Coordinates: 55°38′36″N 4°48′35″W / 55.6432°N 4.8097°W
| Ardrossan | |
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Ardrossan
Ardrossan shown within Scotland |
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| Population | 10,952 [1] (2001 census) est. 10,520[2]
(2006), |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| Council area | North Ayrshire |
| Lieutenancy area | Ayrshire and Arran |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ARDROSSAN |
| Postcode district | KA22 |
| Dialling code | 01294 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | North Ayrshire and Arran |
| Scottish Parliament | Cunninghame North |
| List of places: UK • Scotland • | |
Ardrossan (Gaelic: Aird Rosain) is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in western Scotland. The name "Ardrossan" describes its physical position — 'ard' from the Gaelic aird meaning height, 'ros' a promontory and the diminutive suffix 'an' - height of the little promontory.
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Ardrossan's roots can be traced back to the construction of its castle 'Cannon Hill', thought to be in around 1140, by Simon de Morville. The castle and estate passed onto the Barclay family (also known as Craig) and it passed through successive heirs until the 14th century. Then it passed onto the Eglinton family on the death of Godfrey Barclay de Ardrossan, who died without leaving an heir. Sir Fergus Barclay, Baron of Ardrossan was said to be in league with the Devil and in one of his dealings he set the task of the Devil to make ropes from sand; upon failing to do Satan kicked the castle with his hoof in frustration and left a petrosomatoglyph hoofprint.[3]
In 1292, under the reign of John Balliol, the castle fell to the invading English army, who held it until 1296, when it was scene of the infamous event known as Wallace's Larder. William Wallace lured the English garrison out of the castle by setting a decoy fire in the village. He promptly slaughtered them, throwing their remains into the castle dungeon.
The castle stood until 1648, when Oliver Cromwell's troops had it destroyed, taking much of the stonework to Ayr to built the fort there. The ruins still stand, but are overgrown and in a dangerous condition.
Ardrossan developed quickly during the 18th and 19th centuries thanks to its position on the coast. Exports of coal and pig iron to Europe and North America were the main trade from the town's port, which became a centre for shipbuilding. Fishing vessels and small cargo boats were the mainstay of the shipyard until the 1950s, when the yard all but ceased to exist as a result of foreign competition. A smaller yard, McCrindle's, operated until the 1980s before it ceased trading.
Passenger services from Ardrossan harbour to Brodick on the Isle of Arran started in 1834, and services to Belfast in Ireland (later Northern Ireland) and the Isle of Man followed in 1884 and 1892 respectively. Clyde sailings were operated initially by the Glasgow and South Western Railway Company from Winton Pier and the Caledonian Railway from Montgomerie Pier. The Earl of Eglinton's ambitious plan for a canal link to Glasgow was never realised.
Between 1841 and 1848 Ardrossan was a part of the "West Coast Main Line" equivalent of its time. The fastest route from London to Glasgow was by train to Fleetwood, and thence by packet boat to Ardrossan. After 1848 the entire journey could be made by rail, avoiding Ardrossan.[4][5][6]
The link to the Isle of Man no longer operates, having first been moved to Stranraer, then all Scottish services terminated altogether. Shell-Mex developed an oil refinery in Ardrossan from a World War II aviation-fuel canning factory, and the harbour was expanded for the company's tanker ships to berth. Local residents blocked plans in the 1960s for further expansion of the refinery, limiting the operations that could be carried out there. Operations at Shell-Mex ceased in 1986.
The harbour has been substantially redeveloped as a marina, and the passenger and vehicle ferry to Brodick is still operated by Caledonian MacBrayne.
Ardrossan was one of the last towns in Scotland to be made a Burgh, in 1846, with a Provost, magistrates and commissioners. Its Burgh status was lost in 1974 on the formation of Strathclyde Regional Council, whereupon it came under Cunninghame District. It is now part of North Ayrshire, created as a unitary authority in 1996.
Since 2006 Ardrossan has been part of a regeneration area, overseen by the Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Company. Their vision for Ardrossan is as a gateway to Arran and a good place to live and relax next to the sea in a regenerated town centre serving the existing and incoming community. This will be achieved through renewal of the town centre and the future development of the harbourside in a co-ordinated and overall plan.
Ardrossan is developing into a commuter town with a population of around 11,000, with frequent train and express coach links to Glasgow, aided by its location on the Ayrshire Coast Line and its proximity to the A737 road.
