From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

West Kilbride and Seamill are adjoining villages 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. The village of West Kilbride nestles beneath Law Hill (168m, 551ft) and Tarbert Hill (138m, 453ft) and is overlooked by Cauldron Hill (329m, 1,079ft). Seamill lies on the coast, and straddles the main A78 road between Ardrossan and Largs. The two villages together are generally considered to be a small town, having a combined population of 4,393 at the 2001 census.^[1]

Contents 1 Early history 1.1 St Brigid 1.2 Coat of arms 1.3 Hunterston Brooch 1.4 Cup and ring stone 1.5 Roman remains 2 Places of interest 2.1 Churches 2.2 Castles 2.3 Kirktonhall Glen 3 Local economy 3.1 Work and employment 3.2 Farming and local industry 3.3 Crafts 4 Transport 4.1 Rail 4.2 Road 4.3 Air 5 Amenities 5.1 Main features 5.2 Shops and businesses 6 Sports 6.1 Golf 6.2 Other sports 7 Accommodation 7.1 Hotels 7.2 B&Bs 8 Famous residents 9 Trivia 10 Notes 11 References 12 See also 13 External links

West Kilbride is named after the ancient Celtic Saint Brigid of Kildare (born 451, died 525), often known as St Bride. There may have been a cell or kil to Brigid in the area.

East Kilbride in Lanarkshire commemorates the same Celtic saint.

West Kilbride's coat of arms is a shield split horizontally, with the bottom section divided again into three parts vertically. The top of the shield bears two fleurs de lis with a hunting horn between them. The left and right sections of the bottom of the shield are depictions of two castles, representing Law Castle and Portencross Castle. In the centre section is a representation of the Spanish galleon which sank off Portencross. Below the galleon is the cross of St. Bride overlaid with a mill iron and, above it, the shuttle which represents the village's old weaving industry.

During the 1830s, a highly important Celtic brooch was found by two men from West Kilbride who were digging at the foot of Goldenberry Hill, near Hunterston. Made about 700 AD, the Hunterston Brooch is a wonderfully sophisticated casting of silver, richly mounted with gold, silver and amber, and elaborately decorated with animals in gold filigree. In its centre, a cross and a golden Glory represent the Risen Christ. The brooch may have been made at a royal site, such as Dunadd in Argyll. About 200 years after its making, an inscription was added in Viking Runes.

The Hunterston Brooch is believed to have been an 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. It is housed in the Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.

A Neolithic cup and ring marked 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 a Roman fortification are said to have been uncovered when the house named "The Fort" was constructed in Ardrossan Road, Seamill. Across the road, in circa 1880, Roman funerary urns are said to have been unearthed when the foundations of "Tarbet" house were being dug.

West Kilbride is home to three churches: Overton Church and St. Andrew's Church (formerly St. Bride's), which are both Church of Scotland, and the diminutive St. Bride's Catholic Chapel, plus a fourth, "The Barony", which is no longer in use as a church.

• St. Andrew's is not only a church, but 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, located at the top of Ritchie Street, is a fine red sandstone building with a spectacular interior and a very loud, working bell tower.

• St. Bride's is a small RC chapel, on the North side of Hunterston Road, with a large garden behind it.

• The Barony (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.

The three castles in the area are of significant interest to those studying the history of Scotland. They are easily seen and accessible, and they have been the subject of several myths and local stories.

• Law Castle, situated on Law Hill, was built in the 15th century for King James III's sister Mary. The castle is a simple rectangular structure with a sloped roof and several large chimneys protruding at each side.

In recent years, Law Castle has been substantially restored and refurbished. Its current owners rent it out as a spectacular venue for weddings, holiday accommodation and corporate entertainment.

• 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 but is, otherwise, in reasonable condition - even though, unlike Law Castle, little has been done to restore it. Currently, the castle is under consideration for ownership by the people of West Kilbride, Seamill and Portencross, after fierce battling by residents to take it off the market.

The campaign to save Portencross Castle received national publicity in July 2004 when it was featured on the BBC's Restoration television programme, presented by Griff Rhys Jones, Ptolemy Dean and Marianne Suhr.^[2]

• Hunterston Castle, on the nearby Hunterston estate, is home to the historic Clan Hunter. It hosts regular clan gatherings which bring clan members to the area, from all corners of the world. The current Clan Chief is Madam Pauline Hunter. Close to the castle is a fine, historic walled garden which is being replanted and restored.

At a short distance from Hunterston Castle stands Hunterston House, home to the current Hunter family.

Kirktonhall Glen - a picturesque woodland walkway leading from West Kilbride to Seamill - was gifted to West Kilbride in 1924 by Robert Barr. Through it flows the Kilbride Burn which enters the Firth of Clyde at Seamill.

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. ^[3]

The main industries of employment at the 2001 census were: ^[3]

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%

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. Older residents still fondly describe West Kilbride as the "Tattie Toon". ^[4] 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 and the nearby Hunterston coal and ore terminal, owned by Clydeport.

