Kilmaurs Place
Kilmaurs Place, The Place or Kilmaurs House, is an old mansion house and the ruins of Kilmaurs Tower are partly incorporated, Kilmaurs, East Ayrshire, Scotland. The house stands on a prominence above the Carmel Water and has a commanding view of the surrounding area. Once the seat of the Cunningham Earls of Glencairn, it ceased to be the main residence after 1484 when Finlaystone became the family seat. Not to be confused with Kilmaurs Castle that stood on the lands of Jocksthorn Farm.
The History of Kilmaurs Place.
Introduction
The ruined part of the buildings seen today are from Kilmaurs Tower that replaced the original Kilmaurs Castle that was located near Jocksthorn. The later tower castle at Kilmaurs Place was "the ane ancient, strong building, belonging to the Earl of Glencairne, environed with a fair parke, called Carmell wod, from the watter of Carmell that runs by it." Kilmaurs Place, a replacement for Kilmaurs Tower at this site, was begun by William Cunningham, 9th Earl of Glencairn, Lord Chancellor of Scotland. A most extensive and imposing building was intended, however financial problems and his unexpected death resulted the abandonment of the original design; today's structure represents the remnants of the unfinished mansion.The Statistical Account of 1791–1799 states that "...the house known by the name of the Place, was poffeffed by them, where the late Chancellor had laid the foundation of a very extenfive building, and executed part of it; but from embarraffments of fortune, from which he expected to be relieved by Government, in whofe service, he incurred them, was obliged to give up the plan."
Kilmaurs Place is said by the Royal Commission, following McNaught, to be a 17th-century mansion abutting the East wall of its predecessor, Kilmaurs Tower, the construction works on the previous building having ceased upon the death of the 9th Earl of Glencairn. Tranter regards it as having been erected against the east wall of its predecessor, Kilmaurs Tower.
Adamson in 1875 calls the building 'My Lord's Place' and goes on to say that "With the exception of the mansion-house which is in an excellent state of preservation, blocks of masonry adjacent to it are much decayed, and at first sight seem the remains of a large building that time has shattered and almost leveled to the ground. But this is not the case. The seeming ruins are nothing more than the remnant of the walls of an elegant structure which was in the course of erection during the lifetime of the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, William, ninth 9th Earl of Glencairn." Hume describes The Place as being built in around 1620, with a T-plan and a turnpike stair leading to the upper levels in the projecting jamb. He sees the ruins as being part of the tower that preceded the existing house.
McMichael regards the remains as being the ruins of the old castle. Tranter sees the picturesque mansion as being erected against the East wall of its predecessor, the Kilmaurs Tower. In 1935 it was occupied by the tenants of the adjoining farm and the internally he noted that many alterations had taken place. Salter regards the present house as having been built on the site of an older castle. Davis sees the whole range as possibly being the lower floor of an unfinished palace of 16th-century date. Close in 2012 sees the ruins as being part of a tower house of the 15th century and the main building a mansion house dating from around 1630 with some features in common with the 1643 Fenwick Parish Church.
Kilmaurs House and the Cunninghams of Robertland
In March 1537 David Cuninghame of Robertland raised an action against William, Lord Semple for spoilation. In July 1520 Lord Semple led a raid on Kilmaurs and is accused of wrongful, violent and masterful spoilation of David Cunninghame and his servants and followers by seizing "" He is said to have taken jewels, silver, gold, some as coins and other items from the house and lands. A dozen "" are specifically mentioned.In July 1616 William, Lord Kilmaurs, conveyed "the lands of Coktress, the manorplace of Kilmaurs, the Waird, Quhatfauld, Bathe, Jakisthorn, etc.," to David Cunningham of Robertland. and the property was in use by William Logan, the Robertland Estate Factor, when a series of letters were written here from May 1774 to 1784.
Kilmaurs House and the Montgomerie family
The remainder of the Barony of Kilmaurs, together with 'The Place' was purchased by Alexander, 9th Earl of Eglinton from William Cunningham, 12th Earl of Glencairn, circa 1720. The term 'Kilmaurs House' was used at this time.It was occupied at one time by Susanna Montgomery, Lady Eglinton, dowager Countess of Eglinton. It was traditional and practical for a dowager to move out of the family seat and dwell within a dower house. Susanna as dowager countess seems to have first moved to Kilmaurs Place and she later, after 1762, moved to Auchans House near Dundonald, South Ayrshire. Letters from 1751 to 1762 are recorded as being written at Kilmars and from 1765 they are recorded as being written at Auchans House.