There are three remaining railway stations in Ardrossan: Ardrossan South Beach, close to the boundary with Saltcoats; Ardrossan Town, in the centre of town, closed 1968 and reopened 1987; and Ardrossan Harbour.
Ayr lies 17 miles to the south and the town is part of the "three towns" mini-conurbation, together with Saltcoats and Stevenston. Frequent bus services to Irvine, Kilmarnock, Ayr and Greenock and an extensive local network are provided by Stagecoach Western.
The A78 Three Towns Bypass was opened in December 2004 and has provided a much-needed improvement to local transport links, reducing local travelling times significantly. The bypass has also helped to divert a significant amount of heavier traffic from the Three Towns.
Ardrossan has some notable buildings, for example Barony St John's Church and St Peter-in-Chains Roman Catholic Church. St Peter's is of modern construction in an all-brick, Swedish style. Its architects were the notable Gillespie, Kidd & Coia. Barony St John's dates from the mid-nineteenth century. Both buildings are on the South Crescent, overlooking South Beach and Irvine Bay. The crescent is lined by large villas dating from the 19th century, many of which have been converted into multiple residences.
Also known as 'Cannon Hill' by locals, it is a great place to visit, including a swing park. An historic ancient burial place on Castle Hill was vandalized in the 1950s. One tomb was taken to the Barony Church on South Crescent for safekeeping.
A prehistoric shell-mound, measuring 102 ft by 16 ft, on the side of Cannon Hill, close to Ardrossan Town railway station, was excavated by the Ayrshire historian John Smith in the 1890s. Its length was mostly overhung by a few feet, by the rock face, which had formed a rock-shelter, which the excavation showed had been occupied at intervals over a considerable period of time. The railway workings had cut a longitudinal section in the mound, which overlay a 1 ft layer of raised beach sand.[7]
The mound was composed of seashells, mainly periwinkle and limpet, and animal bones. Relics found included a stone 'anchor' with a groove cut round it for a rope, a possible stone sinker, fragments of very coarse, hammer stone, hand-made pottery, also pieces of wheel-turned, glazed pottery, a bone chisel, two bone needles, etc. No sign of the mound is visible today.[8]
While being an exemplar of post-industrial Scotland's socio-economic malaise, Ardrossan is located on the edge of an area of exceptional natural beauty. The towering peaks of the Isle of Arran are starkly visible on a cold sunny day. Beyond, one can see the Paps of Jura and the Mull of Kintyre.
Offshore from Ardrossan is the small Horse Isle, an RSPB reserve and home to nationally important populations of herring gulls and lesser black backed gulls. The Holm Plantation area dividing Ardrossan and Saltcoats is a popular area for alternative walks to the seaside as the large villas surrounding it prove very attractive for visitors. The current regeneration of the area has led to the plantation receiving many new amenities such as lighting and landscaped flower areas.
Arguably the town's most notable son was physicist John Kerr.[9] He discovered the quadratic electro-optic effect, a change in the refractive index of a material in response to an electric field, now known as the Kerr effect.
Former pupils of Ardrossan Academy include Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell, recipient of the Victoria Cross,[10] and Campbell Martin, journalist and former Independent Member of the Scottish Parliament for West of Scotland,[11] now editor of the3towns.com, an online local newspaper covering Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston.
Former pupil David T. Denver is Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Lancaster.[12] Professor Denver is a frequent media commentator on Scottish political issues and voting patterns and has published several books in the field of statistical analyses of voting patterns.
Calum Kennedy (1928–2006), popular exponent of Scottish Gaelic song in the 1950s and 60s, ran a hotel in Ardrossan towards the end of his life.
From the core of its now-gone industrial workers, Ardrossan has produced a number of people of individual note. Ardrossan Academy has produced several former pupils that hold US and international patents for their scientific work.
Ardrossan is in the Ayrshire North & Arran constituency in the House of Commons and Cunninghame North constituency in the Scottish Parliament. The Westminster seat is held by the Labour Party, and the Holyrood seat was narrowly won from Labour by the Scottish National Party in the May 2007 election .
The town has two diplomatic missions, a Danish and a Norwegian consulate.[13]
The name Ardrossan has also been given to places elsewhere in the world:
Ardrossan is a town in Ayrshire in Scotland.
