Lamlash () is a village on the Isle of Arran, in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. It lies south of the island's main settlement and ferry port Brodick, in a sheltered bay on the island's east coast, facing the Holy Isle. Lamlash is the seat of Arran's local government offices, and is also the location of the island's police station, secondary school and hospital. In common with the rest of the island, the village's main industry is tourism and the public sector is also an important employer. Lamlash has an RNLI Lifeboat station with a B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat, covering the inshore waters around the coast of Arran, and in summer, there is a regular ferry service from Lamlash harbour to Holy Isle. The village has several buildings of historical interest, including Hamilton Terrace, which consists of two rows of single storey-and-attic cottages on the Lamlash seafront, arranged in pairs.
Lamlash was peripherally involved in the 13th century Battle of Largs. It was the birthplace of artist James Kay.
When Mary, Queen of Scots was at Dumbarton Castle in February 1548 during the war of the Rough Wooing, the English commander Grey of Wilton proposed basing some warships at "Lammelashe" to watch for French ships.Joseph Bain, Calendar State Papers Scotland: 1547-1563, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1898), p. 586. Mary was taken to France. Her ship was at first forced by adverse winds to return towards the Firth of Clyde, and anchored at the "roadstead of the isle of Lamlash" or "Lamelesche" on August 6.Jane T. Stoddart, The girlhood of Mary Queen of Scots (London, 1908), pp. 8, 409–410
The village was the training place for No. 11 (Scottish) Commando during the early years of the Second World War.
Erected on behalf of Arran clearance descendants across North America to their brave forefathers who departed from their beloved island home to Canada during the clearance years 1829 to 1840. Here at Lamlash on April 25, 1829 part of the clearance (86 souls) when embarking on the brig Caledonia (196 ton) the Rev.A.Mackay preached from The Mound (opposite) formed by the departing his text "Casting all your care upon him: for he careth for you" 1st Peter ch.5 v.7. The Caledonia arrived at Quebec City June 25th 1829. The group was the first of more than 300 Arran colonists of Megantic County, Province of Quebec. The largest group, more than 400, had as their destination the seaport town of Dalhousie, New Brunswick to be pioneer settlers of the Restigouche-Bay Chaleur District. "Yet still the blood is strong, the heart is highland". A chlann eilean mo ghaoil bithibh dileas d'a cheile.The monument was erected at the initiative of the Canadian descendants of the Arran emigrants.
The church was used by the Lamlash Free Church congregation from 1892 until the union of the Free and United Presbyterian Churches in 1900, when it became the United Free Church. From 1929 it formed one of the congregations of Lamlash Parish church at that year's union with the Church of Scotland. The church was in use until 1947 and stands empty since. As of 2015, the building was undergoing renovation.
The Arran Theatre and Arts Trust, established in 1989 had as its main objective to convert St George's Church into a theatre. As part of that objective, the Trust ran many events and brought touring companies to Arran, but because of "wider political issues" the plan never materialised. Similarly, plans to turn it into a Childhood Heritage Museum also failed in 1999. In the meantime the Scottish Civic Trust added the church to the register of "Buildings at Risk" in 1993.
A chance to save the building arose in October 2004 when CRGP Architects & Surveyors from Glasgow applied for permission for the conversion of the church to form 8 flats and the erection of an extension to the rear to form 6 flats with associated parking. The application was granted on 7 February 2005 by the North Ayrshire Council, subject to a number of conditions. However, the development was not realised.
In February 2007, the North Ayrshire Council commissioned ARP Lorimer and Associates (ARPL) to carry out a townscape audit for the Lamlash seafront with the specific assignment (i.a.) to evaluate the potential for the Church. In its report, ARPL considered the state of the church poor but saveable. It recommended that, as a category B listed building, the retention of this historic structure is of importance. ARPL suggested to convert the church into three apartments and to build some new development to the rear to make it financially viable (just as CRGP Architects had requested 3 years earlier), and advised the Council to encourage the owner to progress the development to ensure the building did not decline to the point where demolition is required.
As of 2010, the building remains neglected. Minutes from the Arran Community Council show that the future of the church is a regular topic of debate, but difficulty in contacting the private owner or convincing him to cooperate seem to be (part of) the reason that there has been no progress to date.
As of October 2024, the renovation and refurbishment of the building to form 14 high quality apartments was completed.
The church's former manse is also a category B listed building. It was built in 1898 and remained in use as manse for the united congregation until circa 1990.
Lamlash and Kilbride Parish Church and the church hall. It is a T-plan, aisleless, Gothic-style church built in 1886 by architect Hugh Barclay in red sandstone with a Bell tower-like tower. It replaces an earlier plain building of 1773, itself replacing the earlier Kilbride church, the remains of which survive at the present Lamlash graveyard. The cross and baptismal font in the church were both unearthed in the graveyard of the old Kilbride Church in 1892, and are thought to be of 14th-century origin. In the tower is a 9-bell carillon. The church hall, a separate, adjacent building, was built and used for worship some years before the church itself (around 1880), and included a reading room and library. It is a single storey, rectangular-plan hall, made into a T-plan by lower wings.
In 2004, the Scottish Civic Trust added the villa to the register of "Buildings at Risk". Then, in February 2007 the North Ayrshire Council commissioned ARP Lorimer and Associates (ARPL) to carry out a townscape audit for the Lamlash seafront with the specific assignment (i.a.) to evaluate the potential for the "Lookout". In its report ARPL suggested a residential conversion into four flats as the most economically viable option to save the building, but in 2009 an inspection revealed that the condition of the building had further deteriorated. The Lookout was demolished in March 2012.
Monamore Bridge Millhouse, an early 19th-century single storey former mill house in L-form.
Whitehouse Lodge, a late 19th-century lodge, formerly belonging to the (demolished) White House mansion. The lodge is single storey-and-attic with a basically rectangular-plan. The site of the former White House itself is now designated for development.
Bellhaven, a single storey and attic 3-bay cottage from 1808 next to the Parish Church.
Other notable buildings are the former pier house with clock tower (1885); the 'Crafts Made in Arran' Shop (late 19th century); the early 19th century Pier of red rubble blocks; the Sea Gate, part of the former Steamer Pier Office (1902) and the Bay Hotel, the latter being a good example of an early Victorian villa.
Lamlash has an RNLI Lifeboat station with a B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat, covering the inshore waters around the coast of Arran. In summer, there is a regular ferry service from Lamlash harbour to Holy Isle.
This NTZ is the first in Scotland. It is also the first time that statutory protection has been given to a marine area as a result of proposals being developed at a grassroots level; in this case after a long campaign by the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (C.O.A.S.T.), Violation of the fishing ban can lead to an unlimited fine upon conviction on indictment. The remainder of Lamlash Bay is to become a Fisheries Management Area, focusing primarily on .
Early press reports regarding the establishment of the NTZ indicated anticipation for the subsequent formation of a Fisheries Management Area. According to the C.O.A.S.T., this was expected based on assurances from the Scottish Government. However, as of May 2010, this development had not yet occurred. Furthermore, the NTZ remains unmarked, lacking any interpretation boards to inform anglers. This has led the Community of Arran Seabed Trust to call into question the government's commitment to the overall project. The NTZ and the Fisheries Management Area would jointly have been known as the "Lamlash Bay Community Marine Protected Area".
The sea surrounding the south of Arran, including Lamlash, is now recognised as one of 31 Mature Conservation Marine Protected Areas in Scotland. The designated are includes the current No Take Zone in Lamlash Bay, but is not itself a No Take Zone.
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