Kildonan, Arran facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kildonan
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 The western end of Kildonan with the Post Office and Bennan Head |
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 Kildonan
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| OS grid reference | NS032207 |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ISLE OF ARRAN |
| Postcode district | KA27 |
| Dialling code | 01770 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Kildonan (Scottish Gaelic: Cill Donnain) is a charming village. It sits on the south coast of the Isle of Arran. This island is located in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. The village is part of the Kilmory parish. Its name comes from Saint Donan. People believe he is buried right here in the village.
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History of Kildonan Village
Life in early Kildonan often centered around Kildonan Castle. This castle is sometimes called Kildonan Tower. It was once a royal home. Over time, it belonged to different Scottish noble families. By 1544, the castle was owned by the Hamilton family. They were known as the Earls of Arran.
The castle was later attacked and burned. This happened around 1558 by the Earl of Sussex. Today, you can still see the ruined parts of the building. They stand as a reminder of its long history.
Churches in Kildonan
The first church built in Kildonan was The Free Church. It was quite large and could hold up to 700 people. Later, around the early 1900s, the United Free Church became more popular. However, services continued in the Free Church until it closed in 1940.
Geography of Kildonan
Kildonan is located on the southern coast of the Isle of Arran. One special thing about Kildonan is its large sandy beach. This is quite unusual for Arran. Most beaches on the island are rocky.
Kildonan Community Life
The modern village of Kildonan grew from a few small buildings. Most local people in the past worked in farming. Kildonan is a small but active community today. It looks out over the smaller islands of Pladda and Ailsa Craig. These islands are visible in the distance. The village has a community hall. It first opened its doors in 1915.
Kildonan School History
Kildonan once had its own primary school. However, fewer and fewer children attended. Because of this, the school closed in 1968. The old school houses are now rented out for holidays. Children from the village now go to primary school in Whiting Bay. This town is a few miles north. A bus takes them to and from school each day.
Economy and Local Businesses
Today, there is only one hotel in Kildonan, the Kildonan Hotel. Another hotel, the Breadalbane Hotel, closed in 2009. Part of it was even taken down. A village shop, which also had a bed and breakfast, also closed.
The Post Office, located inside the former shop, is still open. A smaller version of the shop has opened inside the Kildonan Hotel. The Southbank Farm park, which is near Kilmory, is no longer open to visitors. However, there is now a woodturning studio at the farm.
Kildonan used to be home to Arran's only coastguard station. This station helped keep the coast safe. But it closed in 1981. Its operations were moved to Lamlash.
