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569:-yard at home, to which he immediately repaired, in full expectation of finding it. Nor was he disappointed; for, after destroying many good and promising cabbages, and completely cracking credit with his wife, who esteemed him mad, he found a large potful of gold coin, with the proceeds of which he built a stout castle for himself, and became the founder of a flourishing family.
340:. It was for the more private use of the king and family. The first floor was the lower of the two halls – the laigh hall. It would have been used for more public activities like feasting and the holding of the baron court. The ground floor was a storage area. It was probably originally subdivided providing cellars for different commodities like wine, ale, foodstuffs and fuel.
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butted on to the keep, and rested on bedrock without any footings. The keep would seem to be resting on ashlar footings or underpinnings, a single course projecting in front of the castle wall. Part of this was pointed with mortar of nineteenth century date, probably contemporary with the consolidation work carried out at that period. There were no significant finds.
509:(HES) worked in partnership with the Friends of Dundonald Castle on proposals to raise public awareness of the castle as part of the Dundonald Heritage Project. It was hoped that new evaluation would shed valuable light on the development of the site through time, as well as providing a catalyst for continuing local community engagement.
524:) performed by Rose Geophysics in early 2017, with subsequent public engagement events during Archaeology Month (September). This was followed by a series of excavations, including public engagement, carried out in August 2018 by HES Cultural Resources Team archaeologists along with CFA Archaeology.
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Minor archaeological investigations took place at
Dundonald in the 1960s. These established that the rubble base was up to 4 feet in depth and rested on bedrock, which had been deliberately levelled with stones to form a cobbled surface. The curtain wall of the inner courtyard was shown to have been
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granted the castle and its estates to Robert Boyd, but he was unable to gain possession and, after a second, failed attempt at eviction, Boyd ceded control to the
Wallace family. A century later, debt forced the Wallaces to sell the castle in 1632, although by that time the family had moved its main
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Three main seasons of archaeological excavation were completed between 1986 and 1988, in advance of a programme of conservation. Subsequently a series of smaller-scale excavations were undertaken finishing in 1993. These excavations were led by Gordon Ewart (Kirkdale
Archaeology) and focussed on
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alluding to
Dundonald Castle, the ancient seat of King Robert II, and now the last remaining property in Ayrshire of the noble family who take their title from it. According to tradition, it was built by a hero named Donald Din, or Din Donald, and constructed entirely of stone, without the use of
624:. The castle is used as a beacon to drive ships into the coast, where the beacon lighters can then steal the cargo of the stricken ship. Within the novel, the castle is also linked to an underground city beneath Loch Katrine via a tunnel, perhaps adding to the common myth of the ley tunnel.
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The stranger told him that he had made a very foolish errand, for he himself had once had a similar vision, which directed him to go to a certain spot in
Ayrshire, in Scotland, where he would find a vast treasure, and, for his part, he had never once thought of obeying the injunction.
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There is a visitor centre at the foot of the hill, which includes a cafe, souvenir shop and an interpretive exhibition. The exhibition outlines the history of the castle and its preceding buildings with detailed models of the earlier castles on the site.
558:, he would become a wealthy man. He went accordingly, saw a man looking over the parapet of the bridge, whom he accosted courteously, and, after a little conversation, entrusted with the secret of the occasion of his coming to London Bridge.
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Iron Age
Hillfort with several large wooden roundhouses and a fragment of palisade on the lower terrace to the north of the exposed drystone circuit. Successive building on each of the house sites shows an extended period of
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and straight-sided structures occupied the interior. A timber-laced stone rampart defined and defended the fort. The timber lacing caught fire and burnt with such intensity that the surrounding stonework melted, or
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wood, a supposition countenanced by the appearance of the building, which consists of three distinct stories, arched over with strong stonework, the roof of one forming the floor of another.
