72-487: Ardeer was a small town now officially incorporated into Stevenston on the Ardeer peninsula , in the parish of Stevenston , North Ayrshire , originally an island and later its extensive sand dune system became the site of Nobel Explosives, a dominant global supplier of explosives to the mining and quarrying industries and a major player in the design and development of products for the chemical and defence industries during
144-438: A Late Bronze Age socketed gouge; part of a Bronze Age bead; a flat bead of dark blue glass; shale rings, armlets etc.; 2 Romano-British Brooches; a bronze pin and the head of a second; an early 10th-century, 'Whitby' type Anglo-Saxon bronze strap end; a probably 14th-century bronze ring brooch. In 1906, drifting of sand revealed a small oval cairn about 15 by 10 ft (4.6 by 3.0 m) in size and 3 ft (0.9 m) high in
216-971: A coach'; 'vessel/box/chest' more generally; and 'wooden pin'. The Scottish Gaelic form is crannag and has the additional meanings of 'pulpit' and ' churn '. Thus, there is no real consensus on what the term crannog actually implies, although the modern adoption in the English language broadly refers to a partially or completely artificial islet that saw use from the prehistoric to the Post-Medieval period in Ireland and Scotland. Crannogs are widespread in Ireland , with an estimated 1,200 examples, while Scotland has 389 sites officially listed as such. The actual number in Scotland varies considerably depending on definition—between about 350 and 500, due to
288-648: A depth of 4 ft (1.2 m), with much of its cut following the old course of the River Garnock, a relic of the days when Ardeer was an island. The Master Gott or drain is thought to be the last remaining vestige. Coal was carried on barges and the waste was dumped along the route to act as a wind break, blown sand being a recurring problem. The water supply came from a dam on the Stevenston Burn. The Ardeer Quarry that produced Stevenston Stone exported to Ireland from Saltcoats Harbour almost certainly used
360-526: A large number of crannogs. The causeways may have been slightly submerged; this has been interpreted as a device to make access difficult but may also be a result of loch level fluctuations over the ensuing centuries or millennia. Organic remains are often found in excellent condition on these water-logged sites. The bones of cattle , deer , and swine have been found in excavated crannogs, while remains of wooden utensils and even dairy products have been completely preserved for several millennia. In June 2021,
432-499: A number of extremely important finds were destroyed as a result; in some instances, they were even dried out for firewood. From about 1900 to the late 1940s there was very little crannog excavation in Scotland, while some important and highly influential contributions were made in Ireland. In contrast, relatively few crannogs have been excavated since the Second World War . This number has steadily grown, especially since
504-477: A number of nationally scarce moths, including sand dune rarities such as coast dart and shore wainscot . Over 100 species of spider have been recorded at Ardeer with wolf spiders (Lycosidae) being particularly prominent, with half of the species on the Scottish list present. Among these the nationally scarce dune specialist Xerolycosa miniata is particularly noteworthy, being mainly a southern species. Among
576-798: A sense of legitimacy and ancestry towards ownership of the surrounding landscape. A strict definition of a crannog, which has long been debated, requires the use of timber. Sites in the Western Isles do not satisfy this criterion, although their inhabitants shared the common habit of living on water. If not classed as "true" crannogs, small occupied islets (often at least partially artificial in nature) may be referred to as "island duns". Rather confusingly, 22 islet-based sites are classified as "proper" crannogs due to differing interpretations of inspectors or excavators who drew up field reports. Hebridean island dwellings or crannogs were commonly built on both natural and artificial islets, usually reached by
648-412: A small islet as a home may seem odd today, yet waterways were the main channels for both communication and travel until the 19th century in much of Ireland and, especially, Highland Scotland. Crannogs are traditionally interpreted as simple prehistorical farmsteads. They are also interpreted as boltholes in times of danger, as status symbols with limited access, and as inherited locations of power that imply
720-521: A stone causeway. The visible structural remains are traditionally interpreted as duns or, in more recent terminology, as "Atlantic roundhouses". This terminology has recently become popular when describing the entire range of robust, drystone structures that existed in later prehistoric Atlantic Scotland . The majority of crannog excavations were, by modern standards, poorly conducted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by early antiquarians, or were purely accidental finds as lochs were drained during
