Dunduff Castle, South Ayrshire
Encyclopedia
Dunduff Castle, South Ayrshire is a restored stair-tower situated on the hillside of Brown Carrick Hills above the Drumbane Burn, and overlooking the sea above Dunure
, Parish of Maybole
, Scotland.
. Other suggestions are that 'Duff' is a personal name, therefore 'Fort of Duff' or 'Black Hill fort' from the Gaelic 'Dun Dùbh'.
Glennie identifies Dunduff Castle with Dindywydd, a site mentioned by Aneirin
or Neirin, a Dark Age Brythonic poet, in one of his Arthurian poems as preserved in a late-13th century manuscript known as the Book of Aneirin.
. An intermediate floor once existed, as indicated by joist sockets. Window and door features of the original ruin suggest construction in the late 16th and early 17th century.
The General Roy map of 1747-55 shows a Dunduff Mill associated with the castle; this mill is also recorded in a charter of 1581. William Aiton's map of 1808 shows Dunduff Castle, however it is not annotated as a ruin, although Dunure is.
Groome refers to the ruin in 1903 as a baronial fortalice.
There is therefore some considerable doubt that Dunduff Castle was ever completed. Abercrummie in A Description of Carrict lists Dunduff among the houses of the Gentry in Carrick as:-
In 1891 the Rev R Lawson in his book, Places of Interest about Maybole with Sketches of Persons of Interest, states:-
and their septs, together with the other castles in the area, namely Greenan, Dunure, Kilhenzie, Doonside, Sauchrie, Craigskean, Beoch, Auchendrane, Garryhorne, Brockloch, and Smithstone. To make the point he quotes:
The first written record of Dunduff is in the reign of William the Lion
(1165–1214) at which time Walter Champenais de Karrig made a grant of land at Dunduff to the monks of Melrose
.
In 1581 the properties associated with Dunduff are the 12 merk lands, the grain mill of Dunduff, the 10 merk lands of Glentig, with its grainmill, the 5 and a half merk lands of Mekill Sallauchan, and the 4 merk lands of Little Sallauchan.
.
The next record is that of William Stewart, second Laird of Dunduff in 1558, his wife being Elizabeth Corry. The correct family name seems to have been Stewart, however they often used the name Dunduff as a surname. Paterson speculated that they obtained the property through marriage with an heiress with the surname Dunduff. Matthew, third laird, was born at Dunduff in 1560, inherited the property from his father William in 1580, and is referred to as 'Dunduff of that Ilk.'
In the 16th century the master of Cassilis (younger brother of the earl) enter into a bond with the laird of Dunduff (Matthew Stewart) and the laird of Auchindraine to murder his brother, the Earl of Culzean; all three had suffered at his hands. Thomas Kennedy of Bargany, who liberated Alan Stewart Commendator of Crossraguel from Gilbert Kennedy, Earl of Cassilis
, and the 'black vault' of Dunure, was an ancestor of the Lairds of Dunduff.
The Laird of Bargany then had a property dispute with the earl over the lands of Newark, which resulted in a fourth member joining the group and an attempt on the life of Culzean being made. On 1 January 1598 the earl dined at supper with Sir Thomas Nasmyth at Maybole and the plotters and their servants lay in wait, however despite eight shots being fired at him, the earl escaped unharmed, having run away through the streets of Maybole with the benefit of a dark and murky night for concealment.
The result of this incident for the Laird of Dunduff was that he was held briefly in Edinburgh Castle and was then banished from Scotland, England, Ireland and all the Isles and fined 1000 merks. This sentence was either evaded or not enforced and upon his return the laird and the earl settled their disagreements and became friends; he died in 1609. George, brother of Matthew was murdered by John Glendoning of Drumraschein 1601.
William Stewart, the fourth laird inherited the lands from his father. In 1668, it is recorded that the John, the fifth (and last) Stewart Laird of Dunduff and his brother William were prevented, being opposed to Oliver Cromwell and supporting the crown, from renewing the covenant and shortly after the property was sold and passed into the hands of the Whiteford family. John's sister inherited Mount Stewart
and her daughter was Alice, Countess of Wicklow
.
until 1689. Originally Walter was given the lands of Whitefoord by Alexander III
, following his actions at the Battle of Largs
in 1263. James Whiteford of Dunduff (d 1697) married Isabel Blair, a daughter of Sir Bryce Blair of that Ilk. Another James Whiteford is recorded in charters of 1700 and 1714; a Bryce Whiteford of Dunduff and Cloncaird (d 1726) married Elizabeth Cuninghame, daughter of Sir David Cuninghame of Cloncaird.
