Historic Places in North Ayrshire

Lochranza Castle is a ruined late medieval tower house at the northern end of the Isle of Arran, standing at the head of Loch Ranza with views down the sea loch toward the Kintyre peninsula. The castle was associated with the MacDonald lords of the Isles and later with Robert Bruce, who is said to have landed at Lochranza returning from Ireland in 1307 at the beginning of his campaign to recover the Scottish crown. The atmospheric ruin reflected in the still waters of the loch provides one of the most iconic and frequently photographed images of Arran. The village of Lochranza is also home to the Isle of Arran Distillery, offering tours and tastings of the island's whisky production. The northern Arran landscape of dramatic mountains and sea lochs makes Lochranza one of the more rewarding bases on this accessible and scenically outstanding island.

Law Castle near West Kilbride in North Ayrshire is a well-preserved fifteenth-century tower house that stands on a low ridge in the farmland between the Clyde Coast and the Ayrshire hills, commanding views across the Firth of Clyde to Arran and the Cowal Peninsula beyond. The castle dates from around 1468 and is associated with the Boyd family, one of the most powerful noble families in late medieval Scotland whose brief domination of the Scottish crown in the 1460s represented one of the more dramatic episodes in the turbulent politics of the minority of James III. The Boyd family connection gives Law Castle a significance beyond its modest scale. Thomas Boyd, who became Earl of Arran through marriage to the king's sister during the period of Boyd family ascendancy, is thought to have been involved with Law Castle during this period. The family's subsequent fall from power and the execution and forfeiture that followed the end of their dominance serves as a reminder of how quickly fortune could reverse for even the most powerful families in fifteenth-century Scotland. The castle itself is a good example of the Ayrshire tower house tradition, built in the distinctive local red sandstone that gives so many of the historic buildings of this part of Scotland their warm, characteristic colour. The tower retains much of its original fabric and presents an imposing profile across the agricultural landscape despite its relatively modest footprint. The defensive features typical of the period, including the wall thickness, the arrangement of internal spaces and the limited external openings, can be read clearly in the surviving structure. The North Ayrshire coast is an underrated destination that combines accessible coastal walking, views across to Arran, ferry connections to several Clyde islands and a concentration of historical sites including the nearby Portencross Castle on the shore itself. Law Castle adds an inland dimension to this coastal heritage picture.

Portencross Castle stands on a rocky headland on the North Ayrshire coast directly opposite the Isle of Arran, one of the most dramatically positioned small castles on the west coast of Scotland. The castle dates from the fourteenth century and is associated with the Boyd family of Kilmarnock and with the Scottish royal house, having served at various points as a coastal stronghold of some significance in the western approaches to the Clyde. The combination of its exposed coastal position, the quality of its survival and the views it commands across the water to Arran have made it one of the more visited historic buildings in Ayrshire. The castle was a departure point for the bodies of Scottish kings being transported to Iona for burial, a function that connects it directly to the royal ceremonial geography of medieval Scotland. The island of Iona, the burial place of the early medieval kings of Dál Riata and Scotland, remained a destination for royal burials through the medieval period, and the sea crossing from the Ayrshire coast to the Hebrides passed through these waters. That function, brief and ceremonial as it was, placed Portencross in a tradition of some historical weight. The tower house itself was substantially conserved and re-roofed in the early twenty-first century following a restoration project that secured its future as a standing structure. The work has allowed visitors to explore the interior and climb to the upper levels, from which the views across the Firth of Clyde to Arran are exceptional. On clear days the hills of Arran, from the rounded granitic summits in the north to the gentler southern end of the island, are spread across the western horizon in a panorama that explains immediately why this stretch of coast has been valued for its maritime views across many centuries. The coastal path through Portencross provides excellent walking with continuous sea views, and the combination of the castle, the rocky foreshore and the Arran backdrop makes this one of the most rewarding short excursions available on the Ayrshire coast.

Skelmorlie Castle near Skelmorlie on the Firth of Clyde coast in Ayrshire is a historic castle incorporating a sixteenth-century core within substantial later additions, occupying a hillside position above the Firth with views across to the Isle of Bute and the mountains of Argyll beyond. The castle was associated with the Montgomery family, significant figures in the history of Ayrshire and the western Clyde coastline. The Skelmorlie aisle in the adjacent church contains one of the most remarkable Renaissance funerary monuments in Scotland, a late sixteenth-century painted and carved aisle erected by Robert Montgomery in the style of continental European memorial architecture. The Firth of Clyde coastline at Skelmorlie provides exceptional views across the water, and the town serves as a quiet residential community in the scenic coastal strip between Largs and Wemyss Bay.