Most people that go to Ardrossan are only transiting through to get to the Isle of Arran.
From the south, the A78 now by-passes Irvine, Stevenston and Saltcoats so Ardrossan is a lot easier to get to. A recommended route avoiding the traffic lights is to stay on the bypass until you pass Ardrossan, turn left and then turn right at a public toilet, following the coast. Stay on this road and then turn right at the crossroads at Princes Street.
From Glasgow, the M8 takes you to Glasgow Airport and at the Airport, the A737 signposted Irvine and going through Dalry is the best route.
Even though the bypass has been built, the main roads around the town centre can be clogged with ferry traffic, especially in the summer, so watch out. Extensive long term parking is available at the Harbour.
A variety of bus services run here from all over the area.
Good train service from Glasgow, with stops at all of the town's 3 railway stations - Ardrossan South Beach, Ardrossan Town and Ardrossan Harbour.
Trains from Glasgow usually depart at quarter to the hour and quarter past but this changes at peak times. Trains leaving at quarter to the hour will only stop at Ardrossan South Beach and continue on to Largs whereas trains leaving at quarter past will carry straight on to Ardrossan Town and Ardrossan Harbour.
If you are looking to only go as far as South Beach then Largs trains at quarter to the hour are faster as these stop at fewer stations.
As of January 2009 at least one of the signs at South Beach station is full of bullet holes...it is wise to alight from trains as near to the front as possible as this will mean you step off directly at the station building and exit. It is not unknown for underisable youths to congregate at the station and hassle travellers, particulary at the South Beach and Town stations.
From the harbour, you can catch the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry, MV Caledonian Isles, to the Isle of Arran. This leaves several times a day and there are trains from Glasgow Central that connect with these sailings. The journey time is around 55 minutes though this can change depending on the weather conditions.
In Summer (June to August) an additional ship is used for the route, to date this has always been the MV Saturn. It is a smaller ship and the sailing time is around 1 hour 5 minutes, train services do not specifically connect with its sailings.
For private vessels and pleasure cruisers there is the Clyde Marina at Ardrossan Harbour which offers superb shelter from the elements and competitive rates. As well as this it is also situated next to the best restaurant in town and a large ASDA supermarket.
The nearest airport is Prestwick International Airport. This is less than an hour away by bus and there is a train station with a change at Kilwinning station required to reach Ardrossan.
Also convenient is Glasgow International Airport. There is a rail link being built which would take travellers to Paisley Gilmour Street Station where an Ardrossan/Largs train could be taken to Ardrossan.
Walking is probably all that is required to see the town, it is not huge and above the High Road/Parkhouse Road there is little of interest to tourists.
There are plenty of local buses should walking be impossible e.g. due to the often atrocious weather.
There is a distinct lack of shops in Ardrossan as neighbouring Saltcoats has the larger retail area. There are two streets in the town with shops however, as well as the ASDA superstore.
Glasgow Street
Princes Street
ASDA - Wait until 3.30PM for the cheap out of date items (you can't miss it as there are always about 15 to 20 folk waiting to grab the 'almost out of date' bargains).
There are a few establishments in which to remedy a dry throat in Ardrossan, some less reputable than others. These are...
Charlie's Bar
The Red Herring
Castlehill Vaults
Cecchini's Bar - more expensive
Johnny Ho's
The Laurieston Hotel - more expensive
Free internet access at the Ardrossan Library where there are pleasant, foreigner-tolerant librarians.
The Harbour where a free wifi internet connection is set up.
There are several public phone booths in the centre of town.
Several postboxes around town and a Post Office in neighbouring Saltcoats.
This will probably be your favoured option after the local yobs take their toll.
Eglinton Country Park in nearby Kilwinning is a popular place for locals to go for a woodland stroll.
In the town itself there are the 2 beaches, at South Beach there is a children's play park.
Jacks Park, the Piggery, Elm Park and the Holm Plantation are other popular places for walks.
There are many outdoor pursuits available on the Isle of Arran.
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   | Barony St John's Church - Barony St John's Church, Ardrossan, Scotland |
| | News on a crackdown on derelict properties - BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Glasgow and West | Crackdown on derelict properties |
| | St Peter-in-Chains Roman Catholic Church - Church of Saint Peter in Chains, Ardrossan |
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