Our ‘Castles‘ section has a new addition: this time we are in West Kilbride, with the pretty Law Castle! Originally built in the 15th century, it was a gift for Princess Mary. Later, it was a ruin and now it is once again occupied after being fully restored. Read more about Law Castle HERE (and enjoy some nice pictures too!)
Lylestone Quarry, Brickworks and Coal Mines – a brief history
This blog post was kindly provided by Chris Hawksworth from Kilwinning Heritage. Check out their website to plan your visit to the Heritage Centre at Kilwinning Abbey Tower. Or why not give them a follow on their Facebook page? John Campbell Brisbane, a gentleman of independant means, died in July 1868. He had inherited the estate of Lylestone from his father, Thomas Brisbane. In his …
What It Means To Be A Volunteer At The Heritage Centre In Saltcoats
The following blog post was written by our volunteer, Frances, who gives her time at our North Ayrshire Heritage Centre in Saltcoats. I retired from my job in social work, it could be sometimes difficult and emotional working with the public and families in traumatic circumstances, but on occasions it was hugely rewarding when the outcomes were good. I had …
Sinking of the Norwegian Brig Lovren
We have now added the remarkable story of the sinking of the Norwegian brig ‘Lovren’ to the ‘Stories’ section of our website. It’s a fascinating story and one well worth a read! A severe hurricane battered Britain on the nights of 21st and 22nd December 1894. Around 7pm on Friday 21st December, the Norwegian Brig Loven, struck the rocky sound …
Beith War Memorial Added to the Stories Section
We have now added Beith War Memorial in the stories section! The memorial was unveiled on the 6th of November, 1920 following a ceremony which featured Aylmer Hunter-Weston. The names of the First World War dead are carved on the eight sides of the pedestal, along with three sides of the top base. The pedestal also contains the inscription “Erected by …
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas everyone from all of us here at the Heritage Centre! Keep an eye on our FaceBook page for a constant stream of content to keep you entertained throughout the festive period! We wish you all a lovely holiday period and a Happy New Year when it comes. Then we will do it all over again in 2024!
RAF Liberator (AM 261) Crash on the Isle of Arran has Been Added to the Stories Section
On the 10th of August 1941, RAF Liberator (AM 261) crashed into the ridge at Mullach Buidhe, just north of Goatfell on the Isle of Arran with the loss of 22 airmen. The flight crews on board were from the Royal Air Force Ferry Command, Air Transport Auxiliary and the British Overseas Airways Corporation. In addition to the normal flight …
Edward Harold George Dyer Update
On the 22nd of November, 1943, Sergeant Edward Harold George Dyer died while on a bombing raid on Berlin in World War II. The aircraft was likely shot down over the Netherland en-route to the target. You may remember the name of Edward Harold George Dyer from our story on the crash of a Whitley bomber over Saltcoats in 1943. …
‘New and Unusual’ Exhibition Preview Video
Have you seen our latest exhibition ‘New and Unusual: And a few of our favourite things’? We have just recently put out a preview video on our Facebook page to entice you! The exhibition features a wide variety of of objects from our collection, including artworks, archaeology, sporting memorabilia, vintage technology (including old radios, cameras and even a Gameboy Advance!) …
Andrew Aitken Has Been Added To The ‘Stories’ Section
Andrew Aitken has now been added to the ‘Stories’ section of our website! Andrew was born in Beith in 1780 and worked on a farm and had a passion for poetry. He didn’t attend school but was taught to read and write by his mother and began dabbling in writing essays and poetry, which were published in periodicals and newspapers. …