Glengarnock Castle

Glengarnock Castle stands on a rocky ridge above the River Garnock in North Ayrshire. The keep and courtyard date from between 1400 and 1542, with later additions inside the walls. The site overlooks a deep ravine where the river cuts through the landscape, giving the castle a naturally strong position. The only approach comes from the north-east across a narrow neck of land. A dry moat once ran along this side, protected by a drawbridge. The castle belonged to the De Morville family in the 12th and 13th centuries. Mary, Queen of Scots, visited in 1563 while the Cunninghames still owned the land. Repairs in 1841 saved the ruins after a storm in 1839 had caused partial collapse. William Cochran Patrick of Ladyland organised the work, clearing centuries of rubbish from inside the walls. Without these efforts little would remain today. Visitors find grassy mounds marking the outline of the old tower and courtyard. The main hall once filled the upper storey, lit by windows facing the ravine and the wider countryside. A narrow stair led to the parapet where defenders could look down on the river below. Fragments of patterned glass and coal ash show where kitchens and living quarters once stood. Just downstream lies Garrat’s Linn, a deep pool in the river where the water still rushes over the rocks.