Horse Isle ( gd, Eilean nan Each) is an uninhabited

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

located in the

Firth of Clyde The Firth of Clyde is the mouth of the River Clyde. It is located on the west coast of Scotland and constitutes the deepest coastal waters in the British Isles (it is 164 metres deep at its deepest). The firth is sheltered from the Atlantic ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

near the seaside town of

Ardrossan Ardrossan (; ) is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in southwestern Scotland. The town has a population of 10,670 and forms part of a conurbation with Saltcoats and Stevenston known as the 'Three Towns'. Ardrossan is located on the east shore ...

. It is a nature reserve, run by the

RSPB The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...

Geography

The small, rocky island lies at , around west of the

North Ayrshire North Ayrshire ( gd, Siorrachd Àir a Tuath, ) is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. The council area borders Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire to the northeast, and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the east and so ...

town of

. Although no higher than , it provides some shelter to

harbour. The Arran ferry passes close to the island. Two smaller islands, North Islet and East Islet, skirt the east coast of Horse Isle and a number of other rocks litter the sound between the island and the mainland. The 1788 survey of the Montgomery or Eglinton Estates by

John Ainslie A plaque in Castlegate in Jedburgh John Ainslie (22 April 1745 – 29 February 1828) was a Scottish surveyor and cartographer. Life Ainslie was born in Jedburgh, the youngest son of John Ainslie, a druggist, Writer to the Signet and burgess of ...

was completed in 1791 and records the name 'Robinson's Rock' off the East Islet and "Witherow's Rock" off the West side of the main island.National Archives of Scotland. RHP35796/1-5

History

A stone beacon stands at the south end of Horse Isle marking the island for shipping. Erected in 1811, it was commissioned by Hugh, 12th Earl of Eglinton on the suggestion of John Ross. It is indicated only by the word "landmark" on the

Ordnance Survey , nativename_a = , nativename_r = , logo = Ordnance Survey 2015 Logo.svg , logo_width = 240px , logo_caption = , seal = , seal_width = , seal_caption = , picture = , picture_width = , picture_caption = , formed = , preceding1 = , di ...

map. The hazard the island continued to present to shipping is reflected in fact that in excess of 17 ships have been wrecked on or near the island including: * ''Minerva'', a

brig A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square rig, square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the ...

, on route from Dublin to Glasgow, was wrecked on a reef off Horse Isle, with the loss of five of the eight people on board, one crew, a soldier, two women and a child drowned, 18 December 1821; * ''Morning Star'' of Dublin, blown on to Horse Isle from the south-west during a gale, crew rescued, 1 January 1871; * ''Brigadier'' (formerly the '' Empire Frank''), a tug, stranded on the south side of Horse Isle, 21 February 1960.

Wildlife

Today, Horse Isle is a

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

, run by the

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales and in Scotland. It was founded in 1889. It works to promote conservation and protection of birds and the wider environment throug ...

(RSPB). It is designated as an

Area of Special Protection The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom implemented to comply with European Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds. In short, the act gives protection to native species (especia ...

(AoSP). for breeding seabirds and waterfowl and winter grounds. AoSPs are created under the

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom implemented to comply with European Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds. In short, the act gives protection to native species (especia ...

with the aim of preventing disturbance or destruction of birds. They replaced Bird Sanctuary Orders ( Protection of Birds Act 1967). Horse Island is important for species including

herring Herring are forage fish, mostly belonging to the family of Clupeidae. Herring often move in large schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, i ...

and lesser black backed gulls, and

eider Eiders () are large seaducks in the genus ''Somateria''. The three extant species all breed in the cooler latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. The down feathers of eider ducks, and some other ducks and geese, are used to fill pillows and quilt ...

Notes

External links

YouTube video of Horse Isle (Eilian nan Each) from Ardrossan
Islands of the Clyde Uninhabited islands of North Ayrshire Beacon towers {{NorthAyrshire-geo-stub

Geography

History

Wildlife

See also

Notes

Further reading

External links