Thomaston Castle

Thomaston Castle stands in a quiet field west of Maybole in South Ayrshire. Built in the 13th century, it still looks much as it did hundreds of years ago. The original owner was Alan McIlvaine, whose family supplied wine to the Earls Kennedy at nearby Culzean Castle. After Alan’s death the castle passed to his son Patrick, who married Isobel Kennedy, daughter of Gilbert Kennedy, 3rd Earl of Cassilis. Little has changed apart from a later house added on the property. The castle is now run down, with debris falling inside. It was first built for a nephew of Robert the Bruce, linking it to one of Scotland’s most famous kings. The McIlvaine family owned it for centuries, supplying wine to powerful local lords. The Kennedy family, owners of Culzean Castle, remained connected through marriage. The castle’s long history is still visible in its walls. Visitors find a roofless ruin surrounded by open fields. Inside, fallen stones and crumbling masonry show the castle’s age. The later house on the site is separate from the medieval structure. Views stretch across the countryside towards Maybole. The castle’s quiet setting makes it easy to imagine its past.