So many things you can see at Eglington Castle. From its’ ruined structure set on the grassy lands of Scotland, view the almost vast gardens that decorate the landscape beside it, then over to the small hovel to where The Earl once showed his slave girls how to do their domestic duties.

Walking through the grounds of Eglington Castle, one can get a sense of history on this land that was once forgotten. Surrounded by 1346 acres of land and gardens, this must have been a massive undertaking to sustain within its self. Its stables baring marks of the Masons, and old pictures of huge rooms that housed Armor and stag antlers showed the prestige of the owners that dwelled inside its halls.

If you search you may find the entrance to the tunnel of Ley. Hidden, and some say is rumored to come from Kilwinning Abbey, beneath the Bean Yaird’, somewhere below the ‘Easter Chaumer. Still has anyone been able to find it but a hint of the entrance is hidden within the burial vault of the Montgomeries. This place is there, but the opening still remains a mystery.

The Owners have long since vanished from this sight. The roof dismantled, and sold in the year 1226. The time when William Wallace had placed English soldiers in the Ardrossan castle dungeon.

You may be able to see where a training army from World War 2 had desecrated the structure completely. The grassy land still sparkles with an emerald shine, showing of Earth’s best green. So much to let your imagination get lost too to think of what once was.

This land stands as park now; a historical landmark testifying of a life that once was. If your quiet you may be able to hear in the winds the jousting tournament that ultimately bankrupted the owners.

The Battle Cries that mustered the Scots to drive the English out. No matter what you hear in those winds, your heart must be humbled by the humanity stains that have touched every plant and soil there at Eglington Castle.

Photo Credit: Scotia

Set on 200 beautiful acres, the history of the castle has its roots back to 1290 and the murders of several Scottish nobles in Ayr by the English. Sir Robert Boyd was among those that were hung. Due to this, his son became an active participant in the Scottish resistance against the English by joining with Scottish patriots, in particular William Wallace, until Wallace’s 1305 execution. At that point, Boyd became a staunch and trusted supporter of Robert the Bruce. In return for Boyd’s loyalty, in 1316 Robert the Bruce gifted Boyd with the Lordship of Kilmarnock. Captured in 1333, Boyd’s death saw his son Thomas take over the Lordship. Thomas built the original keep around 1350 and the Boyd family resided at Dean Castle until a devastating fire gutted it in 1735.

Although the castle was sold many times from 1746, it languished in ruins for a couple of centuries. Undertaking a massive restoration of the castle in 1908, the 8th Lord Howard de Walden completed this labor of love in 1946. In 1935 he added a gatehouse that had not existed previously and was careful to ensure that it was architecturally true to 16th century construction. The 9th Lord Howard de Walden donated this beautiful estate and the family’s incredible collections of weaponry, tapestries, and historical musical instruments to the people of Kilmarnock in 1975.

Opened to the public in 1976, Dean Castle Country Park has expanded and improved upon continually. There is a Pet Corner that is home to a wide variety of birds from ducks and geese to cockatiels. An assortment of animals, including sheep, guinea pigs, pygmy goats, rabbits, a Clydesdale horse, donkeys, and cows, call this home. Up close and personal encounters with the menagerie have delighted many a child. Also for the children is Adventure Playground. This is a place where a child’s imagination can run rampant and they will have the time of their life.

Dean Castle Country Park’s woodland walks are a favorite activity and five trails cover much of the acreage. The flora and fauna will enthrall you as you follow the trails that weave through the estate, taking advantage of the river, fields and woodlands. Each season brings with it ever changing plants and birds that you may spy along the trails.

Spending the day, or several days, at Dean Castle Country Park will heighten your appreciation of the area as well as stretch your budget to go further. An added benefit, if you have young children, is that they will have a great day out and be contented and exhausted at day’s end.

Around 1140, “Cannon Hill” or Ardrossan castle was built by Simon de Morville. Ardrossan castle and its estate were in the possession of the Barclay family until the 1300s when Godfrey Barclay de Ardrossan passed away without an heir. The castle then went to the Eglinton family.

The historic past of Ardrossan Castle is violent and bloody. The castle was the site of the infamous “Wallace’s Larder”. William Wallace lured the English from the safety of the castle walls, slaughtering them and then tossing the bodies into the dungeon.

Seized by Cromwell in 1648, Ardrossan castle was effectively dismantled so Cromwell could send the stones to be used to build a fort in Ayr. Although the ruins still stand, the site is in a dangerous condition. Tourists often visit and explore the ruins.

Ardrossan became an important port in the 1700s and 1800s with the exporting of pig iron and coal to trading partners in the Americas and Europe. Shipbuilding quickly became an established industry and, as people migrated to this thriving area, the population grew. By 1950, all but one of the shipyards had closed with the last shipyard in Ardrossan closing in the 1980s.

As Ardrossan saw its industries close, it suffered from a recessionary period. In 2006 a regeneration project was begun in the area, with Ardrossan being promoted as “the Gateway to Arran”. This project is ongoing and Ardrossan becoming a destination for tourists. In addition, the town is gaining a reputation of being a great seaside town to live in.