The Kilwinning Community Archaeology Project will start excavations in Kilwinning Abbey on Wednesday 17th August. To get the second season of the project underway a turf breaking ceremony’ will be held at 11am when Dorothy Lynam, long standing society member, will start the dig - all are welcome to attend the ceremony.

This is the second season of the archaeological excavations which build on the success of last year’s work in the Abbey and surrounding areas of the town. The project continues to be funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Irvine Bay Regeneration Company, who were the catalyst for developing this project.

Patrick Wiggins, Chief Executive of Irvine Bay Regeneration Company said: "We are delighted to continue with our support for this rightly praised project. Irvine Bay is committed to creating a brighter future for the area, but in doing that we need to appreciate and make use of the area's rich heritage. Regeneration is about more than bricks and mortar, it is about harnessing and engaging with communities and the dig does that brilliantly."

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The digging is being done by teams of up to twenty local volunteers each day, with professional support from Kilwinning-based Rathmell Archaeology Ltd. While most places have been filled by eager volunteers, there is still the opportunity to get involved. This season’s dig will run from Wednesday 17th August to Saturday 17th September, with the teams working on-site Wednesday to Saturday each week.

During the excavations the Abbey Tower Heritage Centre will be open for longer hours, staffed by both members of the Kilwinning & District Preservation Society and volunteers from the project.

Andy Baird, Chair of Kilwinning & District Preservation Society said: "The response from the community in terms of the numbers of volunteers wanting to take part and in the general level of interest, has been fantastic. We achieved many of our targets last year, but there’s still lots to do, and we can’t wait to discover more secrets of this important building and other areas of the town."

Throughout the excavations the public are welcome to visit the excavations, explore the Abbey, discover the past of Kilwinning in the Heritage Centre and climb the tower for a stunning view of the town and Ayrshire. You can ask questions of the team, find out about volunteering and follow the project on the dedicated Facebook page.

(GK)