Horse Isle is a vacant island off the coast of Ardrossan, situated in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. Horse Isle serves a dual purpose, one being a natural shelter from dangerous weather for the Androssan harbor and a nature reserve for protected water fowl. The rocky areas around the island, form a natural barrier where the hazards from rising sea levels and storms can be lessened, providing a far less damaging consequence to Ardrossan’s harbor, protecting a major economic center for its citizens.

This natural barrier also has its dangers, for Horse Isle has historically been a place where many ships ran aground or sank due to its rocky shears and coastal dangers. The local historians believe that the presence of a derelict tower, the only man made land mark on Horse Isle ,was used as a lighthouse because of this threat, located at the south end of the island. A number of ships have been lost over the years including the brigs: Minerva in 1821, the Morning Star in 1871, and the tugboat Brigadier in 1960. The island still possesses the same dangers today although shipping lanes have since changed so that the occurrence of another wreck is highly unlikely. The two smaller islands known as North Islet and East Islet, run across its eastern coast with a number of other outcroppings stretching towards the mainland. A survey was conducted by the Eglinton Estates under John Ainslie in 1788, recording the name ‘Robinson’s Rock’ off the East Islet and ‘Witherow’s Rock’ around its West side. Horse Isle it self is no higher than 13 feet above sea level and one kilometer from the western most point of Ardrossan.

Horse Isle is now a nature reserve ran by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Some of the various species it caters to are: Herrings, Black Backed Sea Gulls, and Eider ducks. The island has been designated with special protections because of sea birds and the assorted waterfowls that use its beaches as breeding, nesting and winter grounds. It is because of this that the island itself is left alone, preventing anything from disturbing or destroying the bird’s habitats.

The coastal town of over 11000, Ardrossan, has its roots deep in history like much of the area and is distinguished by being one of the last towns to be granted Burgh status. One of the Three Towns, Ardossan shares its history with much of the county. The other two towns that make up Three Towns are Saltcoats and Stevenston. The three towns border each other in such a way that it seems one town.

Around 1140, “Cannon Hill” or Ardrossan castle was built by Simon de Morville. Ardrossan castle and its estate were in the possession of the Barclay family until the 1300s when Godfrey Barclay de Ardrossan passed away without an heir. The castle then went to the Eglinton family.

The historic past of Ardrossan Castle is violent and bloody. The castle was the site of the infamous “Wallace’s Larder”. William Wallace lured the English from the safety of the castle walls, slaughtering them and then tossing the bodies into the dungeon.

Seized by Cromwell in 1648, Ardrossan castle was effectively dismantled so Cromwell could send the stones to be used to build a fort in Ayr. Although the ruins still stand, the site is in a dangerous condition. Tourists often visit and explore the ruins.

Ardrossan became an important port in the 1700s and 1800s with the exporting of pig iron and coal to trading partners in the Americas and Europe. Shipbuilding quickly became an established industry and, as people migrated to this thriving area, the population grew. By 1950, all but one of the shipyards had closed with the last shipyard in Ardrossan closing in the 1980s.

As Ardrossan saw its industries close, it suffered from a recessionary period. In 2006 a regeneration project was begun in the area, with Ardrossan being promoted as “the Gateway to Arran”. This project is ongoing and Ardrossan becoming a destination for tourists. In addition, the town is gaining a reputation of being a great seaside town to live in.