792-532: A strict Early Historic evolution, Irish excavations are increasingly uncovering examples that date from the "missing" Iron Age in Ireland. The construction techniques for a crannog (prehistoric or otherwise) are as varied as the multitude of finished forms that make up the archaeological record. Island settlement in Scotland and Ireland is manifest through the entire range of possibilities ranging from entirely natural, small islets to completely artificial islets, therefore definitions remain contentious. For crannogs in
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#1732780211792864-458: A wooden structure or vessel, stemming from crann , which means "tree", suffixed with "-óg" which is a diminutive ending ultimately borrowed from Welsh. The suffix -óg is sometimes misunderstood by non-native Irish-speakers as óg , which is a separate word that means "young". This misunderstanding leads to a folk etymology whereby crannóg is misanalysed as crann óg , which is pronounced differently and means "a young tree". The modern sense of
936-655: Is also documented into the early 18th century. Whether this increase in status is real, or just a by-product of increasingly complex material assemblages, remains to be convincingly validated. The earliest-known constructed crannog is the completely artificial Neolithic islet of Eilean Dòmhnuill , Loch Olabhat on North Uist in Scotland. Eilean Domhnuill has produced radiocarbon dates ranging from 3650 to 2500 BC. Irish crannogs appear in middle Bronze Age layers at Ballinderry (1200–600 BC). Recent radiocarbon dating of worked timber found in Loch Bhorghastail on
1008-472: Is known as the 'old pier' or 'slag point'. The works closed in 1931 and were demolished in 1935. The West Field coal pits largely lay within the present-day Ardeer Park. In circa 1800 the pits were named Raise, Dip, First East, Crank, Stair, Second East, Old Engine, Bowbridge, and Bridge Shank. These were served by the Stevenston Canal , many with their own dedicated branches. The Ardeer peninsula
1080-471: Is not recorded on the later Ordnance Survey maps and was therefore of a transient nature due to the shifting sands, storm derived blow outs, etc. typical of large sand dune and estuary systems. As late as 1902 it was recorded that "Within recent years a number of little lochs, or dubbs, existed between Kilwinning and Stevenston, the memory of which, at least, has been preserved in the name of Dubbs Farm." Ardeer House, Castlehill, Bartonholm, and Bogside were on
1152-566: Is typically a partially or entirely artificial island , usually built in lakes and estuarine waters of Scotland , Wales , and Ireland . Unlike the prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps , which were built on the shores and not inundated until later, crannogs were built in the water, thus forming artificial islands. Crannogs were used as dwellings over five millennia, from the European Neolithic Period to as late as
1224-586: The Irish National Heritage Park , County Wexford and at Castle Espie , County Down . In Scotland there are reconstructions at the "Scottish Crannog Centre" at Loch Tay , Perthshire ; this centre offers guided tours and hands-on activities, including wool-spinning, wood-turning and making fire, holds events to celebrate wild cooking and crafts, and hosts yearly Midsummer , Lughnasadh and Samhain festivals. Crannogs took on many different forms and methods of construction based on what
1296-554: The Isle of Lewis has produced evidence of crannogs as old as 3380–3630 BC. Prior to the Bronze Age , the existence of artificial island settlement in Ireland is not as clear. While lakeside settlements are evident in Ireland from 4500 BC, these settlements are not crannogs, as they were not intended to be islands. Despite having a lengthy chronology, their use was not at all consistent or unchanging. Crannog construction and occupation
1368-640: The River Garnock in Irvine Harbour serving ships disposing of time expired explosives or importing materials for the works. At its peak, the site employed almost 13,000 workers in a fairly remote location and had its own railway station. The station was used solely for workers and those special visitors with business in the ICI plant, and was never a regular passenger stop. Until the mid-1960s, there were two trains per day to transport workers. Although
1440-426: The River Garnock , however no matter how hard they tried or how long they persevered they could catch nothing. Saint Winning in response to the river's perversity placed a curse on the river, preventing it from ever having fish in its waters; the river responded by changing course and thereby avoiding the curse. It is clear that the river has substantially changed its course in recorded history, previously having entered