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in the early 14th century. King Robert the Bruce's policy was to slight (demolish) most castles so they could not be used by enemies including much greater castles than
Dundonald, such as
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Donald, the builder, was originally a poor man, but had the faculty of dreaming lucking dreams. Upon one occasion he dreamed, thrice in one night, that if he were to go to
301:, this castle was predominantly built of stone. It would have been one of the grandest baronial residences of its time. It was largely destroyed by the Scottish during the
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the area within the barmkin enclosure of the present castle. They discovered material indicating multiple periods of occupation, dating back to the Bronze Age.
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From his description of the spot, the sly
Scotsman at once perceived that the treasure in question must be concealed in no other place than his own humble
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The tower house was extended in the late 14th century to add additional private chambers and a prison. The outer courtyard (called more properly the
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604:; and spread through various countries folklore, children's tales and literature. More recently the story was adapted into the plot of the novel
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230:. This firing happened about 1000 AD and seems to mark the end of the hill-fort’s existence. It was about this date that the British
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384:, which they had built in the 1580s, in part with materials removed from Dundonald. The buyer was James Mathieson. He sold out to
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The third castle comprised almost everything that is visible above ground today, including the tower which dominates the hill.
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948:) translated by Richard F. Burton (London: The Burton Club, 1885), vol. 4, pp. 289-90. Translation revised by D. L. Ashliman
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347:) was completed and ancillary buildings (stables, bakehouses, brewhouses, smithy, etc.) built against the barmkin wall.
313:. There is little remaining of this castle, however there is a well and a rounded stump of a tower near to the present.
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Similar legends can be found throughout Europe and the Middle-East. The earliest version is one of the poems of the
294:, the first steward, who came to Scotland in 1136. There is no surviving evidence of this castle above ground today.
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423:. Both the castle and the visitor centre are operated by the Friends of Dundonald Castle. The castle was made a
399:. In 1726 the Cochranes sold their Dundonald estate but retained possession of the ruined castle. In 1953 the
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castles present on this site. The first was built by one of the stewards of the king of Scots, most probably
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The third castle was built by Robert
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bracelets and glass beads suggest the settlement continued to the 4th and 5th centuries AD.
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The place name
Dundonald means "fort of Donald". It appears to be derived from the
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This article is about the castle in South Ayrshire. For the castle in Kintyre, see
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Strawhorn, John (1994). The History of Irvine. Edinburgh : John Donald.
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The Essential Rumi, transl. Coleman Barks, New York: HarperCollins, 1995
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gave the castle to the state which began a programme of reconstruction.
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The present castle stands on land where evidence suggests there was a
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in 1371 and it was used as a royal residence by Robert II and his son
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The top floor above the lofty stone vault was the upper hall – the
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In Ayrshire there is an unknown rhyme that is probably very old:
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679:. Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press. p. 195.
590:"In Baghdad, Dreaming of Cairo: In Cairo, Dreaming of Baghdad"
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of which suggests successive phases of a permanent settlement.
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596:;. This poem was turned into a story in the tale from The
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about the construction and origins of Dundonald Castle:
734:"Cochrane, William, first earl of Dundonald (1605–1685)"
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The second castle was built in the late 13th century by
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Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland
546: Built his house without a pin,
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Dundonald castle once had its own chapel dedicated to
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The investigation consisted of a geophysical survey (
221:. It is thought that a mixture of large timber-built
620:Dundonald Castle features in the Jules Verne novel
978:. Dundonald Ayrshire: Friends of Dundonald Castle.
915:; By Robert Chambers; Published by W. Hunter, 1826
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388:in 1638, when Cochrane also bought Auchens House.
861:"Scottish Archaeological Journal: Vol 26, No 1-2"
168:is situated on a hill overlooking the village of
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371:By 1520 the castle was in the possession of the
1204:Historic Scotland properties in South Ayrshire
944:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, (
427:in 1920 and the schedule was updated in 2017.
278:from the eighth century to the tenth century.
1189:Scheduled Ancient Monuments in South Ayrshire
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395:for his support to the Royalist cause in the
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743:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
886:"Dundonald Castle excavations presentation"
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976:Dundonald Castle: Official Souvenir Guide
847:"Summary Research Design and Methodology"
234:ceased to exist, being absorbed into the
1199:Historic house museums in South Ayrshire
532:The following extract alludes to an old
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946:The Man Who Became Rich through a Dream
740:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
602:The man who became rich through a dream
580:The Alchemist (book) § Inspiration
391:In 1669 Cochrane was created the first
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1001:DigIt! YouTube video Dundonald Castle
675:Barrow, Prof. Geoffrey W. S. (1988).
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974:Forbes, David; Murray, Keir (2012).
703:. Glasgow : Civil Press. p. 14.
454:The material discovered relates to:
333:in 1371. It was three storeys high.
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299:Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward
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779:Forbes and Murray (2012), pp.22-23
721:Forbes and Murray (2012), pp.22-23
712:Forbes and Murray (2012), pp.22-23
544: Donald Din
468:-like structures and a scatter of
188:. Dundonald Castle is a fortified
16:Castle in South Ayrshire, Scotland
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845:Cox, Adrian (26 January 2018).
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592:, by 13th century Persian poet
458:Charcoal-rich layers, possibly
438:in Irvine to Dundonald Castle.
415:The visitor centre is owned by
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303:Wars of Scottish Independence
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1214:Royal residences in Scotland
808:"Dundonald Castle (SM90112)"
767:UK public library membership
699:McJannet, Arnold F. (1938),
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598:One Thousand and One Nights
419:and the castle is owned by
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1194:Listed castles in Scotland
990:Dundonald Castle home page
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960:- Jules Verne, 1877, Paris
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701:The Royal Burgh of Irvine
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38:Dundonald, South Ayrshire
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21:Dundonald Castle, Kintyre
522:ground-penetrating radar
367:Auchans Castle, Ayrshire
196:on his accession to the
472:pottery fragments, the
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417:South Ayrshire Council
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286:There have been three
232:Kingdom of Strathclyde
865:www.euppublishing.com
749:10.1093/ref:odnb/5759
731:Kelsey, Sean (2006).
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958:The Underground City
622:The Underground City
434:is said to run from
386:Sir William Cochrane
373:Wallaces of Craigie
236:Kingdom of Scotland
113:55.57681°N 4.5972°W
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1093:Dalquharran Castle
1048:Ardstinchar Castle
790:"Dundonald Castle"
616:In popular culture
425:scheduled monument
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317:The present castle
274:who bore the name
256:is cognate to the
213:Dark age hill fort
198:throne of Scotland
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1068:Blairquhan Castle
900:"CFA Archaeology"
765:(Subscription or
758:978-0-19-861412-8
594:Jalal al-Din Rumi
534:Scottish folktale
479:Grains including
421:Historic Scotland
393:Earl of Dundonald
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1113:Fail Castle
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518:gradiometry
514:resistivity
505:In 2017-18
491:occupation.
481:emmer wheat
474:disturbance
442:Archaeology
247:Din Dyfnwal
190:tower house
116: /
92:Coordinates
1178:Categories
769:required.)
662:References
470:Bronze Age
432:ley tunnel
355:Saint Inan
338:great hall
223:roundhouse
202:Robert III
192:built for
174:Kilmarnock
172:, between
101:55°34′37″N
586:Mathanawi
460:Neolithic
401:13th Earl
331:Robert II
228:vitrified
219:hill fort
194:Robert II
170:Dundonald
144:Condition
104:4°35′50″W
485:Iron Age
288:medieval
261:Dòmhnall
186:Scotland
42:Scotland
968:Sources
835:. p. 35
588:titled
499:lignite
377:James V
345:barmkin
276:Dyfnwal
265:English
254:Dyfnwal
243:British
208:History
152:Website
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628:Images
528:Legend
292:Walter
268:Donald
495:Shale
178:Troon
872:2018
829:ISBN
815:2019
753:ISBN
681:ISBN
567:kail
520:and
466:Kiln
309:and
263:and
176:and
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