Inverkip

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Inverkip
Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Chip
Inverkip's Main Street
Inverkip shown within Scotland
Area	0.35 sq mi (0.9 km²)
Population	1598^[1]
- Density	4,583/sq mi (1,769.51/km²)^[2]
OS grid reference	NS205725
- Edinburgh	65 miles (105 km)
- London	360 miles (579 km)
Council area	Inverclyde
Lieutenancy area	Renfrewshire
Constituent country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	GREENOCK
Postcode district	PA16
Dialling code	01475
Police	Strathclyde
Fire	Strathclyde
Ambulance	Scottish
European Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Inverclyde
Scottish Parliament	Greenock and Inverclyde
	West of Scotland
List of places: UK • Scotland

Coordinates: 55°54′43″N 4°52′25″W / 55.91201, -4.8735

Inverkip (Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Chip) is a village and parish in Inverclyde, Scotland. It lies about 4 miles (6.4 km) southwest of Greenock on the A78 trunk road. The village is served by Inverkip railway station, on the Inverclyde Line.

1 History
2 Places of interest
3 See also
4 Notes and references
5 External links

[edit] History

Inverkip was made a burgh of barony before the Act of Union in 1707, with the parish containing all of Gourock, Wemyss Bay, Skelmorlie and part of Greenock. Inverkip Parish Church dates from 1804 and is on the site of an earlier (twelfth century) kirk. The graveyard contains the tomb of the chemist Dr. James Young who was nicknamed 'Paraffin' because of his pioneering work in oil technology. He lived at nearby Kelly House, which burnt down in 1913, the report laying blame with the suffragettes.

The parish of Inverkip's chief claim to fame (or notoriety) was in relation to witches in the mid 17th century. A local verse recalls
"In Auld Kirk the witches ride thick
And in Dunrod they dwell;
But the greatest loon amang them a'
Is Auld Dunrod himsel'."

'Auld Dunrod' was the last of the Lindsay family of Dunrod Castle. As the result of a dissolute life he lost all his possessions and fell into the black arts. Local reputation had it that he was in league with the devil, and he died in mysterious circumstances in a barn belonging to one of his former tenant farmers. Nothing now remains of the castle which stood at the foot of Dunrod Hill.^[3]

[edit] Places of interest

Today Inverkip is mainly of significance because of the large marina which has grown steadily since the 1970s and now boasts a small community of its own called Kip Village. Nearby the flue of the mothballed oil-fired Inverkip power station – another creation of the 70s – looms large.

Lunderston Bay is a popular picnic spot nearby and the classical Ardgowan House, built for Sir John Shaw-Stewart in the 17th century stands outside the village. It occasionally has open days and charity fêtes. The late 15th century Ardgowan Castle is a ruin within the estate.

At the top of Langhouse Road a building reminiscent of the cold war can be found. The site which also used to house the HMS Dalriada includes an underground bunker and a surface building.^[4]

In Inverkip there is also a small village school. It has around 220 pupils in it.^[5]

Inverkip is mainly a residential village and does not boost a huge number of businesses. A post office and convenience shop is located on the Main Street, however by the end of 2004 a new retail and business block was developed to the North side of the village comprising a cafe', fast food and supermarket. A famous hotel is also present in Inverkip^[6], as well as a few B&B.