1512-456: The 122 species of birds recorded the lesser whitethroat is particularly noteworthy, as it is right at the north-west extremity of its European distribution and Ardeer and the neighbouring East Garnock area holds the largest breeding population in Ayrshire. Other notable species recorded at the site include hen harrier , long-eared owl , osprey and snow bunting . During migration and winter
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#17327802117921584-503: The 17th/early 18th century. In Scotland there is no convincing evidence in the archaeological record of Early and Middle Bronze Age or Norse Period use. The radiocarbon dating obtained from key sites such as Oakbank and Redcastle indicates at a 95.4 per cent confidence level that they date to the Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age . The date ranges fall after around 800 BC and so could be considered Late Bronze Age by only
1656-414: The 19th century. The movement of the sands onto the island of Ardeer must have been relatively rapid as records show that quarrying and mining at Misk Colliery exposed rich alluvial soil at Ardeer with clear signs of ploughing and artifacts such as earthenware and even a tobacco pipe that dates the ploughing to no earlier than the mid-16th century when tobacco was first introduced. Timothy Pont refers to
1728-425: The 20th century. The peninsula is now part of North Ayrshire's most important area for Biodiversity . Ardeer was once an island with a sea channel running along to exit in the vicinity of Auchenharvie Academy . Blaeu's map of 1654, based on Timothy Pont ’s map of circa 1600 clearly shows a small island with the settlements of Ardeer, Dubbs, Bogend, Longford, Snodgrass, Lugton Mill and Bartonholm all being on or near
1800-673: The Ardeer Area of Stevenston in Clark Crescent and serves ages 5 to 11 in a primary school and a nursery class. The Old Ardeer Primary School sat on Garven Road, before closing in late 1981. In the heart of Ardeer is the Shore Road Ardeer Parish which was officially opened on Friday, 14 June 1895, the dedicatory service being conducted by the Rev. Alexander Robertson McEwan. Rev Andrew Morris Moodie's first sermon in
1872-625: The Ardeer area of Stevenston, with the new course opening on 8 April 1905. This course was a true seaside links laid out in the stretch of dunes between the town and the sea on land owned by the Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd (ICI). ICI was where the club drew most of its membership, including Hamilton McInally, the Scottish Amateur champion of 1937, 1939 & 1947. Jackie Cannon was a member prior to winning
1944-774: The Ardeer estate, Patrick Warner, had picked up skills in land reclamation during his exile in Holland and in the late 17th century his first act was to drain the line of bogs or dubs by cutting the Master Gott or ditch, and this drainage system was later partly incorporated into the Stevenston Canal that ran up to Dubbs. The Peninsula houses the remains of The Big Idea , a museum which operated from 2000 to 2003 celebrating Scottish Inventions and inventors. It has remained abandoned since its closure in summer 2003. A legend tells of Saint Winning sending his monks to fish in
2016-769: The Bogside Flats SSSI. Parts of the northern half of the peninsula were planted with conifers, mainly Corsican pine ( Pinus nigra ) in the middle of the 20th century. These plantations have been left largely untouched. The resulting over-mature pine forest is a rare habitat in southern Scotland and is particularly noteworthy in terms of its large quantities of dead wood. There has also been a significant amount of natural woodland regeneration in various places, consisting of birches ( Betula spp.), willows ( Salix spp.), alder ( Alnus glutinosa ) and sycamore ( Acer pseudoplatanus ). About 1500 species have been recorded at Ardeer of which two thirds are invertebrates, making it one of
2088-679: The Drumlin Belt of the Midlands, North and Northwest. In Scotland, crannogs are mostly found on the western coast, with high concentrations in Argyll and Dumfries and Galloway . In reality, the Western Isles contain the highest density of lake-settlements in Scotland, yet they are recognised under varying terms besides "crannog". One lone Welsh example exists at Llangorse Lake , probably a product of Irish influence. Reconstructed Irish crannógs are located at Craggaunowen , County Clare , in
2160-551: The Garnock mudflats and estuary hold regionally important numbers of wigeon , greenshank and other wildfowl and waders. In the past the safety precautions associated with the explosives industry protected the habitats on the peninsula. However the area is now under threat from two sources. Firstly, a Special Development Order for the Ardeer area was granted by the UK government in 1953. This still allows developments to take place without
