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Ardeer, Ici Works, Nobel's Explosives Factory

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Explosives Factory (First World War), Explosives Factory (19th Century) - (20th Century)

Site Name Ardeer, Ici Works, Nobel's Explosives Factory

Classification Explosives Factory (First World War), Explosives Factory (19th Century) - (20th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Imperial Chemical Industries; Stevenston Site; Nobel Works

Canmore ID 79607

Site Number NS24SE 47

NGR NS 279 410

NGR Description Centred NS 279 410

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/79607

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Bluesky International Limited 2025. Public Sector Viewing Terms

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Digital Images


First 100 images shown. See the Collections panel (below) for a link to all digital images.

Administrative Areas

  • Council North Ayrshire
  • Parish Stevenston
  • Former Region Strathclyde
  • Former District Cunninghame
  • Former County Ayrshire

Archaeology Notes

NS24SE 47.00 circa 279 410

For the remainder of the ICI Explosives Works see NS23NE 1.00

NS24SE 47.01 NS 2823 4023 Africa House

NS24SE 47.02 NS 283 406 Safety Fuse Factory

NS24SE 47.03 NS 288 412 Black Powder Works

NS24SE 47.04 NS 2810 4029 Nobel House

NS24SE 47.05 NS 2840 4025 Health, Safety and Environment Centre

NS24SE 47.06 NS 2845 4029 Nobel House

NS24SE 47.07 NS 2888 4029 Sulphur Store

NS24SE 47.08 NS 2918 4017 Detontator Department

NS24SE 47.09 NS 284 402 Research Library

NS24SE 47.10 NS 28894 40903 Explosives Works

NS24SE 47.11 NS 28771 40622 Power Station

NS24SE 47.12 NS 279 410 Fence

See also NS24SE 48 for Nylon Works

The Nobel's Explosives Factory is situated between the sea and the River Garnock, W of Irvine. The factory is now closed with much of the large site now cleared. During World War I a coastal battery was built on the shore to defend the factory from being attacked from the sea (see NS24SE 127).

J Guy 2001; NMRS MS 810/11, Vol.1, 67-8

Further Details

Activities

Project (March 2013 - September 2013)

A project to characterise the quantity and quality of the Scottish resource of known surviving remains of the First World War. Carried out in partnership between Historic Scotland and RCAHMS.

Further Details

Note

Ardeer on the west coast of Scotland in Ayrshire was the site of the first Dynamite factory in the UK. It was set up by Alfred B. Nobel and came to be the largest explosives factory in the World. It also formed an important part of ICI from 1926 and the increased fortunes of the Ayrshire towns of Stevenston, Irvine, Saltcoats, Ardrossan and Irvine.

The factory also was important to Nobels Explosives and ICI as a whole. The development of a wide range of high explosives that revolutionised mining and engineering industries, not only providing essential minerals and raw materials but also assisting in infrastructural projects such as harbours, canals, railways, roads and water and electricity supplies. Ardeer also developed a major research centre for ICI, developing an array of new, non-explosive products spawning new divisions of the company.

By the 1990s Ardeer's fortunes had declined, accelerated by the demise of the British deep coal mining industry. Changing patterns in international trade of high-explosives and competition from alternative products led to the rationalisation and closure of large parts of the factory. The site, covering around 2000 acres was sold off. Today, the site has been more or less cleared of the historic structures to do with the original 1871 factory and the subsequent expansion and rebuilding of the ICI site until the 1990s.

JE Dolan and MK Oglethorpe, 1996

In 2006, 1671 acres of the original site was sold by ICI Chemicals and Polymers to NPL Group, making it one of Scotland's largest brownfield regeneration sites. The current owner is planning to develop 918 acres for leisure, house building, a power plant and mineral extraction.

The southern end of the peninsula on which Ardeer sits is owned by North Ayrshire Council.

Information from Survey and Recording Section (M McDonald), Heritage Directorate, HES, 12 January 2021

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