Doors Open Day, Saturday 5th September: Exhibition and Guided Walk

As our contribution to Doors Open Day 2026, the Antiquaries will be holding an exhibition in the foyer of the William Patrick Library on "Kirkintilloch Then and Now". The exhibition will feature modern and archive photos of about 20 buildings, monuments and other sites of interest in the town with accompanying text explaining their significance in the history of Kirkintilloch and the people and events associated with them. Sites covered include churches of various denominations, old industrial sites such as the Lion Foundry and the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway, civic buildings and monuments such as the Bandstand and Fountain in Peel Park and the War Memorial Gates. Something for everyone in fact. The exhibition will be manned by members of the committee from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 5th September and remain in place, unmanned, until Saturday 12th September.

To accompany the Exhibition, we will be conducting a guided walk around some of the sites on Saturday 5th September at 2pm starting and ending at the William Patrick Library. The sites covered will all be close to the Library. The walk will start from the Library and Black Bull, and continue to St Ninian's church and school, and the Park Centre, via the Auld Kirk, Barony Chambers, War Memorial, Peel Park including the bandstand and the Hudson Fountain. Some of the sites on the walk are shown in the photos below. The walk will be led  by Local History expert and 2026 Community Champion - Arts and Heritage, Don Martin MBE.

Note that registration in advance is required for the guided walk by sending an email to kdsantiquaries@gmail.com. 

We look forward to seeing you at the exhibition and/or guided walk.

Bandstand in Peel Park
War Memorial Gates, Peel Park
St. Ninian's RC Church

Don Martin MBE is East Dunbartonshire Community Champion for Arts and Heritage 2026

Don Martin MBE was presented with a Certificate and Quaich as Community Champion for Arts and Heritage 2026 on Thursday 30th July by East Dunbartonshire Provost Gillian Renwick and Deputy Provost Colette McDiarmid. Details of the presentation can be found on the Council website here.

In May, the Provost and Depute Provost launched the search for this year’s Champions – a call for local people to nominate unsung heroes who go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of others. Anyone who makes an outstanding contribution through volunteering, fundraising or any other selfless act was eligible. There are six categories for the Champions Awards: Arts and Heritage; Caring; Community; Sports; Sustainability; and Young Champion. More details about the Awards can be found on the East Dunbartonshire Council website here.

Don received the Arts and Heritage Champion award for his lifelong commitment to engaging people with their local history and particularly with a number of initiatives to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway earlier in 2026, including an exhibition in the Auld Kirk Museum and the installation of a National Transport Trust Red Wheel at Southbank Marina, the northern terminus of the Railway where cargoes were transferred onto the Forth and Clyde Canal at Kirkintilloch Basin.

Don is presented with the Certificate and Quaich
The Certificate

(Photographs courtesy of Ivan Ruddock)