A James Whiteford of Dunduff held lands at Drumfadd in 1757 and a Lady Dunduff, widow of Bryce Whiteford before 1750, is recorded as living in Ayr in 1767, dying in 1775 at the age of 85. The title 'lady' was often given as a mark of respect to elderly widows whose husbands were not enobled, such as the wives of lairds. The family possessed other estates at one time, such as Blairquhan Castle
, then known as Whiteford Castle, Whitefoord Tower, Cloncaird Castle and Ballochmyle. The family now live in Shropshire, England.
A Walter Whyteford (Sic) became Laird of Fail
in 1619, the grant to him of the old Fail monastery
being ratified in 1621 by parliament. The Wallaces of Craigie
had expected to inherit the property.
, known as Fort Dunduff and later as the Manor of Mount-Stewart. Sir William had the power to create tenures, and to appoint court baron and court leet.
Mount-Stewart passed to the family of the Countess of Wicklow, Alice Forward
.
Mount-Stewart in Donegal should not be confused with Mount Stewart
in County Down, Northern Ireland, which was latterly the home of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of Londonderry.
fort or motte with this name on a separate rocky knoll about 170m west of the castle. The structure has a medial ditch, once of significant depth and two ramparts; its sides are precipitous and rocky, except next to the rampart. A local tradition states that he Danes fought here and also associates the Danes with the construction of a castle at Dunure.
and Brabant
(c.1630) was ploughed up near Dunduff Castle.
, who lived c.453-525 Other Ayrshire dedications included Giffen and Trearne
, Irvine
, Sundrum
, Ardrossan
, West Kilbride
and South Kilbride
near Stewarton
. Kirkebride at Larges (sic) had belonged to the Cistercian foundation of St Mary of North Berwick
, together with 52 acres (210,436.7 m²) of land and a salt pan
. The name 'Larges' was the secular name of the area and was once used to describe much of the old parish; it survives in the name of Largs Farm.
In 1928, amongst the rubble, a cross was found carved on a slab. The stone had a chamfered edge and the cross bore an unusual lozenge-shape, cut out at the centre. It may have been the consecration stone of the chapel and was dated as possibly 12th century. The whereabouts of this cross is at present unknown.
The church was abandoned after the parish of Kirkbride merged with that of Maybole and was ruinous by 1696. In 2010 only some ruins remain together with the churchyard and its gravestones. A field next to the church is known as the 'Priest's Land' and Groome states that the cemetery was still in use as late as 1903.
Dunure
Dunure is a small village in the South Ayrshire area of Scotland. Located on the coast of the Firth of Clyde, Dunure is near to Maybole.-The villages:...
, Parish of Maybole
Maybole
Maybole is a burgh of barony and police burgh of South Ayrshire, Scotland. Pop. 4,552. It is situated south of Ayr and southwest of Glasgow by the Glasgow and South Western Railway. ...
, Scotland.
History
As a place name 'Dunduff' may contain the Gaelic elements for 'hill or fort' and 'stag' as in Dundaff near FintryFintry
Fintry is a small village in central Scotland, nestled in the strath of the Endrick Water between the Campsie Fells and the Fintry Hills, some 19 miles north of Glasgow. It is within the local government council area of Stirling...
. Other suggestions are that 'Duff' is a personal name, therefore 'Fort of Duff' or 'Black Hill fort' from the Gaelic 'Dun Dùbh'.
Glennie identifies Dunduff Castle with Dindywydd, a site mentioned by Aneirin
Aneirin
Aneirin or Neirin was a Dark Age Brythonic poet. He is believed to have been a bard or 'court poet' in one of the Cumbric kingdoms of the Old North or Hen Ogledd, probably that of Gododdin at Edinburgh, in modern Scotland...
or Neirin, a Dark Age Brythonic poet, in one of his Arthurian poems as preserved in a late-13th century manuscript known as the Book of Aneirin.
The castle ruins
Lying to the east of Dunduff Farm on a rocky knoll, this tower castle was built to an L-shaped plan, with a square three floored stair-tower in the re-entrant angle on the south. Three barrel-vaulted chambers are on the ground floor and these were accessed via the lobby of the tower. A private chamber on the first floor was accessed by a corridor that ran the length of the main block. A fireplace in the wing heated the hall, with its splayed window embrasureEmbrasure
In military architecture, an embrasure is the opening in a crenellation or battlement between the two raised solid portions or merlons, sometimes called a crenel or crenelle...
. An intermediate floor once existed, as indicated by joist sockets. Window and door features of the original ruin suggest construction in the late 16th and early 17th century.
The General Roy map of 1747-55 shows a Dunduff Mill associated with the castle; this mill is also recorded in a charter of 1581. William Aiton's map of 1808 shows Dunduff Castle, however it is not annotated as a ruin, although Dunure is.
