Auchencloigh Castle | |
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Auchencloigh, East Ayrshire, Scotland UK grid reference NS49451666 | |
Coordinates | 55°25′15″N4°22′49″W / 55.4207°N 4.3803°W |
Site information | |
Controlled by | Craufurd clan |
Open to the public | No |
Condition | whin and lime mortar remains |
Site history | |
Built | 15th century |
In use | Until early 18th century |
Materials | Stone |
Auchencloigh Castle or Auchincloigh Castle (NGR NS 4945 1666 ) is a ruined fortification near the Burnton Burn, lying within the feudal lands of the Craufurd Clan, situated in the Parish of Ochiltree, East Ayrshire, Scotland.
No description or accurate pictorial representation of Auchencloigh castle seems to have survived. The site of the castle is on a mound and in 1978 some of its walls were standing at a height of between 0.6 and 1.6m and several feet in thick in a few places. The walls formed a rectangle and the interior seems to have been subdivided into several small rooms. [1]
Auchencloigh may once have been part of a chain of fortalices forming a defensive line, including Drongan and Martnaham castles. [2]
The ruins of this medieval tower are of whinstone, were lime mortared and lie 100 metres to the east of the Auchencloigh Farm. No dating evidence has been found, however, an early date is suggested by the thickness of the walls. [1] A 15th-century date has been suggested by one author. [3]
Auchincloigh Farm was located nearby with a belt of woodland. The site of the castle is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. [4]
A William Wallace of Auchincloych was a witness to a precept by James Lord Torphicen in favour of John Chalmer of Inchgotrick in 1579. [5]
In 1578 William and James Cuninghame of Polquharne (sic) granted the lands of Burntoun within their lands of Easter Polquharne to John Cuninghame, son of the said James. [6] These lands were contiguous or inclusive of Auchencloigh.
Robert Gordon's map of circa 1635–52 marks the castle of E. Achincloich (sic) to the East of Belston Loch. [7] The Blaeu map of circa 1654 taken from Timothy Pont's map of circa 1600 shows an intact East Achincloich Castle (sic), smaller than the nearby Kerse Castle, with wooded grounds, a pale or fence to the south and bounded to the north, west and east by water courses. A Drumsmodda Loch lay to the west, now known as Belston Loch. A West Achincloich dwelling is also shown. [8]
Moll's map of 1745 shows a dwelling at Achincloich (sic) lying to the east of a small loch, but no castle. [9] Roy's map of 1747 records an Achincloich, not as a castle. [10] Armstrong's map of 1775 shows an Auchencloigh Castle as a ruin. [11] In 1821 the castle is clearly shown as a ruin. [12] In 1820 Thomson's map shows an Auchencloigh (castle ruins). [13]
The area around the site of the castle and old farm was the site of a large opencast mine, however it is now restored to agricultural use.
The name derives from the Gaelic achadh meaning field and cloiche meaning stone. The placenames 'Auchencloich' and 'Auchencloy' are found elsewhere in Scotland. [14] A hamlet named Auchencloigh is located in the parish of Sorn. [15] Auchencloigh Lodge is a house located on the entrance drive to the old farm.
There is a clearly defined 17th-century type holloway that follows the Roman road as far as Auchencloigh near to Old Polquhairn, probably the same road shown on Armstrong's map of 1775 running from Bank (present Bankglen on the New Cumnock - Dalmellington road) over to the present Littlemill. It has a heavy cobbled bottom with clay on top. [16]
Dunduff Castle is a restored stair-tower in South Ayrshire, Scotland, built on the hillside of Brown Carrick Hills above the Drumbane Burn, and overlooking the sea above the village of Dunure.
Terringzean Castle, also Taringzean, pronounced 'Tringan', is a Category B listed castle ruin lying above the River Lugar and the Terringzean Holm in the policies of Dumfries House, Parish of Cumnock, Scotland. The name Craufordstone or Craufurdstoun, has also been used, echoing that it and these lands originally belonged to the Crawfords, as did Lefnoreis Castle or Lochnorris Castle which once stood near the site of the Dumfries House stables.
The old Barony and castle, fortalice, or tower house of Hill of Beith lay in the feudal Regality of Kilwinning, within the Baillerie of Cunninghame, and the Sherrifdom of Ayr, now the Parish of Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland.
