Pricing Change
New pricing for orders of material from this site will come into place shortly. Charges for supply of digital images, digitisation on demand, prints and licensing will be altered.
Ardrossan, Castle Hill, Old Parish Church And Graveyard
Burial Ground (Medieval), Church (13th Century), Long Cist (Early Medieval), Museum (20th Century)
Site Name Ardrossan, Castle Hill, Old Parish Church And Graveyard
Classification Burial Ground (Medieval), Church (13th Century), Long Cist (Early Medieval), Museum (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) North Ayrshire Museum
Canmore ID 41123
Site Number NS24SW 3
NGR NS 23294 42421
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/41123
- Council North Ayrshire
- Parish Ardrossan
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Cunninghame
- Former County Ayrshire
NS24SW 3 NS 23294 42421
(NS 2329 4241) Church (NR)
(remains of)
OS 6" map (1971).
Ardrossan church originally stood within its churchyard on Castle Hill; it foundations are still visible. It was blown down by a violent storm in 1691, when it was replaced by the church described on NS24SW 6.
In it were altars to St Peter and the Virgin Mary. It was excavated in 1912, when it was shown to be a long, oblong building , its chancel of the same width as the nave, above which it was raised by three low steps, placed at wide intervals. Considerable areas of stone paving remained. A stone coffin, with a carved lid, was found within the church, near the N wall. It was removed to the vestibule of the Municipal Buildings. A 13th century date is suggested for it.
NSA 1845 (J Bryce); T Ross 1913; H Scott 1950.
The foundations of this church can be traced, measuring 19.5 by 7.8m. The grass-covered floor lies 0.5m below the top of the wall, which is 0.2m high externally and 0.9m broad. The masonry is of ashlar. There appear to be two entrances in the S wall, each having a step leading down in to the interior. There are also two small breaks in the N wall; their purpose could not be ascertained as they seemed too narrow for doorways.
The churchyard wall has been removed and the whole area is an open park. A few gravestones still exist, one dated 1662 and some of 18th century date.
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (JLD), 7 September 1956
No change to the previous report. The stone coffin is now displayed in the North Ayrshire Museum, Saltcoats, together with leather fragments of a possible sandal said to have been found within the coffin. (No accession or catalogue numbers).
Visited by OS (JRL), 13 October 1982.
NMRS REFERENCE
NMRS Microfilm & Microfiche Collection
MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS WITHIN CUNNINGHAME DISTRICT
copyright: Cunninghame District Council
acc. no. 1990/57
Reel 6 (Ardrossan), accompanied by index on microfiche
Change Of Location
The coordinates assigned to this record are of the Ardrossan Sarcophagus' original location. Current location is North Ayrshire Heritage Centre (Canmore ID: 72046)
