Kerelaw Castle

Infobox Military Structure
name = Kerelaw Castle
location = Stevenston, North Ayrshire, Scotland
coordinates = coord|55|38|55.6|N|4|45|5.9|W|


caption = Kerelaw Castle in 2006
type = Stone
built = c. 1191, rebuilt after 1488
builder = Stephen Lockhart
materials =
used = c. 1191 to 1787
condition = Ruined
ownership = North Ayrshire Council
open_to_public = Yes, with limited access
controlledby =

Kerelaw Castle is a castle ruin situated on the coast of North Ayrshire, Scotland in the town of Stevenston.

History

This castle, variously named Kerelaw, Kerila or even Turnlaw,Robertson (1908), p. 133] Clements, James. A reference to the 'Lords of Turnlaw', p. 17.] is said by Timothy Pont to have been held by the Lockharts from Richard de Morville, Constable of Scotland, as far back as 1191,Dobie, p. 252-3 ] after Stephen Lockhart or LoccardMacintosh, p. 329] obtained a grant of land in Ayrshire. This land would be named Stevenstoune (later Stevenston) after himself, and their manor-place of the barony of Stevenston, named Kerelaw.Dobie, p. 370] The castle and barony were eventually passed on to the Campbells of Loudoun and later to the Cunninghames (or Cunninghams/Cuninghames) of Kilmaurs. It was in the Cunninghame's possession in 1488 that the castle was sacked and burned by the Earl of Eglinton, a Montgomerie, during the well documented and long-term feud between these two prominent Ayrshire families.Robertson (1889), p. 15-16] The Cunninghames, led by the Earl of Glencairn burned Eglinton Castle to the ground in revenge in 1528.Robertson (1889), p. 13-29]

Kerelaw was rebuilt sometime after 1488 and is reported to have contained a number of carved coats of arms of the Scottish nobility, taken from Kilwinning Abbey,Billings, p. 41] Nine fishermen from Saltcoats were granted leases in 1545 in return for carrying the Earl's furniture to Finlayston on the Clyde every spring from the Creek of Saltcoats and bringing it back again in the autumn when the family returned to Kerelaw for the winter months. A half barrel of herrings was also to be furnished yearly to the Earl.Paterson, Vol. 5, p. 558]

Abode of the Abbots

Local tradition is that the castle had been the residence of the Abbot of Kilwinning, which may have arisen from the fact that the third son of Alexander Cunningham, 1st Earl of Glencairn, became the Commendator of the abbey after the reformation and may have lived at Kerelaw.

Later history

In 1609 it was bought by Sir Thomas Boyd and soon after sold again to Sir William Cunninghame of Cunninghamhead. Thirty years later the castle and the nearby lands were bought by Sir Robert Cunninghame of Auchenharvie. In 1655 Kerelaw Castle was purchased by John Hamilton, formerly of Cambuskeith (now known as 'The Mount'), and afterwards of Grange (grandfather of Alexander Hamilton), who changed the name of the castle and its grounds to Grange, after the family home in Kilmarnock. Clements gives the date of 1685 for the sale of Kerelaw to John Hamilton.Clements, James, p. 13.] The castle became the residence of the Hamilton family until 1787 when another Alexander Hamilton (second cousin of the American politician), built Kerelaw (or Grange) House nearby, with the castle quickly becoming disused.Macintosh, p. 330]

Ancillary buildings

A dovecote or doocot dated 1775 existed hereMacGibbon & Ross, p. 569] (see illustration) until the 1960s when it was demolished together with other outbuildings. Cottages for the workpeople had been built in the court of the castle, and their high corbie-stepped gable-ends added to the picturesque effect of the castle ruins. [http://www.ayrshireroots.co.uk/Towns/Stevenston/Kerelaw.htm Ayrshire Roots article] ] The gothic windows may be one of the 19th century additions to the buildings.Davis, p. 292.] A limekiln was also situated nearby at NS 2706 4309. Dudups (Diddup) nearby was part of the Kerelaw/Grange Estate.Dobie, p. 124]

Roy's Survey map of 1747 records the name as Kerry-law, [http://geo.nls.uk/roy/ Roy's Survey of 1747] ] and Smith refers to it as Kerila Castle;Smith, p. 54] as does Paterson.OS maps and is still in existence today (2008) as a private home.

