Architecture Notes

Event ID 851135

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Architecture Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/851135

NS31NW 156 centred 30290 18395

Holiday Park [NAT]

OS (GIS) MasterMap, July 2010.

A large holiday park situated immediately inland and SE of Heads of Ayr.

Originally built for the Admiralty to a design suggested by Sir William Butlin and named HMS Scotia, opening in 1941 as a Naval training camp. It became Butlin's Holiday Camp in 1946, when it could accommodate about 3,000 people later increased to 5,000.

It was built to a design that would lend itself easily to conversion to a holiday camp during the postwar period. The site occupies 47 hectares and once consisted of at least 38 large wooden huts, 38 Nissen type huts and four main halls, the site is now reduced in size with huts and chalets and a main central amusement area.

The camp is visible on vertical air photographs taken in 1946 (CPE/Scot/UK 176, frames 2161-2163, flown 7 October 1946).

Information from RCAHMS (DE), August 2008.