Eglinton Castle
Eglinton Castle was a large Gothic castellated mansion in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland.
History
The castle
The ancient seat of the Earls of Eglinton, it is located just south of the town of Kilwinning. The original Eglinton Castle was burnt by the Earl of Glencairn in 1528. The current castle was built between 1797 and 1802 in Gothic castellated style dominated by a central large round keep and four outer towers, it was second only to Culzean Castle in appearance and grandeur. The foundation stone of the new Eglinton Castle in Kilwinning was laid in 1797, the 12th Earl of Eglinton, was proud to have the ceremony performed by Alexander Hamilton of Grange, grandfather of the American Hero Alexander Hamilton.Image:Aitken map of fergushill.jpg|left|thumb|Aitken's 1823 map showing the position of the castle and other details
Image:Ainslie's Eglinton in 1790.JPG|thumb|200px|John Ainslie's 1790 map showing formal pleasure or possibly kitchen gardens on the opposite side of the Lugton Water to the castle
Eglinton was the most notable post-Adam Georgian castle in Ayrshire. Amongst many items of interest, the castle contained a chair built from the oak timbers of Alloway kirk and the back of the chair was inlaid with a brass plaque which bore the whole of Burns' poem Tam o' Shanter. This was sold at an auction in 1925. The previous Eglington castle was described circa 1563–1566 as a fare castell, but noo strength againsts any power. An escape tunnel is said to run from the old castle to the area of the rockery on the castle lawns. The appearance of the old waterfall may have inspired this story as it looks like a sealed doorway. The total acreage of the Earl of Eglinton's holdings was 34,716 Scots Acres in 1788. This included Little Cumbrae, and lands at Southannan and Eaglesham.
The original castle of Eglinton may have been near Kidsneuk, Bogside where a substantial earth mound or motte stands and excavated pottery was found tentatively dating the site to the thirteenth century.
The Montgomerie's' first holdings were the Barony of Eaglesham and its Castle of Polnoon.
In 1691 the 'Hearth Tax for Ayrshire' records show 25 hearths in use, the highest number for a single dwelling in Ayrshire. It is noted that the earl had not paid the tax. The earl's house in Kilwinning, Easter Chambers or the old abbot's dwelling, had 15 hearths. Thirty-seven other dwellings were listed within the barony of Eglinton.
The stables were built from stones taken from the Easter Chambers of Kilwinning Abbey; being the Abbots lodgings and later that of the Earls of Eglinton. In 1784, over a period of four months, the building was demolished and the stones were taken to Eglinton.
The construction of the new castle was not universally accepted as beneficial; Fullarton records that "The hoary grandeur of the old fortalice lay deeply buried amid the dense groves of immemorial growth which closely invested and obscured it; no innovating projects of improvement, nor change of any kind, had ever been permitted to disturb the sanctity of its seclusion, or to ruffle the feelings even of the most fastiduous worshipper of things as they are, or, more properly perhaps, chance to be". The castle is said to have had a moat.
Covenating times
In the 1640s Alasdair Mac Colla had been sent by Montrose to suppress support for the Covenanting cause. He plundered the Ayrshire countryside for some days and then demanded financial penalties. Neil Montgomery of Lainshaw negotiated a 4,000 merks penalty for the Eglinton Estates; three tenants having already been killed, with some deer and sheep also taken from the park.Ley tunnels
Persistent rumours exist of a Ley tunnel which is said to run from Kilwinning Abbey, under the 'Bean Yaird', below the 'Easter Chaumers' and the 'Leddy firs', and then underneath the Garnock and on to Eglinton Castle. No evidence exists for it, although it may be related to the underground burial vault of the Montgomeries which does exist under the old abbey. A ley or an escape tunnel is also said to run from the castle to exit at the old waterfall near the rockery. It is reported that a tunnel ran from the castle to near the existing Castle Bridge. This tunnel was stone lined and tall enough for a man to walk through. This is likely to have been the main drain from the castle.The Pleasure gardens
in 1636 describes the landscape on his journey south from Glasgow as "a barren and poor country", but the earls had clearly enhanced Eglinton for he comments that the land at Irvine was "dainty, pleasant, level, champaign country."The grounds of the castle were described in one record of the 1840s as follows:
Its princely gates soon presented themselves and we thought we should easily find our way to Irvine through the park. It was a rich treat to wander in these extensive grounds. We soon made way through a handsome avenue to the gardens. The hot-houses for fruits and flowers are on a magnificent scale, and on reaching the parterre we were delighted with the elegance which pervaded it. A glassy river with a silvery cascade came gliding gently through these fairy regions, as though conscious of the luxuriant paradise which it was watering. Nor was the classic taste wanting, nor horticultural skill, to render this a region of enchantment. Two elegant cast-iron bridges, vases, statues, a sun-dial; these pretty combinations from the world of art could not fail to please the beholder. Leaving these luxurious regions we again wandered among thick woods, and occasionally obtained glimpses of the proud castle, peering over the trees. At length we found our way to a seat beneath some noble weepers of the ash tribe, and here we had a fine view of the castle, towering majestically over the dense foliage.
