Saltcoats (Scottish Gaelic: Baile an t-Salainn) is a town on the west coast of North Ayrshire, Scotland. The name is derived from the town's earliest industry when salt was harvested from the sea water of the Firth of Clyde, carried out in small cottages along the shore. It is part of the 'Three Towns' conurbation along with Ardrossan and Stevenston and is the third largest town in North Ayrshire.

Saltcoats Scottish Gaelic: Baile an t-Salainn Saltcoats
Town
Seafront and part of the Saltcoats skyline, 2013
Saltcoats Location within North Ayrshire
Population	12,250 (mid-2020 est.)[1]
• Density	3,489/sq km
OS grid reference	NS245415
• Edinburgh	77.6 mi (124.9 km)
Council area	North Ayrshire
Lieutenancy area	Ayrshire and Arran
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SALTCOATS
Postcode district	KA21
Dialling code	01294
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	North Ayrshire and Arran
Scottish Parliament	Cunninghame North & Cunninghame South
List of places UK Scotland 55.6352°N 04.7896°W / 55.6352; -04.7896

History

In the late eighteenth century, several shipyards operated at Saltcoats, producing some sixty to seventy ships. The leading shipbuilder was William Ritchie, but in 1790 he moved his business to Belfast. By the early nineteenth century, the town had stopped producing ships. Saltcoats Town Hall, which dates back to 1826, is a Category B listed building.[2]

In 2018, a statue to commemorate the popular football Bobby Lennox, from the town, was constructed across from the main station.

Governance

Saltcoats is part of the North Ayrshire and Arran constituency in the House of Commons and Cunninghame North constituency in the devolved Scottish Parliament. Both seats are held by the Scottish National Party.

Historically, Ardrossan has been part of the UK parliament constituencies North Ayrshire (1868–1918), Bute and Northern Ayrshire (1918–1983) and Cunninghame North (1983–2005). These constituencies historically returned Conservative or Unionist MPs until 1987, when the constituency was won by the Labour Party.

Transport

The harbour was designed by James Jardine in 1811, however no cargo or passenger services run from the harbour any more.[3]

Saltcoats is served by regular bus and railway services. Primary bus services are provided by Stagecoach West Scotland, while rail services are operated by ScotRail. These rail services are frequent and serve nearby Glasgow, as well as Largs, Ardrossan and Kilwinning.

Although Saltcoats currently only has a single railway station, the town was once served by a second railway station located in the north of the town, originally as part of the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway. This station ceased regular passenger services on 4 July 1932,[4] and there is no trace of the station today bar a nearby bridge.

Notable people

• Alexander Allan, founder of the Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers
• Andrew Allan of the Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers
• Sir Hugh Allan, of the Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers
• George Biagi, Italian national rugby player
• William Burns, historian
• Kenneth Campbell, recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Steve Clarke, professional footballer
• Hamish Fraser, former communist, traditionalist Catholic writer and local councillor
• Janice Galloway, author
• Michael Garrett, first Sir Bernard Lovell chair in astrophysics, Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics[5]
• Colin Hay, musician, singer-songwriter,[6] leader of Men at Work
• Al Howie, long-distance runner
• Bobby Lennox, professional footballer
• James Manson, engineer
• Hugh McMahon, professional footballer
• Betsy Miller, sea captain
• Hugh Munro, author[7]
• Graeme Obree, cyclist
• Robert Thornton, professional darts player

References

External links

• Video footage and history of the old Saltcoats Harbour
• Video footage of the 1678 Auchenharvie coalfield drain adit
• Video footage and history of the old open air pools
• The railway between Saltcoats and Stevenston

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saltcoats.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Saltcoats.

• the3towns.com
• Threetowners
• SaltcoatsCommunityCouncil
• Irvine Bay

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[de] Saltcoats