Murder of Mary Speir Gunn

Mary Speir Gunn (31 August 1862 – 18 October 1913) was murdered in a shooting attack at the isolated Northbank Cottage near Portencross in North Ayrshire, Scotland on the evening of Saturday, 18 October 1913. Six shots were fired through the living-room window at night. Three shots struck Mary Gunn, the fatal one piercing her heart. Two shots hit her sister Jessie McLaren, who collapsed with a bullet lodged in her back, but she survived the attack. Jessie's husband, Alexander McLaren, was injured in the index finger of his left hand. Newspapers described the murder at the time as "a terrible and most mysterious tragedy". Nobody was charged or prosecuted for the crime, which remains an unsolved murder.

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Portencross

Portencross (Scottish Gaelic: Port na Crois) is a hamlet near Farland Head in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Situated about three kilometres (two miles) west of Seamill and about two kilometres (1+1⁄4 miles) south of Hunterston B nuclear power station, it is noted for Portencross Castle. It has two harbours and a pier. The "Old Harbour" is actually a small tidal inlet next to the castle, and is part of the castle property. The larger harbour, "North Harbour", owned by the Portencross Harbour Trust, lies about 100 m (110 yd) north of the castle and was the main access point for fishing activity. The Portencross Pier was built in the era of Clyde steamer cruising but was never used as much as other locations such as Largs, Fairlie or Wemyss Bay.

Portencross Castle

Portencross Castle, also known historically as Portincross Castle, is situated in Portencross, on the west coast of Scotland, about 3 km from West Kilbride. The site has been fortified since the 11th Century. The present tower castle is thought to date from the mid-14th Century and later. It remained in use until it was unroofed by a great storm in 1739 and gradually became ruinous. The castle was designated as a scheduled monument in 1955. The castle was one of the buildings featured in the 2004 series of the BBC television programme Restoration and was the subject of efforts by a local community group to secure its future.

Goldenberry Hill

Goldenberry Hill is a hill in North Ayrshire, Scotland, near West Kilbride. It is a popular spot for walks and is visited regularly. It is 140 metres (460 ft) high and has a prominence of 120 metres (390 ft), thus being categorised as a TuMP and HuMP. The hill can be accessed from the north up a footpath that runs along the back of Hunterston Nuclear Plant or from the south up EE Communications Road. The view from the top provides 360 degrees panoramic scenery across to Arran, Little and Great Cumbrae and across the firth of Clyde as well as a vantage point for seeing West Kilbride and Fairlie, North Ayrshire. There is a Trig point within 4m of the summit as well as a slightly lower cairn and an EE phone mast. The hill is listed by Canmore, but archaeological reports are inconclusive.

The Holy Cave, Hunterston

The Holy Cave at Hunterston in the Parish of West Kilbride is associated with Saint Mungo, also known as St Kentigern. It is often referred to as the Hawking Craig Cave; however two caves exist in the Hawking Craig Wood and 'Three Sisters' area of the cliffs, the other being Smith's Cave, better described as a rock shelter lying a short distance to the south. The main cave has been excavated, and the finds indicate three periods of occupation over many centuries.