Groome refers to the ruin in 1903 as a baronial fortalice.
Abandonment
In 1696 the castle was recorded as being nearly finished. Smith sees it has having been left unfinished. The cartographers show a Dunduff Castle as entire from Pont's maps (1560–1614) until the advent of Armstrong's map of 1775, which marks Dunduff as a ruin.There is therefore some considerable doubt that Dunduff Castle was ever completed. Abercrummie in A Description of Carrict lists Dunduff among the houses of the Gentry in Carrick as:-
"a house on the coast never finished"
In 1891 the Rev R Lawson in his book, Places of Interest about Maybole with Sketches of Persons of Interest, states:-
On the hill side above stand the ruins of the unfinished castle of Dunduff a local illustration of that searching question of our Lord's—" Which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish."
Restoration
The ruins were consolidated and the tower completely restored for use as a family residence in the 1990s. Ian Begg produced the design for the restoration.The Lairds and lands of Dunduff
Smith sees Dunduff as having been a castle of the Kennedy clanClan Kennedy
Clan Kennedy is a Scottish clan and an Irish surname.-Origins:The Kennedys had their home territory in Carrick in Ayrshire, in southwestern Scotland. Originally they were of Pictish/Norse stock from the Western Isles. In the fifteenth century, one Ulric Kennedy fled Ayrshire to Lochaber in the...
and their septs, together with the other castles in the area, namely Greenan, Dunure, Kilhenzie, Doonside, Sauchrie, Craigskean, Beoch, Auchendrane, Garryhorne, Brockloch, and Smithstone. To make the point he quotes:
The first written record of Dunduff is in the reign of William the Lion
William I of Scotland
William the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
(1165–1214) at which time Walter Champenais de Karrig made a grant of land at Dunduff to the monks of Melrose
Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose. Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Scotland...
.
In 1581 the properties associated with Dunduff are the 12 merk lands, the grain mill of Dunduff, the 10 merk lands of Glentig, with its grainmill, the 5 and a half merk lands of Mekill Sallauchan, and the 4 merk lands of Little Sallauchan.
The Stewart lairds
The first Laird of Dunduff was William Stewart, married to Isobel Ker. In 1528 he was the Scottish Ambassador to France as appointed by James V; he died in 1552. His father was Sir Andrew Stewart, second Lord Evondale, first Lord of the Bedchamber to King James IV. The family traced its line directly to King Robert II of ScotlandRobert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
.
The next record is that of William Stewart, second Laird of Dunduff in 1558, his wife being Elizabeth Corry. The correct family name seems to have been Stewart, however they often used the name Dunduff as a surname. Paterson speculated that they obtained the property through marriage with an heiress with the surname Dunduff. Matthew, third laird, was born at Dunduff in 1560, inherited the property from his father William in 1580, and is referred to as 'Dunduff of that Ilk.'
In the 16th century the master of Cassilis (younger brother of the earl) enter into a bond with the laird of Dunduff (Matthew Stewart) and the laird of Auchindraine to murder his brother, the Earl of Culzean; all three had suffered at his hands. Thomas Kennedy of Bargany, who liberated Alan Stewart Commendator of Crossraguel from Gilbert Kennedy, Earl of Cassilis
Gilbert Kennedy, 4th Earl of Cassilis
Gilbert Kennedy, 4th Earl of Cassilis, PC was a Scottish peer, the son of Gilbert Kennedy, 3rd Earl of Cassilis. He succeeded to the titles of 6th Lord Kennedy and 4th Earl of Cassillis on 28 November 1558...
, and the 'black vault' of Dunure, was an ancestor of the Lairds of Dunduff.
The Laird of Bargany then had a property dispute with the earl over the lands of Newark, which resulted in a fourth member joining the group and an attempt on the life of Culzean being made. On 1 January 1598 the earl dined at supper with Sir Thomas Nasmyth at Maybole and the plotters and their servants lay in wait, however despite eight shots being fired at him, the earl escaped unharmed, having run away through the streets of Maybole with the benefit of a dark and murky night for concealment.
The result of this incident for the Laird of Dunduff was that he was held briefly in Edinburgh Castle and was then banished from Scotland, England, Ireland and all the Isles and fined 1000 merks. This sentence was either evaded or not enforced and upon his return the laird and the earl settled their disagreements and became friends; he died in 1609. George, brother of Matthew was murdered by John Glendoning of Drumraschein 1601.
