Full sail ahead for Castle Semple Heritage Project

Wednesday 23rd June 2010

Clyde Muirshiel Park Authority are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) have just indicated initial support for a major heritage and access project at Castle Semple Country Park by awarding a first-round pass* for a grant of £394,800 and Development Funding of £34,800.

Castle Semple Country Park is a popular recreational location with around 350,000 visitors a year. While the park is easy to get to fewer than 20% of its visitors venture past the visitor and watersports centre to explore the rich natural and built heritage that exists in the surrounding countryside which includes the historic Castle Semple estate.  The Semple Trail project will tell the story of the estate and make access to its cultural and natural heritage easier and more fun.

The original Castle Semple was built around 1500 by Lord Sempill who founded a Collegiate Church in 1504 where he was buried after his death at the Battle of Flodden. There are 17 historic structures in the park including a scheduled peel tower, built by the 3rd Lord in 1540 in an attempt to protect his family from warring clans.  Although there is no longer a castle there is a rich landscape heritage - rare surviving Georgian water gardens and the Kenmure Hill ‘temple’.  The park is also rich in natural heritage with woodlands, lochs, ancient trees, rare flowers and with nationally important breeding birds and wintering wildfowl.

Cllr David Arthur, Chair of the Park Authority said, "We are delighted to be offered this award.  It will allow our partnership to fully develop proposals to enhance rural heritage and recreational facilities and to maximise benefits for landscape and wildlife as well as local communities and visitors.  The Regional Park is already popular with visitors who appreciate the work done to conserve heritage, encourage recreation and promote tourism.  This award, focusing on the historic Castle Semple estate which is now a Country Park will help us to make a great place even better.’

The project, which is being managed by Renfrewshire Council is part of the SRANI Semple Trial Initiative, will encourage visitors to discover and explore this fascinating heritage through improved trails and interpretation, conservation of the ice house, temple and other historic structures and the establishment of ‘lookooteries’, guide books and audio trails.  Camera systems will also be installed to view existing species like otters and other species like ospreys that the project hopes to encourage.

Commenting, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, Colin McLean, said:  “As part of our new strategic plan, Renfrewshire is a development priority area for the Heritage Lottery Fund. We are working with lots of local groups to make sure that they make the most of the heritage lottery grants available to them. We are delighted that projects such as this are now happening, particularly as this is the International Year of Biodiversity and what better way to celebrate and connect with Renfrewshire’s natural heritage.”

ENDS

PHOTOGRAPH

Image shows the loch and people enjoying the current facilities beside Castle Semple Visitor Centre, Lochwinnoch.

NOTES TO EDITORS

*A first-round pass means the project meets our criteria for funding and we believe it has potential to deliver high-quality benefits and value for Lottery money. The application was in competition with other supportable projects, so a first-round pass is an endorsement of outline proposals.  Having been awarded a first-round pass, the project now has up to two years to submit fully developed proposals to compete for a firm award.

Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage.  HLF has invested over £71.5million in land and countryside projects in Scotland.   Website: www.hlf.org.uk

This heritage and access project at Castle Semple Country Park is part of the work of SRANI (South Renfrewshire Access Network Initiative) a partnership project of LMEG (Lochwinnoch Millennium Events Group), Clyde Muirshiel Park Authority, RSPB, Sustrans, Scottish Natural Heritage, Renfrewshire Council, Howwood Wildlife and Woodlands Group and Lochwinnoch and Howwood Community Councils.

The Clyde Muirshiel Park Authority is a joint committee of Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and North Ayrshire Councils.

Clyde Muirshiel is a member of

AVAA (Ayrshire Visitor Attractions Association), a partnership group working together to develop best practise and promote the wide range and variety of attractions in the area for the benefit of locals and visitors, look out for the ‘Great Days Out Ayrshire’ leaflet or on the website www.greatdaysoutayrshire.com for details of members.

Visit Renfrewshire.com and a great place to find information and good deals on local accommodation, places to eat and other local attractions.

Discover Inverclyde.com This newly launched website provides a one stop location for information on attractions, activities, offers and events for visitors and local alike in the Inverclyde area.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:                           

FIONA CARSWELL Development & Marketing Officer at CMRP tel 01505 614 791

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