2232-593: The Knowes Road, followed the route of the old water course, running from Stevenston to Kilwinning. Thomson's map of 1832 shows Inch Road running directly to Misk, a small group of buildings on the peninsula itself. 'Misk' in Scots means an area of wet low-lying land. The place name 'Inch Road' may recall Ardeer's history as a small island, also inch could refer to small islands in salt marshes, covered by spring-tides, but used as grazing for cattle. The one time owner of
Ardeer, North Ayrshire - Misplaced Pages Continue
2304-606: The Loch Tay Crannog was seriously damaged in a fire but funding was given to repair the structure, and conserve the museum materials retained. The UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts, Alison Phipps of Glasgow University and African artist Tawona Sithole considered its future and its impact as a symbol of common human history and 'potent ways of healing' including restarting
2376-401: The Scottish amateur championship in 1969 at the age of 52, the oldest winner ever. During the Second World War three of the holes were taken over by ICI for war duty and became a barrage balloon station. The three holes were restored after the war ensuring that the course was as good a test as it ever was. This was not to be the resting place of the Ardeer course because in the early sixties
2448-497: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.150 via cp1114 cp1114, Varnish XID 924166403 Upstream caches: cp1114 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 07:50:12 GMT Crannog A crannog ( / ˈ k r æ n ə ɡ / ; Irish : crannóg [ˈkɾˠan̪ˠoːɡ] ; Scottish Gaelic : crannag [ˈkʰɾan̪ˠak] )
2520-464: The angles. Ardeer church currently has 2 ministers; Rev John Lafferty and Rev David Hebenton who are shared between Ardeer and their linked church, Livingstone Parish Church, just a short distance away. Ardeer is also home to the only official naturist beach (located at 55°36′52″N 4°42′54″W / 55.614508°N 4.714867°W / 55.614508; -4.714867 ) on the south-west Scottish mainland. Before industrialisation began in
2592-578: The archaeological and historic records. Rather than the simple domestic residences of prehistory, the medieval crannogs were increasingly seen as strongholds of the upper class or regional political players, such as the Gaelic chieftains of the O'Boylans and McMahons in County Monaghan and the Kingdom of Airgíalla , until the 17th century. In Scotland, the medieval and post-medieval use of crannogs
2664-544: The canal for transporting its stone output. A 1798 plan of the Stevenston Colliery shows a Misk Canal of around 1 mile (1.5 kilometres) long running west and then north into the Misk Coalfield from the River Garnock. In 1840 a station opened at Ardeer, named Stevenston, on the line travelling from Ardrossan to Glasgow. A railway station, Ardeer Platform, was also built, just south of the town, serving
2736-493: The centre, composed of about eighty water-rolled boulders. This covered at least sixteen cinerary urns, mainly bucket-shaped. The site was destroyed by building works at the Nobel site. A crannog site is located between Todhills Farm and the site of Bogend Farm. An area known as 'Snap Green', flooded at high spring tides, is shown near the tip of the peninsula in 1856. Extensive areas of saltings are shown to have existed at Misk in
2808-420: The coast. The geology of the area shows river deposits along the course of the old river bed. By the late 17th century the island had become a peninsula, for John Adair's map of 1685 does not show an island and the River Garnock follows its current course. Armstrong's map of 1747–55 also does not show an island and the area is marked as being only sand dunes, the first habitation being at Knowes and Bog. A road,
2880-403: The coastline. The island was small and extended no further than Bartonholm, nowhere near the size of the present-day Ardeer peninsula. The Lugton Water opened into the bay at that time and not into the Garnock. Robert Gordon's map of 1636-52 highlights the coastline as being much further inland than at present and the island of Ardeer is not shown, cross-hatching or crossing out being shown. Roy. It
2952-454: The course. Ongoing improvements to teeing areas, greens and course in general means that the history is still in the making. The 1895 25 inch OS map shows a rifle range on the peninsula with targets set at 100-yard intervals and a magazine. In 1908 a cricket ground and pavilion are shown in the old golf course area. Ardeer Primary School was opened in August 1982. The school is located in
Ardeer, North Ayrshire - Misplaced Pages Continue