Helenton Loch was situated in a low lying area between the farms and dwellings of Helentongate, Mains, and Burnbank in the Parish of Symington, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The loch was natural, sitting in a hollow, a kettle hole, created by glaciation. The loch waters ultimately drained via the Pow Burn. Helenton Hill is a prominent landmark to the west of the old loch site. The nearby lands of Rosemount were in 1549 known as 'Goldring' and were the property of the Schaws of Sornbeg.
The Galrigs Loch was a substantial freshwater loch situated in low lying area between Newfield and Dundonald in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It was drained in the early 18th century.
The Loch of Trabboch or Dalrympleston Loch (NS440211) was situated in a low-lying area below the old Castle of Trabboch, once held by the Boyd family in the Parish of Stair, East Ayrshire, Scotland.
Trabboch Castle is a ruined L-plan tower house in the old Barony of Trabboch, Parish of Stair, East Ayrshire, Scotland.
Martnaham Loch is a freshwater loch lying across the border between East and South Ayrshire Council Areas, two kilometres from Coylton, in the parishes of Coylton and Dalrymple, three miles from Ayr. The loch lies along an axis from northeast to southwest. The remains of a castle lie on a possibly artificial islet within the loch. The Campbells of Loudoun once held the lands, followed by the Kennedys of Cassillis.
Kerse Loch, also recorded as Carse Loch (1841) is a small freshwater loch in the East Ayrshire Council Area, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole, Parish of Dalrymple, Scotland.
Kerse Castle or Carse Castle is a ruined fortification once held by the Craufurd Clan, situated in the Parish of Dalrymple, East Ayrshire, Scotland.
Belston Loch, also recorded as Dromsmodda Loch is a small freshwater loch in the East Ayrshire Council Area, near Sinclairston, 2 miles south-east of Drongan, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole. Parish of Ochiltree, Scotland.
Plaid Loch was a freshwater loch in East Ayrshire, now a remnant due to drainage, near Sinclairston and 2 miles (3 km) south-east of Drongan, lying in a glacial kettle hole,.
Loch Shield, originally Loch of Scheel was a freshwater loch in the East Ayrshire Council Area, now drained, near Drongan, lying in a glacial Kettle Hole, Parish of Ochiltree, Scotland.
Bruntwood Loch was a freshwater loch, now drained, lying in a glacial kettle hole in Galston, East Ayrshire, Scotland.
Swindridgemuir House and estate were composed of the 'Lands of Swindridgemuir' and the dwelling house about two miles north-east of Dalry in the old Barony of Kersland, about a mile and a half north of the Blair Estate, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The spelling on the family memorials at Ayr Auld Kirk is 'Swindrigemuir'.
The Lands of Doura, Dawra, Dawray, DowreyDowray, Dourey or Douray formed a small estate, at one time part of the Barony of Corsehill and Doura, situated near the Eglinton Estate in the Parish of Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland.
The ancient lands of Willowyard, Willieyeards, Williyard or Willizeards were part of the holdings of the Regality of Kilwinning, Barony of Beith, and Bailiary of Cuninghame. They later became the property of the Montgomerie family before being sold to the Simson family in 1723. The manor house still survives as part of a business premises and the nearby industrial estate and whisky bond carry the name 'Willowyards'.
The Lands of Borland or Boreland formed a castle and land holdings within the old Barony of Cumnock, East Ayrshire, Parish of Old Cumnock, Scotland. Lying two miles south of Cumnock the property was mainly held by a cadet branch of the Hamilton family from around 1400 before passing by marriage to the Montgomeries and others. For consistency the spelling 'Borland' will be used throughout.
The Castle and Barony of Gadgirth was held by the Chalmer family, originally De Camera, with successive castles and a mansion house overlooking the River Ayr at the border of the Parish of Coylton, the old district of Kyle, now part of South Ayrshire, Scotland.
The Lands of Dallars or Auchenskeith (NS463337) form a small estate in East Ayrshire, Hurlford, Kilmarnock, Parish of Riccarton, Scotland. The present mansion house is mainly late 18th-century, located within a bend of the Cessnock Water on the site of older building/s. "Dullers or Dillers" was changed to "Auchenskeith" or "Auchinskeigh" (sic) as well as other variants and then the name reverted nearer to the original form as "Dollars" and then finally "Dallars". Dallars lies 3.25 km south of Hurlford.