Ayrshire Castles
& Abbeys that can
be visited
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Home
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This page lists
the Castles and
Abbeys in Ayrshire
that are popular for
visits.
Click on PostCodes
for maps and
reviews.
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Blairquhan
Castle /
Mansion
is situated
about 16
miles
southeast of
Ayr next to
the small
scenic
village of
Straiton.
Large
Image .
KA19
7LZ
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The castle can be
visited in summer months
when not booked for
weddings, holidays or film
shoots.
The original tower
house/castle was built for
the McWhirter's, passed to
the Kennedy's through
marriage, was acquired by
the Whiteford's, then sold
to Sir David Hunter Blair
in 1798. The Hunter Blair's
had the new castellated
mansion built in the 1820s.
The Hunter Blair's sold
Blairquhan in 2012 to
Ganten Scotland.
For information on
visiting Blairquhan, visit
the website. The area
around Straiton has some
of the top hill walking in
Ayrshire.
Website .
Clan Hunter
Page
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The castle and grounds
are open all year round
from 09.00 till sunset with
an entrance fee to the
castle and park about
£12 per adult.
James IV awarded Brodick
Castle and the Earldom of
Arran to his cousin Lord
Hamilton in 1503. The
Hamilton's extended the
castle over the centuries.
The death of the 12th Duke
of Hamilton's daughter in
1953, led to the castle
being taken over by the
National Trust for
Scotland.KA27 8HY
AS Page .
Clan Hamilton
Page
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Crossraguel
Abbey
situated about one
and a half miles
south of Maybole,
10 miles south of
Ayr next to the
A77.
Large
Image from the
Tower
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The abbey and the
adjacent Kennedy Baltersan
Tower have some connections
through history. Duncan the
Earl of Carrick founded
Crossraguel around 1244
after he donated money to
monks of Paisly to build
the abbey on this site.
Crossraguel is open to
the public from 1st April
– 30th September
09.00-18.30 with an
entrance fee of about Adult
£4.
AS Page .
Website .KA19 5HQ
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This was the home of the
Earls of Cassillis
(Kennedy's) until they sold
Cassillis House in 2009 to
the Confused.com founder
Kate Armstrong. The
Kennedy's were the largest
land owners in the
southwest of scotland since
the 1200s, owning other
castles such as Culzean,
Dunure, Baltersan, Greenan,
Kilhenzie, Maybole,
Dalquharran and more.
Kennedy Clan
Page
To view Cassillis House,
you have to drive along the
B742 road that leads south
of the village of
Dalrymple, down on the
right hand side, you can
see Cassillis House, as
seen above, although they
have now let the roadside
hedge grow high to prevent
viewing.
Ayr to Dalrymple
Map
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The park is open all
year round with most of the
castle open to the public
from 1st April - October
31st 10.30 - 17.00. There
are also the Eisenhower
apartments in the castle
that are available for
holidays.
Prices for entry to the
castle & park about
£15 per adult, park
only £10. This was the
main castle of the Kennedy
Clan for many years, until
they gifted the castle to
the National Trust for
Scotland in 1945, and moved
to their older castle/house
of Cassillis.
AS Page .
Website .
KA19 8LE
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Adam was also
redesigning Culzean Castle
for David Kennedy at that
time. The completion of
Dalquharran Castle allowed
the Kennedy's to move from
the Old Castle that is
situated only 300 yards
southeast, next to the
River Girvan, bottom left
of the image right.
Work to convert this
castle ruin to a hotel and
the estate into a
championship standard golf
course is expected to begin
soon. The two castles at
Dalquharran are situated 16
miles southeast of Ayr next
to the small village of
Dailly. You can visit the
castles by parking in
Dailly then walk through
the field in front of the
castles (as seen above)
then cross the river by
footbridge. View an image
with windows added in
Photoshop to show what it
may have looked like with
windows.
Windows Image .
Website
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Dean Castle
& Country
Park is
situated to the
north side of
Kilmarnock. These
lands were awarded
to the Boyd's in
1316 by King Robert
the Bruce for their
support at the
Battle of
Bannockburn.
