Portencross
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Portencross viewed from its pier | |
Location within North Ayrshire | |
OS grid reference | NS176489 |
Council area | |
Lieutenancy area | |
Country | Scotland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | WEST KILBRIDE |
Postcode district | KA23 |
Dialling code | 01294 |
Police | Scotland |
Fire | Scottish |
Ambulance | Scottish |
UK Parliament | |
Scottish Parliament | |
Portencross (Scottish Gaelic : Port na Crois) is a hamlet near Farland Head in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Situated about three kilometres (two miles) west of Seamill and about two kilometres (1+1⁄4 miles) south of Hunterston B nuclear power station, it is noted for Portencross Castle.
It has two harbours and a pier. The "Old Harbour" is actually a small tidal inlet next to the castle, and is part of the castle property. The larger harbour, "North Harbour", owned by the Portencross Harbour Trust, lies about 100 m (110 yd) north of the castle and was the main access point for fishing activity. [1]
The Portencross Pier was built in the era of Clyde steamer cruising but was never used as much as other locations such as Largs, Fairlie or Wemyss Bay.
In 2014 the North Ayrshire Ranger Service carried out a survey of the plants growing on the rocky shore, whinstone dyke, saltmarsh and "machair-like" seaside vegetation. Species recorded included sea arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima); sea sandwort (Honkenya peploides); scurvy-grass (Cochlearia officinalis); common orache (Atriplex patula); sea club-rush (Scirpus maritimus); sea milkwort (Glaux maritima); salt mud-rush (Juncus gerardii); lesser sea spurrey (Spergularia marina); cliff sand spurrey (Spergularia rupicola); sea aster (Aster tripolium); red bartsia (Odonitites verna); silverweed (Potentilla anserina); bird's foot trefoil (Lotus geniculatus); sea pink/thrift (Armeria maritima); eyebright (Euphrasia nemorosa); yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor); sea plantain (Plantago maritima); meadow cranesbill (Geranium pratense); purple loosetrife (Lythrum salicalia); pineapple weed (Matricaria matricariodes); curled dock (Rumex crispus); scentless mayweed (Matricaria maritima); corn sowthistle (Sonchus arvensis); marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre); lady's bedstraw (Galium verum); mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris); celery-leaved crowfoot (Ranunculus scleratus); ragged robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi); yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus); parsley water-dropwort (Oenanthe lachenalii); greater woodrush (Luzula sylvatica); amphibious bistort (Polygonum amphibian); crow garlic (Allium vineale var. compactum); Japanese rose (Rosa rugosa); alder (Alnus glutinosa); sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides); wood sage (Teucreum scorodonia); hemlock water-dropwort (Oenanthe crocata); sticky groundsel (Senecio viscosus); bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum); bracken/brake (Pteridium aquilinium); yellow splash lichen (Xanthoria parietina); crab's eye lichen (Ochrolechia parella); sea ivory (Ramalina siliquosa).
Great Cumbrae is the larger of the two islands known as The Cumbraes in the lower Firth of Clyde in western Scotland. The island is sometimes called Millport, after its main town.
North Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. The council area borders Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire to the northeast, and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the east and south respectively. The local authority is North Ayrshire Council, formed in 1996 with the same boundaries as the district of Cunninghame which existed from 1975 to 1996.
Lamlash is a village on the Isle of Arran, in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. It lies three miles south of the island's main settlement and ferry port Brodick, in a sheltered bay on the island's east coast, facing the Holy Isle. Lamlash is the seat of Arran's local government offices, and is also the location of the island's police station, secondary school and hospital. In common with the rest of the island, the village's main industry is tourism and the public sector is also an important employer. Lamlash has an RNLI Lifeboat station with a B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat, covering the inshore waters around the coast of Arran, and in summer, there is a regular ferry service from Lamlash harbour to Holy Isle. The village has several buildings of historical interest, including Hamilton Terrace, which consists of two rows of single storey-and-attic cottages on the Lamlash seafront, arranged in pairs.
Irvine is a town and former royal burgh on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The 2011 Census recorded the town's population at 33,698 inhabitants, making it the largest settlement in North Ayrshire, and 22nd largest settlement in Scotland.
Largs is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about 33 mi (53 km) from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" in Scottish Gaelic.
The Glasgow and South Western Railway (G&SWR) was a railway company in Scotland. It served a triangular area of south-west Scotland between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle. It was formed on 28 October 1850 by the merger of two earlier railways, the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway and the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Railway. Already established in Ayrshire, it consolidated its position there and extended southwards, eventually reaching Stranraer. Its main business was mineral traffic, especially coal, and passengers, but its more southerly territory was very thinly populated and local traffic, passenger and goods, was limited, while operationally parts of its network were difficult.
Kilwinning is a town in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It is on the River Garnock, north of Irvine, about 21 miles (34 km) southwest of Glasgow. It is known as "The Crossroads of Ayrshire". Kilwinning was also a Civil Parish. The 2001 Census recorded the town as having a population of 15,908. The estimated population in 2016 was 16,460.
Ardrossan is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in southwestern Scotland. The town has a population of 10,670 and forms part of a conurbation with Saltcoats and Stevenston known as the 'Three Towns'. Ardrossan is located on the east shore of the Firth of Clyde.
Lady Isle is a small, uninhabited island, in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. It was once home to a chapel dedicated to Saint Mary. The island features a lighthouse and a freshwater spring.
Fairlie is a village in North Ayrshire, Scotland.
West Kilbride is a village and historic parish in North Ayrshire, Scotland, on the west coast by the Firth of Clyde, looking across the Firth of Clyde 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.
Clan Boyd is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands and is recognized as such by the Lord Lyon King of Arms.
The John Muir Country Park is a country park near the village of West Barns, which is part of the town of Dunbar in East Lothian, Scotland. It is named after John Muir, a famous naturalist and geologist who was born in Dunbar and later emigrated to the United States, where he developed his ideas.
The Lands of Ashgrove, previously known as Ashenyards, formed a small estate in the Parish of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, lying between Kilwinning and Stevenston. The Georgian mansion house was demolished in 1960, the substantial walled garden survives.
The remains of the old castle of Montfode or Monfode lie to the north-west of the town of Ardrossan and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south-west of West Kilbride in North Ayrshire, Scotland, above the Montfode Braes, in the old Barony of Kilbride. The remains of the 16th century tower are protected as a scheduled monument. The castle ruins are clearly visible from the A78 Ardrossan bypass.
Mary Speir Gunn was murdered in a shooting attack at the isolated Northbank Cottage near Portencross in North Ayrshire, Scotland on the evening of Saturday, 18 October 1913. Six shots were fired through the living-room window at night. Three shots struck Mary Gunn, the fatal one piercing her heart. Two shots hit her sister Jessie McLaren, who collapsed with a bullet lodged in her back, but she survived the attack. Jessie's husband, Alexander McLaren, was injured in the index finger of his left hand.