden attached to the BBC studios in Aberdeen, located in the...
was broadcast from West Kilbride, featuring the work of local amateur gardeners and the recent enhancements to Kirktonhall Glen.
- On 4 June 2007, West Kilbride featured in BBC 2's Springwatch programme. Local vet Charlie Garrett showed how Corsehill Quarry is being turned into a wildlife conservation area.
- The opening sequence of the first episode of Billy ConnollyBilly ConnollyWilliam "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
's World Tour of Scotland, first broadcast on BBC television in 1994, features Connolly on a Caledonian MacBrayneCaledonian MacBrayneCaledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
ferry to Brodick and includes shots from the sea of West Kilbride, Seamill, and the surrounding area. Connolly comments, "This is the Scotland that everybody sings about, you know, this is the Kyles of ButeKyles of ButeThe Kyles of Bute are a narrow sea channel which separates the northern end of the Isle of Bute from the Cowal peninsula, part of the Scottish mainland....
, and the Isle of ArranIsle of ArranArran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
, the Little CumbraeLittle CumbraeLittle Cumbrae is an island in the Firth of Clyde, in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The island is known locally as Wee Cumbrae.-Etymology:...
and Great CumbraeGreat CumbraeGreat Cumbrae is the larger of the two islands known as The Cumbraes in the lower Firth of Clyde in western Scotland...
and all these places, and if the truth be known, this is the reason I'm doing this tour, this is the bit I really like, you know, going to the Isle of Arran."
See also
- SeamillSeamillSeamill is a village in North Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland, about 5 miles north of Ardrossan and 8 miles south of Largs.It is sometimes considered part of West Kilbride, and sometimes considered as a village in its own right...
- PortencrossPortencrossPortencross is a hamlet near Farland Head in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Situated about 3 km west of Seamill and about 2 km south of Hunterston B nuclear power station, it is noted for its castle....
- HunterstonHunterstonHunterston, by the Firth of Clyde, is a coastal area in Ayrshire, Scotland, which is the seat and estate of the Hunter family. As an area of flat land adjacent to deep natural water, it has been the site of considerable actual and proposed industrial development in the 20th century. The nearest...
- List of places in North Ayrshire
External links
- West Kilbride primary School
- West Kilbride community site
- Gazetteer for Scotland entry for West Kilbride
- The NMS and the Hunterston Brooch
- Map of the local area (multimap)
- West Kilbride: a Transition Town?
- West Kilbride Community Initiative Ltd: Craft & Design Town Project
- West Kilbride Community Page
- West Kilbride Online
- West Kilbride Museum website
- West Kilbride Village Hall