3024-503: The crashing of the waves at Ardeer and of a distressed woman who vanished when approached began to spread. After the earl had died the last monk of Kilwinning Abbey is said to have confessed to his part in this awful crime and thereby revealed the truth behind the unexplained disappearance of the Countess of Eglinton. A number of artifacts have been recovered from the Ardeer peninsula, including 54 flint arrowheads; 167 scrapers; 24 knives;
3096-507: The demands of the business (requiring distancing of units for safety reasons) allowed the general nature of the area to be retained. In recent decades, sand extraction has resulted in the loss of 20 ha of dunes but the southern half of the peninsula still retains much of its original character. When the peninsula was surveyed for North Ayrshire Council in 2015 it was found to be the best biodiversity site in North Ayrshire. Part of
3168-660: The early 1980s, and may soon surpass prewar totals. The overwhelming majority of crannogs show multiple phases of occupation and re-use, often extending over centuries. Thus the re-occupiers may have viewed crannogs as a legacy that was alive in local tradition and memory. Crannog reoccupation is important and significant, especially in the many instances of crannogs built near natural islets, which were often completely unused. This long chronology of use has been verified by both radiocarbon dating and more precisely by dendrochronology . Interpretations of crannog function have not been static; instead they appear to have changed in both
3240-484: The foreshore of the Ardeer sands to smelt pig-iron. The iron ore was imported through Ardrossan harbour and to reduce costs Merry and Cunningham Ltd., successors to the Glengarnock company, started to build a quay by dumping slag into the sea. After 300 yards of these works had been completed it became obvious that no ship could safely dock here given the force of winter storms. The quay was abandoned and to this day it
3312-471: The hairy-saddled colletes ( Colletes fodiens ) and pale-jawed spiny digger wasp ( Oxybellus mandibularis ) which are mainly southern in Britain and are found in few other sites in Scotland. Surveys of beetles at Ardeer have identified 341 species of which 22 are nationally rare or scarce (Red Data Book, nationally rare/scarce or nationally notable). Among these are the ground beetles Harpalus neglectus which
3384-579: The improvements to increase usable farmland or pasture. In some early digs, labourers hauled away tons of materials, with little regard to anything that was not of immediate economic value. Conversely, the vast majority of early attempts at proper excavation failed to accurately measure or record stratigraphy , thereby failing to provide a secure context for artefact finds. Thus only extremely limited interpretations are possible. Preservation and conservation techniques for waterlogged materials such as logboats or structural material were all but non-existent, and
3456-620: The large numbers of Nobel factory workers; it closed in 1966. By 1836 a horse-drawn wagonway had been built from Saltcoats down to the Bowbridge Pit and others in the area that is now the Ardeer Park. The ICI land used to be home to Ardeer golf club. The original course was 9 holes in the Sandyhills area of Stevenston. Although the course has since long gone the original red sandstone clubhouse remains. The club then relocated to
3528-420: The late 19th century, the peninsula consisted mainly of one very large mobile dune system bordered by a sandy beach on the west and salt marsh and mud flats beside the River Garnock on the east. An early reference to "Ardeer Hills" in 1775 suggests the large size of many of the dunes. Although the development of Nobel's (and later ICI) explosives factory led to the stabilisation and re-contouring of extensive areas,
3600-493: The line no longer exists, the abandoned platform remains, hidden beneath dense undergrowth. Its first manager was George McRoberts FRSE and other notable staff included Edwin Mervyn Patterson who was manager from 1954 to 1982. The Stevenston Canal of 1772 was the first commercial canal in Scotland. The canal was just over two miles (three kilometres) long, had no locks, was 12 ft (3.7 m) wide and had
3672-486: The membership were dealt a major blow when officials of the club were called to the headquarters of the Nobel Division of ICI. The clubhouse and the land which contained the golf course were required for the construction of a new factory for the manufacture of salts for use in the nylon industry. The club had no option on the matter as ICI owned the land. After several general meetings, it was decided that Lochend