Later history

The house, the castle and the grounds were all sold in 1838 to Gavin Fullerton after Alexander's death. Fullerton soon restored the original name of Kerelaw.

The castle today

Location map
Scotland
label = Kerelaw Castle
position = right
lat = 55.64
long = -4.75
mark =
caption = Location of Kerelaw Castle
width = 150Kerelaw Castle is now a ruin, with three walls surviving in various states of decay. Gothic windows still adorn the southern wall, believed to have been inspired by those at Kilwinning Abbey (and are proof that much of the castle was built at various different points in history).

In 1852 Paterson noted arrow-slits and cable mouldings of pre-14th century date.Paterson, Vol. 2, p. 445] An ancient footbridge is situated next to the ruin (NS 2688 4288) and is still intact and walkable, but the castle itself is fenced off to protect both the public from falling stone and the castle from vandalism. The castle and surrounding ground is owned by North Ayrshire Council.

The castle's former walled garden is now occupied by a housing estate built in the late 1960s, but a single wall of the structure still remains.

Gallery

References

Notes

Sources

*cite book
last = Billings
first = Robert W.
date = 1901
title = The Baronial and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Scotland, Volume III
publisher = Oliver & Boyd
location = Edinburgh
oclc = 3506212
*cite book
last = Clements
first = James
date = 1974
title = Stevenston (Stivenstoune Stinstin). The Kernel of Cunninghame.
publisher = Gilmour and Lawrence
location = Glasgow
*cite book
last = Davis
first = Michael
date = 1991
title = The Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire
publisher = Ardrishaig, Argyll : M.C. Davis, 1991.
*cite book
last = Dobie
first = J. S. (ed.)
date = 1876
title = Cuninghame, topographized by Timothy Pont, A M, 1604-1608: with continuations and illustrative notices by the late James Dobie of Crummock, FSA Scot
publisher = John Tweed
location = Glasgow
oclc = 57035353
*cite book
last = MacGibbon
first = David
coauthors = Ross, Thomas
date = 1887-92
title = The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth centuries, Vol. 5
publisher = D. Douglas
location = Edinburgh
oclc = 6800546
*cite book
last = MacIntosh
first = John
date = 1894
title = Ayrshire Nights Entertainments
publisher = Dunlop & Drennan
location = Kilmarnock
oclc = 17243312
*cite book
last = Paterson
first = J.
date = 1863-6
title = History of the counties of Ayr and Wigton, Vol. 2
publisher = James Stillie
location = Edinburgh
oclc = 4352073
*cite book
last = Paterson
first = J.
date = 1863-6
title = History of the counties of Ayr and Wigton, Vol. 5
publisher = James Stillie
location = Edinburgh
oclc = 4352073
*cite book
last = Robertson
first = George
date = 1823-25
title = A genealogical account of the principal families in Ayrshire ...
publisher = Cunninghame P. sold by A. Constable, Edinburgh
location = Irvine
oclc = 181661431
*cite book
last = Robertson
first = William
date = 1908
title = Ayrshire: Its History and Historic Families, Vol. I
publisher = Dunlop & Drennan
location = Kilmarnock
oclc = 604043
*cite book
last = Robertson
first = William
date = 1889
title = Historical Tales and Legends of Ayrshire Vol.II
publisher = Hamilton, Adams & Co.
location = London
oclc = 1741572
*cite book
last = Smith
first = John
date = 1895
title = Prehistoric Man in Ayrshire
publisher = E. Stock
location = London
oclc = 1509406

External links

* [http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.details_gis?inumlink=41097 RCAHMS Canmore Database: Kerelaw Castle]
* [http://www.old-maps.co.uk/indexmappage2.aspx Old Maps of Kerelaw]
* [http://www.clancunningham.us/index.jsp?nav_id=19 The Clan Cunningham Society website]
* [http://www.maybole.org/history/books/legends/feudofglencairnandeglinton.htm The Montgomerie - Cunningham feud.]