ACHS are a charity set up in 2012 in collaboration with North Ayrshire Council.
“We were invited to set up as an organisation as the castle was in a state of disrepair and NAC were looking to work in collaboration with a community organisation to undertake activities that would help change people’s perceptions of the castle area into a place of value. At this time there was lots of anti social behaviour activities taking place on the hill and a clear risk to visitors from fallen masonry from the castle.“
The temporary fence was erected in 2012, consolidation activities were undertaken from that point on to stabilise the castle infrastructure and make it safe.
We undertook as an organisation to achieve four broad aims around the castle and castle hill landscape. These are:
- Research to advance understanding of the castle and hill
- Efforts to encourage community involvement and usage of Castle hill
- Educational activities to share our growing understanding of the space and people of past Ardrossan
- And finally, to improve the environment and landscape around castle hill to encourage the use of the space as a tourist attraction.
Over the past 10 years we have delivered hundreds of talks to community groups and schools across the whole of North Ayrshire.
ACHS were nominated twice for the North Ayrshire Provost Awards and in 2017 also established Ardrossan Castle as one of Scotland’s Hidden Gems winning the title out of entries from all over Scotland and voted for by their local communities.
Working in partnership with North Ayrshire Council ACHS has vastly improved the environment of both the Castle and Castle hill making the area more visitor friendly and providing information on the history of the Castle in the form of information boards at the Castle entrance.
Most recently members of ACHS researched the signatories of the Declaration of Arbroath with one of them being our own Fergus de Ardrossan the only signatory from the West of Scotland. As a result of this ACHS designed and produced a map for sale showing the location of all the signatories to the Declaration.
Come along to the exhibition to learn more about the Society and this wonderful castle. Maybe you will even think about becoming a member!
The exhibition is running until the end of September and our opening times are:
Monday – Wednesday and the last Saturday of every month.
9:30am – 1pm & 2pm – 4:30pm