Winter
Image
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The last owner, Lord
Howard de Walden, gifted
the castle and estate to
the people of Kilmarnock in
1975.
Entrance to the park is
free including guided tours
of the castle that are
available every day from
12.15 - 16.15 each hour
April - September. The
Visitor Centre &
Children's Corner are open
11.00 - 17.00 summer and
11.00 - 16.00 winter. There
are a number of events held
in the park each year such
as Classic Car Rallies.
AS Photo
Page . KA3 1XB
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Dundonald
Castle was
built for Robert II
(grandson of Robert
the Bruce) on his
accession to the
throne of Scotland
in 1371. Large
Image
View of
Great Hall
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The castle is situated
on a hilltop in the centre
of the small village
Dundonald.
There is a car park and
visitor centre below the
castle that provides
information and snacks. The
centre and grounds around
the castle are open free of
charge 10.00-17.00 1st
April-31st October. Guided
tours of inside the castle
can be arranged at the
visitors centre for a small
fee, or you can take a tour
yourself. KA2 9DW
AS Page .
Website
.Clan Bruce
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Dunure
Castle was
built in the 1300s
for the
Kennedy’s
(Earls of
Cassillis). Dunure
was one of the
first seats of this
family that became
the largest
landowners in South
Ayrshire.
Large Image from
the rocks
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Best Known as the place
the Kennedy's roasted the
Commendator of Crossraguel
Abbey over a fire, in an
attempt to have him sign
over Abbey land, setting
off a series of
murders.
The castle is situated
on the outskirts of the
small village of Dunure
about 6 miles south of Ayr
on the A719 scenic coastal
road. There is a car park
and play area next to the
castle. There is also a
traditional Scottish pub
and cafe at the harbour for
meals or drinks.
AS Page .
Website .
KA7 4LW
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Eglinton
Country Park
is situated about
one mile northeast
of Irvine. The park
is open to the
public free of
charge all year
round. Large
Image
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Eglinton estate along
with the town of Ardrossan
passed from the
Eglinton’s to the
Montgomery’s though
marriage in the 1300s. The
Montgomery’s were
forced to abandon Eglinton
Castle and estate in 1929
after loosing all their
money building Ardrossan
Harbour. The castle soon
fell into disrepair and was
later used as target
practice for tanks during
World War Two.
AS Photo Page .
KA12 8TA
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Greenan
Castle was
built for John
Kennedy of
Baltersan in 1603.
The castle is
situated on the
south side of Ayr
Beach. Large
Image
View
from Window
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A large car park nearby
makes this a popular walk
along the beach past the
castle towards the heads of
Ayr Cliffs. More
information and photos for
Greenan can be found at:
KA7 4HX
AS Page .
Wiki Page .
Walk
Page
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Kelburn Castle
& Country
Park is
situated about one
mile south of Largs
with views over the
Firth of Clyde and
island of Great
Cumbrae.Large
Image
Entrance
Image
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The castle is run
separate from the country
centre as it is used for
holiday accommodation,
banquets, weddings and
conferences.
The earliest parts of
Kelburn Castle are from the
1200s, built by the
Boyle's. The castle has
been vastly extended over
the centuries, and is still
owned by Boyle's.
There are good views of
the castle from the country
centre. The centre is open
from Easter to the end of
October with a charge of
about £7 for adults
and £6 for children. A
family ticket is about
£30.
Website .
Clan Boyle .
KA29 0BE
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The Abbey is often
connected to the Knights
Templar and the start of
the Masonic Lodge.
The Abbey Tower Heritage
Centre is open Mid May
until Mid September,
Fridays, Saturdays and
Sundays from 1pm - 3pm..
Access for visiting groups
outwith these times may be
possible. Phone 01294 551
496 for details.
The abbey, situated in
Kilwinning town centre, can
be easily found as it rises
high above the surrounding
buildings. More history and
photos of the abbey can be
found at:
AS Page .
Website .