A 24MW wind farm, owned and operated by Airtricity, is located on Busbie Muir (about 3km east of Tarbert Hill), and has been operational since February 2004. ^[5] Its capacity will increase to 30MW when three additional wind turbines become operational, scheduled for Autumn 2007. ^[6]

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. The Initiative Centre provides a convenient way for craftspeople to sell their art 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.^[7]

West Kilbride railway station lies on the Ayrshire Coast Line between Largs, further up the coast, and Glasgow Central. The journey to Glasgow takes around 50 minutes.^[8]

The station is unmanned, with only one passenger track. Trains from Clydeport and Hunterston run through on the second track, which no longer has a platform as it had when first built in the late 1870s.

The station's architect was the distinguished James Miller (see also his spectacular railway station at Wemyss Bay, Renfrewshire). The station building is now undergoing extensive renovation (November 2006) with a view to turning it into a bistro/ bar/ cafe. For security, Strathclyde Police regularly monitor the station via CCTV, and a mobile police station is on hand at the station car park two or three times per week.

The main A78 road links West Kilbride to Fairlie, Largs and Greenock to the North, and Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston, Irvine, Troon and Prestwick to the South. The B781 road links West Kilbride to Dalry in the East.

There are half-hourly buses northwards to Largs and Greenock, and southwards to Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston, Irvine and Ayr.^[9] There is also a commuter bus service to Glasgow, the journey taking around 1 hour 35 minutes.^[10]

Glasgow can be reached by car in around 45 to 60 minutes via the B781, A737 and M8.

Glasgow Prestwick International Airport (known as "Prestwick Airport") is about 30 minutes away by road. It can also be reached by train (with a connection at Kilwinning) in a journey time of about 40 minutes.

Glasgow International Airport is about 45 minutes away by road.

West Kilbride offers a diversity of amenties for residents and visitors.

• Primary school (ages 4-12), on Portencross and Hunterston Roads. The previous Victorian school burned down in 1980, and was replaced on the same site by the present building in 1983.

• Village hall on the corner of Arthur Street and Ritchie Street. Home to West Kilbride Horticultural Society's twice-yearly shows and West Kilbride Players' productions.

• Local history museum is on the first floor of the village hall.

• Community centre in Corse Street, formerly the Paisley Convalescent Home, now 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.

• Public library (formerly housed in the village hall) is now a purpose-built library, opened in 1996, located at the fork of Main Street and Halfway Street.

• War memorial. The original memorial, 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.

In the centre of the town is a range of shops, small businesses and offices, two pubs, late-night take-aways, a coffee shop and a Post Office.

There have been, in the past, as many as six hairdressers in the village - roughly one for every 700 people.

West Kilbride Golf Club - a championship links course - is situated at Fullerton Drive, Seamill. The original designer of the course was Old Tom Morris.^[11]

There is a fine bowling club in the heart of West Kilbride. A football pitch and children's play park are situated near the entrance to Kirktonhall Glen.

There are, at present, four places to stay in the West Kilbride area: -

• Seamill Hydro Hotel - http://www.seamillhydro.co.uk
• The Merrick Hotel, Seamill

• Carlton Seamill Bed & Breakfast - http://www.carlton-seamill.com
• Millstonford Bed & Breakfast - http://www.millstonfordbnb.co.uk

Famous residents of the West Kilbride area have included: -

• the mathematician Robert Simson;
• the Nobel Peace Prize winner John Boyd Orr;
• the deafblind American author Helen Keller^{[citation needed]};
• the violinist Nicola Benedetti;
• the noted golfer Jean McCulloch;
• the Scotland rugby-player Brian Gosman;
• the television presenter and comedian Roy Walker.

A large monument to Robert Simson stands in the centre of West Kilbride's cemetery.

• West Kilbride is one of the UK's leading UFO hotspots, according to a 2004 Ministry of Defence report;^[12]

• Scenes in the BBC's Para Handy television series were filmed at sea off Portencross;

• An episiode of STV's Taggart series was partly filmed in West Kilbride's Main Street;

• An episode of BBC Scotland's The Beechgrove Garden was broadcast from West Kilbride. It featured the work of local amateur gardeners and the recent enhancements to Kirktonhall Glen - and it led to much interest in West Kilbride from housebuyers!

1. ^ 2001 Census, population data for Seamill and West Kilbride
2. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/restoration/2004/scotland_portencross_castle_01.shtml
3. ^ ^{a b} 2001 Census, employment data for Seamill and West Kilbride
4. ^ Molly Blyth's book Old West Kilbride is subtitled The Tattie Toon
5. ^ Operational wind farms in the UK
6. ^ Airtricity - Ardrossan extension
7. ^ DTI's small business service - press release
8. ^ Train timetable (pdf)
9. ^ Bus timetable Greenock-Ayr (pdf)
10. ^ commuter bus service timetable (pdf)
11. ^ West Kilbride Golf Club
12. ^ The Scotsman - Alien invasion of UFO hotspot West Kilbride

West Kilbride Amenity Society (2002). West Kilbride, Seamill, Portencross & Thereabouts. ISBN 0-9516831-1-X. 

• Seamill
• Portencross

• Gazetteer for Scotland entry for West Kilbride
• The NMS and the Hunterston Brooch
• Map of the local area (multimap)
• West Kilbride Community Initiative Ltd: Craft & Design Town Project
• West Kilbride Community Page
• West Kilbride Museum website

Coordinates: 55°41′N 4°51′W