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#17327802117923744-440: The mobility of the dunes but is breaking up in places, which could allow more mobility again. The sand dunes make up the bulk of the peninsula and remain semi-natural throughout most of the southern half. Most of this peninsula area is dominated by acid dune grassland with extensive areas of dune heath and Dune slack . On the east side of the peninsula lie the salt marsh and mudflats of the River Garnock estuary which form part of
3816-409: The monks. In revenge the abbot arranged for the Countess of Eglinton to be waylaid on her customary journey to Ardrossan by way of Ardeer. The monks took her to a ruined bothy, below which was a stone lined cellar; she was imprisoned here and starved to death. The earl was never able to find her, although her drowned servant was discovered on the beach and tales of the screams of a woman's voice hidden in
3888-541: The most distinguished owners was the covenanter Patrick Warner, a minister who was forced to escape to Holland after the Battle of Bothwell Bridge . It once stood on the coast and is said to have been a favourite anchorage ground, anchors having been found at various points inland. A sea-washed cave is located a little behind the house. In 1849 the Glengarnock Iron Company built five blast furnaces on
3960-444: The most important sites for insects in Scotland. Of these the bees and wasps (Hymenoptera) and beetles (Coleoptera) are particularly noteworthy. Ardeer is thought to be the best site in Scotland for solitary bees and wasps, owing to the sandy substrate and profusion of wildflowers. Among the notable species are the northern colletes ( Colletes floralis ) which has a mainly Hebridean distribution in Scotland and several species, such as
4032-863: The narrowest of margins. Crannogs have been variously interpreted as free-standing wooden structures, as at Loch Tay , although more commonly they are composed of brush, stone or timber mounds that can be revetted with timber piles. However, in areas such as the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, timber was unavailable from the Neolithic era onwards. As a result, crannogs made completely of stone and supporting drystone architecture are common there. Today, crannogs typically appear as small, circular islets, often 10 to 30 metres (30 to 100 ft) in diameter, covered in dense vegetation due to their inaccessibility to grazing livestock. The Irish word crannóg derives from Old Irish crannóc , which referred to
4104-440: The new church was to the children, significantly enough, on the afternoon of Sunday, 16 June 1895. It is early 20th-century red sandstone Gothic building in the perpendicular style, designed by John Bennie Wilson. Perpendicular Gothic , it has an octagonal two-stage tower, with corbelled shafts at the angles to the upper stage flanking bipartite belfrey louvred lights; the parapet has battlements and truncated pinnacles are located at
4176-576: The normal planning scrutiny which would be required elsewhere in Scotland. Secondly, government money has been granted under the Ayrshire Growth Deal which could lead to commercial, housing and recreational developments around the Irvine/Garnock estuaries. This could result in very significant loss of habitats and hence many of the highly specialised species in them. Stevenston Too Many Requests If you report this error to
4248-597: The peninsula is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (Bogside Flats). The peninsula also occupies an important position within an area that includes two nature reserves (Garnock Floods managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Bogside Reserve managed by the RSPB). The seaward side of the peninsula is constrained by a concrete sea wall which was built from 1926 to 1929. This has greatly reduced
4320-513: The sand dunes as Knoppes and he states that at one time a substantial castle was located here upon a large dune or mole of earth, still known in his time as Castle Hill. It is debated whether or not he was actually referring to the well known Castle Hill that lies inland. Robin Campbell tells a tale of the House of Ardeer that was situated on the Ardeer sands and was built by the ' Picts ', carrying
4392-555: The sea at Stevenston. Robin Campbell tells a story of the murder of the Earl of Eglinton 's wife on Ardeer by Nigellus, the Abbot of Kilwinning Abbey in the 16th century. Pilgrims came to Kilwinning Abbey partly because of the miracles that were performed there and the Earl of Eglinton, a follower of John Knox , strongly voiced his disbelief and also stated that he would stop paying tithes to
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#17327802117924464-430: The stones across from the 'mainland.' The buildings are said to have been destroyed by a huge storm, brought down upon the sands by the wife of the farmer at Misk when he was drowned in the nearby bog. By the 18th century only the remains of a dovecot and a few windblown trees are said to have survived. This property, previously Dovecothall, was located at Stevenston, close to the site of the old Piperheugh hamlet. One of