Susanna wrote a description of Kilmaurs House to one of her daughters, Lady Mary Murray, in the winter of 1751; illustrating its condition at the time of her taking up occupancy:
In 1762 she writes in a letter to her son-in-law James Moray of Abercairney that her son has given her Auchans House and that she was about to repair it. Millar records that after the murder, by gauger Mungo Campbell, of her son Alexander, tenth Earl of Eglintoun, in 1769, she retired from the position which she held in society; and when her second son Archibald was married in 1772, she took up her residence permanently at Auchans.
In 1820 the property was owned by Lady Montgomery Burgess, grand-daughter of the 9th Earl of Eglinton.
William Logan, the Robertland Estate Factor lived at Kilmaurs Place and employed a Robert Burnes and wrote a series of letters from May 1774 to 1784 to his employer that sometimes refer to Robert, uncle of the poet. Logan later lived at Thorntoun House. In 1793 Captain Ralston, of Warwickhill resided in Kilmaurs House / The Place.
In 1786 the 14th Earl of Glencairn sold The Place to the Marchioness of Titchfield.
The Place and Morton Park, part of the old estate, was gifted to the people of Kilmaurs by Lady Sophia Montgomerie, daughter of the 14th Earl of Eglinton; she died in 1942. It was named however after the Morton family of Lochgreen in 1921, the official opening being on 9 September 1922. The house was later sold and passed into general ownership.
The Maak's Well
The Monk's or Mack's Well water runs into the Carmel beneath Kilmaurs Place. It is said that many years ago the laird tried to prevent the local people from using the well. It dried up until the lord changed his mind, but has run continuously ever since. Stepping stones gave access from the other bank until a footbridge was built in 1824. The local pronunciation is close to 'Mank's well.'One summer the Carmel almost dried up, but the Maak's well did not, and locals farmers brought their carts up the riverbed to collect water in barrels, etc. In 2013 the well no longer runs into the Carmel Water following new railings being installed at the stream bank.
Etymology
The modern view is that the name Kilmaurs itself is derived from the Gaelic Cil Mor Ais, meaning 'Hill of the Great Cairn', rather than being the 'Cell' of Saint Maurs.Kilmaurs as the Clan Cunningham seat
Sir William Cunningham of Kilmaurs, married Margaret Denniston of Glencairn & Finlaystone in the late 14th-century and from this time Kilmaurs became increasing less significant as a family seat, Finlaystone being the preferred home. Sir William's grandson, Alexander Cunningham, was created Ist Earl of Glencairn on 28 May 1488. The Cunningham chiefs had a much reduced connection with the barony of Kilmaurs after 1484 when Finlaystone became the de facto family seat.Sir William had married Margaret Denniston who was the sole heir to Sir Robert Denniston in 1405 and the dowry included the baronies of Denniston and Finlaystone in Renfrewshire, the lands of Kilmaronock in Dumbartonshire, and the barony of Glencairn in Dumfrieshire. In 1545 Kerelaw Castle was the summer dwelling of the Earl of Glencairn and Finlaystone was the winter abode. The Cunninghams of Hill of Beith Castle and Caddel were a cadet branch of the Cunninghams of Kilmaurs.
William Cunningham of Kilmaurs (1610–1664), 9th Earl of Glencairn
was at first a loyal supporter of Charles I and for this reason he was forced to forfeit his title to the Scottish Parliament; but in time he realized the possibility of Scotland being drawn into the feud between Charles and his Parliament in London, upon which his support for this absolute monarch quickly diminished. William's title was restored and following the execution of Charles I, he fought with the Highland clans against General Monck when Oliver Cromwell invaded Scotland.Following a personal duel and skirmishes in the ranks he withdrew his forces. He thereafter fought Monk's columns at Dumbarton where overwhelming odds forced him to surrender on honorable terms. He returned home but was thrown into prison on suspicion of plotting, being mistrusted by Archbishop Sharp. Following the Restoration, Charles II rewarded him with the appointment of Privy Councilor. A few years later in 1660 he was elevated to Lord Chancellor, during which time he started to enlarge Kilmaurs Place. Further political intrigues reduced his power and standing greatly and he died a disillusioned man. The large vaulted room in Kilmaurs Place is known as the 'Chancellor's Hall or Study.'
His second wife was Lady Margaret Montgomerie, daughter of the 6th Earl of Eglinton. It is recorded that upon his death she had his head removed and kept it in her chamber with instructions that it should be placed in her coffin when she died. In the 1780s when the vault was opened to bury Hamilton of Bardowie the reddish coloured skull of the 9th Earl was encountered.