Kilwinning Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
town in North Ayrshire, Scotland, UK
About Kilwinning
The "Kil-" placename indicates the cell or abode of an early Christian saint - presumably Saint Winning but no-one knows who he was. (He may be the same fellow as St Ninian, St Finnian, and for all we know St Trinian.) An abbey was founded in the 12th century on the west bank of the River Garnock, with the village of Sagtown ("saint town") on the east bank. It was a small market town until the 19th century, when iron foundries were established powered by locally-mined coal; these were west bank and the town centre migrated there. An even greater expansion came in the 1960s when a series of "New Towns" were developed to remedy Scotland's poor stock of housing. Four of these were greenfield but the fifth was grafted onto the existing town ofIrvinefive miles south. Kilwinning was effectively
Top Attractions in Kilwinning
Explore the best things to see and do in Kilwinning:
- ★Eglinton Country Park
- ★Kilwinning Abbey
- ★Kilwinning Sports Complex
- ★Museum of Ayrshire Country Life
Where to Eat in Kilwinning
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴Corner House
Where to Stay in Kilwinning
- 🏨Nethermains Lodge
- 🏨Red Squirrel Stevenston
Kilwinning Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: