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315:'s 16th century map of Kyle shows Castle Keyil (sic) on its natural mound with three towers and a curtain wall or palisade. Although these drawings were only indicative the castle is shown to be larger than the others in the district and unlike many of the others, it is named as a castle. Castle Kyle is shown on Adair's map of 1685 although Dornal Motte is not marked. Castle Kyil (sic) is shown as a single tower on Moll's map of 1745. Roy's mid 18th century map shows the Castle of Kyle, and an un-named group of buildings that may be Kyle Farm, suggesting that some robbing of stone from the castle or courtyard may have already taken place. In 1775 the castle is shown and marked as a ruin on Armstrong's map. In 1832 Thomson's map records the castle as being in ruins.
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5.5m high and 1.8, thick. Kyle stands atop a natural flat-topped spur which appears to have had a surrounding barmkin or courtyard wall as suggested by the elevated sections along the edge of the enclosure and a possible watchtower at the extreme western end. To the west a deep narrow 'covered way' curves up to the courtyard area and the keep. The dates of these structures may not be contemporary. Remains of a dry defensive moat lies on the north-east side of the tower castle ruins. A lower terrace with rig and furrow lies to the north. As stated a turf-covered footing of a possible watchtower lies at the extreme western edge of the courtyard.
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277:. The Farquhars obtained further charters to lands from the abbot of Melrose, eventually including the lands of Gilmilnscroft itself. Margaret, a daughter of the Laird of Barquharrie, was the wife of John Farquhar. The Cunninghams at some later stage gained possession, followed by the Stewarts of Bute.
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The castle's chosen location is one of considerable strength with very steep slopes on three sides. Kyle has been dated from the surviving stonework as being 15th to 16th century with a strong rectangular keep that is now 14.0m by 7.0m externally. The surviving ashlar north wall section is 6.1m long,
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Very little written or verbal history survives regarding Kyle Castle except however for inevitable links with 'Old King Cole or Coilus' that have been regularly suggested. The castle's stone has been heavily robbed for use in building dry stone dykes and domestic buildings at
Dalblair and Kyle Farms.
252:
Significantly the castle or fortalice stands at the boundary of the old lands of Kyle Regis and Kyle
Stewart, marked by the confluence of the two rivers that join to form the Glenmuir Water. Nearby on the lands of Kyle Stewart stands the large Dornal Motte, a fortification that is recorded as
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It may be no accident that the ruins that remain form a useful landmark in this desolate and relatively featureless landscape. An engraving made in 1863 shows that the ruins have changed little over the last century and a half or so.
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As stated the castle structures were robbed of stone which was used to build dry stone dykes and the nearby farm buildings and it is recorded that considerable difficulty was experienced in extracting stones from the mortar.
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242:. The castle stands at the confluence of the Guelt Water and the Glenmuir Water on a peninsula carved out by these rivers. Its name suggests that it was once of some significance.
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The preservation of a small section of the castle may relate to the need for readily identifiable landmarks in this remote and relatively featureless landscape.
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before the
Farquhars of Gilmilnscroft obtained possession, John Farquhar having been granted them in a charter granted by a
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A mape of the west of
Scotland containing Clydsdail, Nithsdail, Ranfrew, Shyre of Ayre, & Galloway / authore Jo. Adair.
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Evidence from maps indicated that the castle was abandoned and in ruins towards the last quarter of the 18th century.
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The first written record in 1445 shows that Kyle Castle and its lands were previously held by the monks of
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Paterson, James (1863–66). History of the
Counties of Ayr and Wigton. 1. Kyle. Edinburgh: J. Stillie.
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The South Part of the Shire of Air [i.e. Ayr], containing Kyle and
Carrick / by H. Moll.
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A drawing of the castle when still intact was apparently kept at “the church at
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Coila
Provincia, [or], The province of Kyle / auct. Timoth. Pont.
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Thomson, John. Northern Part of
Ayrshire. Southern Part.
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Armstrong, Andrew, 1700-1794. A new map of
Ayrshire...
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Remnants of the castle's keep from the courtyard area
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580:History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton. I. Kyle
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379:History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton. I. Kyle
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931:Demolished buildings and structures in Scotland
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335:Coat of arms of the Farquhars of Gilmilnscroft
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494:Roy Military Survey of Scotland, 1747-1755
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630:The History of Sorn Village & Parish.
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361:The History of Sorn Village and Parish
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645:The Castles of Glasgow and the Clyde.
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632:Auchinleck : Carn Publishing.
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617:. Musselburgh : Goblinshead.
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926:History of Scotland by location
647:Musselburgh : Goblinshead.
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421:. Fort Publishing. p. 182.
134:A tower castle with a courtyard
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436:. Carn Publishing. p. 75.
419:Ayrshire. Discovering a County
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363:. Carn Publishing. p. 74.
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665:. London : Elliot Stock.
582:. James Stillie. p. 199.
381:. James Stillie. p. 200.
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165:Ruined and extensively robbed
677:Video footage of Kyle Castle
602:. Edinburgh : Birlinn.
600:Ayrshire. A Historical Guide
598:Campbell, Thorbjørn (2003).
507:Ayrshire. A Historical Guide
466:. Elliot Stock. p. 140.
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663:Prehistoric Man in Ayrshire
505:Thorbjorn Campbell (2003).
464:Prehistoric Man in Ayrshire
451:. Goblinshead. p. 134.
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194:15th to early 18th century
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613:Coventry, Martin (2010).
308:The castle ruins in 1863.
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936:Castles in East Ayrshire
921:History of East Ayrshire
729:Castles in East Ayrshire
643:Mason, Gordon W. (2013)
447:Martin Coventry (2010).
578:James Paterson (1863).
521:"Kyle Castle | Canmore"
509:. Birlinn. p. 210.
377:James Paterson (1863).
208:The ruins of the large
115:55.447921°N 4.1400316°W
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890:Templehouse Fortalice
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257:'s 16th century map.
215:, once also known as
120:55.447921; -4.1400316
661:Smith, John (1895).
615:Castles of the Clans
449:Castles of the Clans
815:Kingencleugh Castle
785:Craufurdland Castle
745:Auchencloigh Castle
628:Love, Dane (2008).
462:John Smith (1895).
392:Kyle Family Society
296:The covered walkway
111: /
895:Terringzean Castle
865:Ravenscraig Castle
432:Dane Love (2008).
417:Dane Love (2003).
359:Dane Love (2008).
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765:Caprington Castle
653:978-1-899874-59-0
623:978-1-899874-36-1
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870:Riccarton Castle
850:Martnaham Castle
845:Mauchline Castle
835:Loch Doon Castle
830:Lefnoreis Castle
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740:Aiket Castle
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236:council area
227:parish near
220:
217:Cavil Castle
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178:15th century
170:Site history
152:Open to
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885:Sorn Castle
820:Kyle Castle
790:Dean Castle
750:Barr Castle
288:Description
271:Commendator
213:Kyle Castle
191:In use
118: /
94:Coordinates
82:Kyle Castle
21:Kyle Castle
915:Categories
530:29 January
327:References
225:Auchinleck
103:55°26′53″N
43:NS64741920
35:, Scotland
27:Dalblair,
199:Materials
162:Condition
106:4°08′24″W
240:Scotland
229:Muirkirk
29:Muirkirk
592:Sources
261:History
247:Coylton
231:in the
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636:
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340:Notes
202:Stone
175:Built
144:Owner
649:ISBN
634:ISBN
619:ISBN
604:ISBN
532:2024
131:Type
273:of
157:Yes
37:UK
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534:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
