From the BBC Domesday Project 1986 MAGNUM -IRVINE The Magnum is a leisure centre which is located to the West of the town of Irvine at the mouth of the river.It was opened in 1976 at a cost of £3.2m FACILITIES Indoor bowls hall,3 squash courts,2 swimming pools,sauna,solarium suite,ice rink,theatre/cinema,fitness room,weights room,games hall,2 cafeterias,licensed bar. […]

Continued from Part 3 A close-up of one of the Zombie Apocalypse prepared doors, this time secured with a hoe.

Continued from Part 2 The water damage meant we daren’t turn on any lights, and some areas were dark and thick with the smell of rot coming from the collapsing ceilings.

Continued from Part 1. Inside there was a lot left behind, more tiny chairs than you could ever possibly need, along with desk drawers with the former pupils last work still in them.

 The Old Dreghorn Primary School was built in 1908 and closed in 2012, and was the primary school attended by First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon amongst many others. In 2014 it was acquired by the Isle of Arran Brewery to become a combined Sake Brewery, Brewing School, Testing Laboratory, Warehouse, Bottling Plant, Tourist Destination and […]

Irvine shakes off its Cinderella image in a story of regeneration Sunday Herald 22nd November 1989 full article here THE five new towns (Cumbernauld, East Kilbride, Glenrothes, Irvine, and Livingston) occupy a special place in Scotland’s transition from the old to the new. They have 5% of the population, take 30% of all new investment, and 40% […]

Introduction Although Irvine dates back a thousand years or so, maps showing any detail around the town don’t show up until the 1600’s. In this article I will go through a few of the maps which can be found online. 1654 – Joan BLAEU – CVNINGHAMIA – Cunningham. source: http://maps.nls.uk/view/00000422       Perhaps the most […]

It is known that the burgh of Irvine had some responsibility for the upkeep of a school in 1560. In 1572, a burgh school at Kirkgatehead was endowed; it continued there until 1816.  Known in some sources as the Old Grammar School, and in others as the Kailyard School. Throughout the 18th century the council […]

The Cunninghame (or Cunningham) Combination was formed in around 1856 and initially comprised the parishes of Ardrossan, Beith, Dalry, Dreghorn, Irvine, Kilbirnie, West Kilbride, Kilwinning, Stevenston and Stewarton. Later members were Dundonald, Dunlop, Galston, Kilmarnock, Kilmaurs, Loudoun and Symington. Fenwick joined in 1895 and Largs in 1906. Other parishes, such as Kilbride and Kilmory from […]