Councillors have rubber-stamped a funding boost to make a historic landmark in Largs more accessible.

The North Coast and Locality Partnership noted the Largs Common Good Fund had a balance of £4,000 and agreed to award £2,234 to Archaeology Scotland – Adopt a Monument.

It will be used towards the preservation and enhancement of Haylie chambered cairn in Douglas Park, with total project expenses amounting to £4,734. 

The project, which has also secured match funding for its completion, aims to conserve the cairn chamber, upgrade the path, install and replace fencing, and reroute access.

The remainder of the funds will go towards the development of a learning resource, setting up a school workshop and cairn improvements, and a Forestry Land Scotland learning resource.

A council legal spokesperson said: "The application is for funding to assist with an Adopt-a-Monument project for the Haylie chambered cairn. 

"The project aims to facilitate the conservation of the chambered cairn, carry out associated path and fencing works to make the site more accessible and develop of a learning resource for the use of teachers and education groups.

"The view can be taken that as the project aims to benefit all sections of the community the application can be legally justified."

The main aims of the project are to facilitate conservation and enhancement through physical interventions, and raise awareness through heritage engagement and learning opportunities for the local community.

Links have been made with the local museum and the project as a whole is led, developed and supported by members of the local community. 

It will make the site more accessible to the community and offer a learning resource for local schools and education groups.

Conservative councillor Tom Marshall, who sits on the North Coast Locality Partnership, said: "It is a commendable project and important that these important monuments in the town are not allowed to fall into decay or be overgrown, and it is good to hear about the additional educational factors."

Last year, 22 pupils from St Mary's Primary, in Largs, joined Archaeology Scotland for a visit to the Haylie chambered cairn.

The day included exploring the remains of the chambered cairn: how old it is, what it may have looked like originally, how it was used, and what has happened to it over the last 5000 years or so.

The class also learned about how the monument is legally protected and the different types of conservation issues it is currently at risk from.

They were given the rare opportunity to handle two Neolithic stone hand axes, both found in Largs, and one from someone's garden located about 50m from Haylie.