Among our wanderings we passed an enormous quadrangular building, resembling some of our London hospitals. It forms the stables, and it is quite detached, at some distance from the Castle. We mistook our way, owing to the many devious paths, and wandered deeper and deeper into the recesses of this extensive domain. In passing through one long avenue, which was so dark that we were unable to see our steps; myriads of rooks took flight at our approach, and the air was quite blackened with them. At one time, we found ourselves walking alongside of the preserves, at another we were wandering in the deer park, and startling the early slumbers of these pretty creatures. At length we reached a gate, which we fully expected would lead into the high road to Irvine: but, to our great consternation, we found it was the point from which several roads diverged, each, apparently, leading into a thick forest, and it was evident that we had much space yet to traverse ere we could be clear of the extensive grounds of Eglintoun.
Service quotes a verse pertaining to the Eglinton Woods:
A mention in Badderley's 'Through Guide' circa 1890 indicates that the Eglinton Castle grounds were open to the public on Saturdays.
Notable trees
The 'Fauna, Flora and Geology of the Clyde Area' lists the notable Clyde Area trees at Eglinton in 1901, showing that the estate at the time had one of the foremost collection of significant trees in southern Scotland. Tree removal for sale as timber was one of the first acts of the new owners of the estate when it was sold in the late 1940s, however many had already been removed in 1925 by Neill of Prestwick and Howie of Dunlop, both being timber merchants.The significant trees were:- Holly ; Sycamore ; Field Maple ; Horse Chestnut ; Gean ; Hawthorn ; Fraxinus heterophylla ; Elm ; Hornbeam ; Holly Oak ; Sweet Chestnut ; Beech ; Cut-leaved Beech ; Larch ; Cedar of Lebanon ; Scots Pine.
The Eglinton Tournament
Eglinton is best remembered for the lavish, if ill-fated Eglinton Tournament, a medieval-style tournament organised in 1839 by the 13th Earl. The expense and extent of the preparations became news across Scotland, and the railway line was even opened in advance of its official opening to ferry guests to Eglinton. Although high summer, in typical Scottish style torrential rain washed the proceedings out, despite the participants, in full period dress, gamely attempting to participate in events such as jousting. Amongst the participants was Prince Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte.The demise of the castle
The immense cost of upkeep, the poor condition of the castle and death duties took their toll on the family finances; the castle was abandoned in 1925. De-roofed in 1926, the lead being removed and sold, after a house contents sale in December 1925, and progressively ruinous, the building finally came to an undignified end during the Second World War when it was seriously damaged during army training held there. The army also partly destroyed the iron bridge running to the old walled gardens.Image:Eglintoune castle west view.jpg|thumb|190px|left|Eglintoune castle from the west, prior to the rebuild of 1805.
The 1925 house sale by Dowell's Limited, included 1,960 items auctioned, raising £7,004 19s 6d. The auction catalogue provides an interesting insight into the feelings of the family at this sad time, with much of the Montgomerie history sold off, such as the 13th Earl's suit of armour from the tournament, the panel from the door of the murdered 10th Earl's coach and many paintings of the family and the castle, including a portrait of that great beauty, Susanna Kennedy, Countess of Eglinton. The family moved to Skelmorlie Castle near Largs in 1925.
Architects' drawings from March 1930 survive for plans to adapt the stable buildings as a residence for the Earl of Eglinton and Winton.
Substantial remains of the castle survived WW2, however the buildings were rationalised in 1973 and only one main tower was kept, together with some outer wall, foundations and parts of the castle wings.
Eglinton Castle is said by one of the gardeners to have had a room which was never opened. In about 1925 a young man from Kilwinning decided to take some of the panelling from a room in the castle as it was all being allowed to rot in the rain anyway, since the roof had been removed. He went to the castle to take away as much as he could carry, however one of the last pieces he selected left exposed the skeletal hand of a woman. The whole skeleton was later removed by a student doctor, but for fear of prosecution the matter was never reported to the police.