KA13 6AN
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Lochranza
Castle is
situated in the
centre of Lochranza
village, on the
north coast of the
Island of Arran.
Large
Image
Close
Up Image
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The earliest parts of
the castle were built in
the mid 1200s for the
MacSweens. In 1262, it was
granted by Alexander III to
Walter Stewart (Earl of
Menteith).
It is believed Robert
the Bruce landed at this
spot on his return from
Ireland in 1306, as he
began his successful
campaign to become king of
Scotland. The castle was
later owned by his grandson
when he became King Robert
II of Scotland in 1371. The
following years saw it used
as a royal hunting
lodge.
During the 1490s,
Lochranza Castle was used
as a base from where James
IV could attack the
MacDonalds (Lords of the
Isles). James VI took
control of the castle in
1614, and the English
Parliamentarian leader
Cromwell took control in
the1650s. The last owners,
the Hamiltons, acquired the
castle in 1705.
AS Page .
Website .KA27 8HL
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Loch Doon
Castle was
built in the 1200s
for Robert the Earl
of Carrick. Robert
Bruce gained
control of
Turnberry Castle in
1271 after marrying
the widow Marjorie
(Countess of
Carrick). Large
Image
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He then had this castle
at Loch Doon built.
The castle was
originally situated on a
small island in the middle
of Loch Doon. The ruins
were rebuilt at the side of
the loch in the 1930s to
allow the loch to be used
as a water reservoir. To
visit this scenic area,
take the A713 east of
Dalmellington and follow
signs for the hill road
leading to Loch Doon.
Loch Doon
Castle Page . Map
Turnberry
Castle Page . Loch Doon
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Loudoun Castle
& Country
Park is
situated 5 miles
northeast of
Kilmarnock next to
the town of
Galston.
Large
Image
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An amusement park was
opened in the grounds in
1995 becoming one of
Ayrshire's top visitor
attractions. The park
closed in 2010, it is
unclear if it will be used
for any other visitor
attractions.
The earliest parts of
Loudoun Castle were built
by the Craufurds in the
1400s. The castle was
extended by the Campbell's
in the 1600s, and by Flora
Mure-Campbell in the early
1800s..
The Castle was severely
damaged by fire in 1941
with all that remains are
the walls. The walls are in
excellent condition so the
castle could be restored
someday. See 2 photos, the
first of what the castle is
like today, and the second
what it may look like
restored.
Image 1 .
Image 2 .
Clan Campbell
Page . KA4 8PE
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Maybole
Castle is
situated next to
Maybole High
Street. The
earliest parts of
the castle were
built as a
townhouse for the
Kennedy’s
(Earls of
Cassillis).
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The main tower is dated
to around 1560 and
additions that give its
present day look to
1812.
Maybole Castle is now
the headquarters of a
Community Council training
company. The castle can be
visited with a tea room and
local heritage centre in
the castle expected to open
soon. There is a car park
behind the shops opposite
the castle.
Website .
KA19 8YG.Large Image
Same view
1860s
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Portencross
Castle
(Tower) is
built on lands
originally owned by
the Ross Clan. The
Ross’s
supported John de
Baliol in the feuds
with Robert the
Bruce.
Large
Image
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After Bruce defeated
Baliol, he awarded these
lands to his loyal
supporters the Boyds of
Kilmarnock.
Robert Boyd had this
castle built in the early
1400s to protect and make
use of the small harbour
here. There is a scenic
seaside car park about one
hundred yards from the
castle to allow visits to
the castle that has
recently been restored, and
the popular walk along the
shore. Signposts on the A78
less than one mile north of
Seamill direct you to the
castle.
AS Page . Website .KA23 9QA
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The earliest parts of
this castle were built in
the early 1400s for the
Hamilton’s.
Although Sorn is a
sporting estate most of the
year, fishing /shooting,
the castle is open to the
public for four weeks each
year, normally mid July -
mid August 1400 - 1600. The
castle has recently been
made available for holidays
and weddings. For enquiries
phone 01290 551 476.
sorncastle.com .
KA5 6HR
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