Polkelly Castle

Polkelly Castle was an ancient fortress in East Ayrshire, near Fenwick. The site lay north of Kilmarnock on the medieval free Barony of Polkelly. Its name appears in many forms from the 16th century, such as Pokelly and Pathelly Ha'. The castle once stood close to Balgray Mill Burn and controlled access to Macharnock Moor, now Glenouther Moor. By the 1850s only the motte remained, measuring 23 metres by 16 metres. Earlier it had been a fortalice garrisoned by thirty hagbutters in 1590 after pirate raids near Ailsa Craig. The castle’s history is tied to powerful families like the Mures and Cunninghams. Sir Gilchrist Mure held the lands in the 13th century and married into the Comyn family for peace. In 1512 Margaret Mure, Lady Polkelly, married Robert Cunningham, uniting their arms. The estate passed through generations until the Earl of Glasgow owned it in the 19th century. Helen Chalmers, a Lollard supporter, was connected to the Mures through marriage. Disputes over grazing rights on Macharnock Moor often flared between the Cunninghams and Mures. Visitors today find a quiet grassy motte rising above farmland. The site overlooks the Balgray Mill Burn and the wider moor. Nearby, old maps show traces of Polkelly Hall and King’s Well. The area still bears names like Clunch and Drumboy from the barony’s past. A lone pine once marked Gallow’s Hill where prisoners were hanged. The landscape carries the echoes of royal visits, including King James V’s justice tours.