Eglinton Castle is a ruined mansion just south of the town of Kilwinning and 1.5 miles north of Irvine in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It was the ancient seat of the Earls of Eglinton. The castle was built between 1797 and 1802 in Gothic castellated style with a central round keep and four outer towers. The Eglinton Tournament was held in 1839, a medieval tournament, attracting thousands of visitors. Eglinton Castle was abandoned when the family ran out of money building a harbour at Ardrossan. It was unroofed in 1925 to be used for target practice, and the shell of the house was partly demolished in 1973. All that survives is a single corner tower and some low walls. The ruins are near the Eglinton Park visitor centre.

Brodick Castle on the Isle of Arran is the most visited historic building in Arran and one of the most historically significant castles on Scotland's west coast, a red sandstone castle on a hillside above Brodick Bay that combines medieval origins, seventeenth-century development and Victorian additions into a building of considerable architectural interest and important collections of art and furniture. The castle is managed by the National Trust for Scotland and the surrounding country park and formal gardens make it the natural focus of any Arran itinerary. The castle stands on a site that has been fortified since at least the thirteenth century, when the Norse-Gaelic lords of the island built a stronghold on this commanding position overlooking the bay. The medieval origins are obscured by the various subsequent phases of construction, most significantly the seventeenth-century extensions built by the Hamiltons, Dukes of Hamilton, who were the principal owners of Arran for several centuries and who developed Brodick into an impressive aristocratic seat. The Victorian wing, added in 1844 to designs by James Gillespie Graham, more than doubled the size of the castle and provided accommodation suitable for Queen Victoria's household when she visited in 1847. The interiors of the castle contain an exceptional collection of sporting trophies, Victorian furniture, paintings and silver assembled by the Hamiltons and their successors across three centuries of aristocratic ownership. The painted ceiling in the Duchess's Drawing Room, the armour display and the collection of Meissen and Dresden china are among the highlights of the interior. The castle passed to the National Trust for Scotland in 1958 along with its contents, preserving the collection intact in its historic setting. The country park surrounding the castle provides excellent walking through mixed woodland and formal gardens, and the views across Brodick Bay to the mountains of the island's interior are outstanding from the castle terraces.

Kelburn Castle at Fairlie on the Ayrshire coast near Largs is the ancient seat of the Boyle family, Earls of Glasgow, and has been in continuous occupation by the same family for over eight hundred years. The castle combines a thirteenth-century tower with later additions spanning several centuries of occupation. Kelburn Castle is also famous for its large and colourful mural painted on the keep by Brazilian street artists in 2007, creating one of the most striking and unexpected juxtapositions of medieval heritage and contemporary urban art in Scotland. The castle grounds include a spectacular gorge garden with waterfalls, ancient trees and the famous Secret Forest adventure playground making it a popular family destination. Views across the Firth of Clyde to the Isle of Arran and the Cowal hills are outstanding.

Knock Castle is situated on the east coast of Sleat, approximately 5 miles north of Armadale on the Isle of Skye. The castle is also known as Caisteal Chamuis (Castle Camus). Today the castle is in ruins. All that remains is an old 15th century keep with traces of later buildings. The castle was constructed in the 15th century by the Clan MacLeod. It was later captured by the Clan MacDonald in the late 15th century. Ownership of the castle passed between the two clans several times. It was rebuilt in 1596 by the MacDonalds. By 1689 the castle was abandoned and fell intop disrpair. Most of the stones were then used for nearby buildings. Legends It is said that the castle is haunted by a Green Lady - a ghost associated with the fortunes of the family who occupy the castle.

Kildonan Castle is a ruined thirteenth-century castle on the southeast coast of the Isle of Arran in Ayrshire, standing above a beach with exceptional views across the Kilbrannan Sound toward the Kintyre peninsula. The castle was associated with the MacDonald lords of the Isles and later the Stewart family, controlling this important stretch of the Arran coast and its approaches to the Sound. The ruins are relatively modest but the coastal setting is one of the most scenic of any castle in Arran, with the broad sandy beach and the Kintyre hills visible across the narrow strait. The Isle of Arran, accessible by ferry from Ardrossan, is one of Scotland's most popular island destinations, offering exceptional walking on Goatfell and the granite peaks, a distillery and a well-preserved prehistoric landscape.