Penkill Castle

Penkill Castle stands half a mile south of Old Dailly in South Ayrshire, a 16th-century tower later extended into an L-shaped building. The original three-storey structure was built by a branch of the Boyd family, relatives of the Earls of Kilmarnock. By the early 19th century the castle had fallen into ruin before being drastically restored from 1857 onwards. A modern wing was added on the east side during this work. The grounds were expanded in the late 19th century by the 14th Laird, the artist Alice Boyd. The castle played a small but notable part in the British Pre-Raphaelite movement. William Bell Scott painted murals in the staircase showing scenes from James I’s poem The Kingis Quair. Scott died at Penkill in 1890 after a long association with the Boyd family. Other Pre-Raphaelite figures such as Christina Rossetti visited and praised the setting. The castle remained in private hands through successive owners including an American lawyer and a Welsh television producer. Visitors find a restored 16th-century tower with 17th-century additions forming an L-shaped building. The staircase still carries Scott’s Pre-Raphaelite murals illustrating The Kingis Quair. The surrounding grounds were enlarged by Alice Boyd and retain their quiet, fertile character. The site lies close to the village of Old Dailly with views across the surrounding countryside. The castle remains a private residence but its historical and artistic connections draw occasional interest.