As with so many areas of Scotland, the Ardrossan area is steeped in rich and storied history. Just east of Ardrossan and north of Kilmarnock, you can spend a day in the park. The park is Dean Castle Country Park and, although history permeates this park, there is an amazing amount of things to see and do for the whole family. As incredible as it may seem, admission is free for people to enjoy. The name “Dean” is a common Scottish place name and means wooded valley. The castle was known as Kilmarnock Castle up to some time in the 1700s.

Set on 200 beautiful acres, the history of the castle has its roots back to 1290 and the murders of several Scottish nobles in Ayr by the English. Sir Robert Boyd was among those that were hung. Due to this, his son became an active participant in the Scottish resistance against the English by joining with Scottish patriots, in particular William Wallace, until Wallace’s 1305 execution. At that point, Boyd became a staunch and trusted supporter of Robert the Bruce. In return for Boyd’s loyalty, in 1316 Robert the Bruce gifted Boyd with the Lordship of Kilmarnock. Captured in 1333, Boyd’s death saw his son Thomas take over the Lordship. Thomas built the original keep around 1350 and the Boyd family resided at Dean Castle until a devastating fire gutted it in 1735.

Although the castle was sold many times from 1746, it languished in ruins for a couple of centuries. Undertaking a massive restoration of the castle in 1908, the 8th Lord Howard de Walden completed this labor of love in 1946. In 1935 he added a gatehouse that had not existed previously and was careful to ensure that it was architecturally true to 16th century construction. The 9th Lord Howard de Walden donated this beautiful estate and the family’s incredible collections of weaponry, tapestries, and historical musical instruments to the people of Kilmarnock in 1975.

Opened to the public in 1976, Dean Castle Country Park has expanded and improved upon continually. There is a Pet Corner that is home to a wide variety of birds from ducks and geese to cockatiels. An assortment of animals, including sheep, guinea pigs, pygmy goats, rabbits, a Clydesdale horse, donkeys, and cows, call this home. Up close and personal encounters with the menagerie have delighted many a child. Also for the children is Adventure Playground. This is a place where a child’s imagination can run rampant and they will have the time of their life.

Dean Castle Country Park’s woodland walks are a favorite activity and five trails cover much of the acreage. The flora and fauna will enthrall you as you follow the trails that weave through the estate, taking advantage of the river, fields and woodlands. Each season brings with it ever changing plants and birds that you may spy along the trails.

Spending the day, or several days, at Dean Castle Country Park will heighten your appreciation of the area as well as stretch your budget to go further. An added benefit, if you have young children, is that they will have a great day out and be contented and exhausted at day’s end.

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.