4536-626: The strict sense, typically the construction effort began on a shallow reef or rise in the lochbed. When timber was available, many crannogs were surrounded by a circle of wooden piles , with axe-sharpened bases that were driven into the bottom, forming a circular enclosure that helped to retain the main mound and prevent erosion. The piles could also be joined by mortise and tenon , or large holes cut to carefully accept specially shaped timbers designed to interlock and provide structural rigidity. On other examples, interior surfaces were built up with any mixture of clay, peat, stone, timber or brush – whatever
4608-463: The term first appears sometime around the 12th century; its popularity spread in the medieval period along with the terms isle , ylle , inis , eilean or oileán . There is some confusion on what the term crannog originally referred to, as the structure atop the island or the island itself. The additional meanings of Irish crannóg can be variously related as 'structure/piece of wood', including ' crow's nest ', ' pulpit ', or 'driver's box on
4680-424: The use of the term "island dun" for well over one hundred Hebridean examples—a distinction that has created a divide between mainland Scottish crannog and Hebridean islet settlement studies. Previously unknown crannogs in Scotland and Ireland are still being found as underwater surveys continue to investigate loch beds for completely submerged examples. The largest concentrations of crannogs in Ireland are found in
4752-451: Was a first record for Scotland and Stenolophus mixtus which is a second Scottish record, plus the clown beetle Hypocaccus rugiceps for which Ardeer is the most northern recent record for Britain. Ardeer is also home to the impressive Minotaur beetle, Typhaeus typhoeus , which has its Scottish stronghold in the dunes of Ardeer and Irvine. Ardeer holds Ayrshire's largest populations of dark green fritillary and grayling butterflies and
4824-409: Was at around this time that the old harbour at Seagatefoot was finally abandoned a new harbour built at Fullarton in 1665 and the extreme sand movements recorded in relation to the old harbour may have also choked the sea channel that had made Ardeer an island. A map of 1872 shows a sizeable island at the tip of the Ardeer peninsula that included the site of the present day Big Idea complex. This island
4896-671: Was at its peak in Scotland from about 800 BC to AD 200. Not surprisingly, crannogs have useful defensive properties, although there appears to be more significance to prehistoric use than simple defense, as very few weapons or evidence for destruction appear in excavations of prehistoric crannogs. In Ireland, crannogs were at their zenith during the Early Historic period, when they were the homes and retreats of kings, lords, prosperous farmers and, occasionally, socially marginalised groups, such as monastic hermits or metalsmiths who could work in isolation. Despite scholarly concepts supporting
4968-414: Was available in the immediate landscape. The classic image of a prehistoric crannog stems from both post-medieval illustrations and highly influential excavations, such as Milton Loch in Scotland by C. M. Piggot after World War II . The Milton Loch interpretation is of a small islet surrounded or defined at its edges by timber piles and a gangway, topped by a typical Iron Age roundhouse. The choice of
5040-430: Was available. In some instances, more than one structure was built on crannogs. In other types of crannogs, builders and occupants added large stones to the waterline of small natural islets, extending and enlarging them over successive phases of renewal. Larger crannogs could be occupied by extended families or communal groups, and access was either by logboats or coracles. Evidence for timber or stone causeways exists on
5112-509: Was the site of a massive dynamite manufacturing plant built by Alfred Bernhard Nobel . Having scoured the country for a remote location to establish his explosive factory, Nobel finally acquired 100 acres (40 hectares) from the Earl of Eglinton , and established the British Dynamite Factory in 1871, and went on to create what was described then as the largest explosives factory in the world. The factory had its own jetty on
5184-433: Was where Ardeer Golf Course was to be reborn. Continual improvements have been ongoing in the last 38 years to take the course to what it is today by the strenuous efforts of both the members and green staff. Drainage has been improved over the years ensuring all year-round golf. There is a combination of mature and young trees of all varieties lining the fairways and full use has been made of the two burns which meander through
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