William Stewart, the fourth laird inherited the lands from his father. In 1668, it is recorded that the John, the fifth (and last) Stewart Laird of Dunduff and his brother William were prevented, being opposed to Oliver Cromwell and supporting the crown, from renewing the covenant and shortly after the property was sold and passed into the hands of the Whiteford family. John's sister inherited Mount Stewart
Mount Stewart
Mount Stewart is an 18th-century house and garden in County Down, Northern Ireland, owned by the National Trust. Situated on the east shore of Strangford Lough, a few miles outside the town of Newtownards and near Greyabbey, it was the home of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of...
and her daughter was Alice, Countess of Wicklow
Earl of Wicklow
Earl of Wicklow was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1793 for Alice Howard, Dowager Viscountess Wicklow. Born Alice Forward, she was the daughter of William Forward, Member of the Irish House of Commons for the County Donegal constituency, and the widow of Ralph Howard, 1st...
.
The Whiteford or Whitefoord lairds
The family of Quhitefoord or Whiteford held lands of this name in the south-east of PaisleyPaisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
until 1689. Originally Walter was given the lands of Whitefoord by Alexander III
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
, following his actions at the Battle of Largs
Battle of Largs
The Battle of Largs was an engagement fought between the armies of Norway and Scotland near the present-day town of Largs in North Ayrshire on the Firth of Clyde in Scotland on 2 October 1263. It was the most important military engagement of the Scottish-Norwegian War. The Norwegian forces were...
in 1263. James Whiteford of Dunduff (d 1697) married Isabel Blair, a daughter of Sir Bryce Blair of that Ilk. Another James Whiteford is recorded in charters of 1700 and 1714; a Bryce Whiteford of Dunduff and Cloncaird (d 1726) married Elizabeth Cuninghame, daughter of Sir David Cuninghame of Cloncaird.
A James Whiteford of Dunduff held lands at Drumfadd in 1757 and a Lady Dunduff, widow of Bryce Whiteford before 1750, is recorded as living in Ayr in 1767, dying in 1775 at the age of 85. The title 'lady' was often given as a mark of respect to elderly widows whose husbands were not enobled, such as the wives of lairds. The family possessed other estates at one time, such as Blairquhan Castle
Blairquhan Castle
Blairquhan is a Regency-era castle near Maybole in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is the historic home of the Hunter-Blair Baronets and remains in the family's possession...
, then known as Whiteford Castle, Whitefoord Tower, Cloncaird Castle and Ballochmyle. The family now live in Shropshire, England.
A Walter Whyteford (Sic) became Laird of Fail
Tarbolton
Tarbolton is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland.- Meaning of place-name :Tarbolton has been suggested as having one of three meanings:...
in 1619, the grant to him of the old Fail monastery
Fail Monastery
Fail Monstery, occasionally known as Failford Abbey, had a dedication to 'Saint Mary', and was located at Fail on the bank of the Water of Fail, Parish of Tarbolton near the town of Tarbolton, South Ayrshire...
being ratified in 1621 by parliament. The Wallaces of Craigie
Craigie Castle, Ayrshire
Craigie Castle in the old Barony of Craigie, is a ruined fortification situated about southeast of Kilmarnock and southeast of Craigie village, in the Parish of Craigie, South Ayrshire, Scotland....
had expected to inherit the property.
The Irish connection
William Stewart, 4th Laird of Dunduff, was born circa 1580 and became a baronet. Sir William had applied for land in Ulster and was granted 1000 acres (4 km²); this was during the 'plantation period' under King James VI (James I of England). These lands were in County Donegal known as Coolaghy in the Barony of RaphoeRaphoe
Raphoe is a town in County Donegal, part of the province of Ulster in Ireland. It is the main town in the fertile district of East Donegal known as the Laggan, as well as giving its name to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raphoe and the Church of Ireland Diocese of Derry and Raphoe.-Name:Raphoe,...
, known as Fort Dunduff and later as the Manor of Mount-Stewart. Sir William had the power to create tenures, and to appoint court baron and court leet.
Mount-Stewart passed to the family of the Countess of Wicklow, Alice Forward
Earl of Wicklow
Earl of Wicklow was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1793 for Alice Howard, Dowager Viscountess Wicklow. Born Alice Forward, she was the daughter of William Forward, Member of the Irish House of Commons for the County Donegal constituency, and the widow of Ralph Howard, 1st...
.
Mount-Stewart in Donegal should not be confused with Mount Stewart
Mount Stewart
Mount Stewart is an 18th-century house and garden in County Down, Northern Ireland, owned by the National Trust. Situated on the east shore of Strangford Lough, a few miles outside the town of Newtownards and near Greyabbey, it was the home of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of...
in County Down, Northern Ireland, which was latterly the home of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of Londonderry.
Associated archaeology
The Dane's Hill
Smith and others record an Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
fort or motte with this name on a separate rocky knoll about 170m west of the castle. The structure has a medial ditch, once of significant depth and two ramparts; its sides are precipitous and rocky, except next to the rampart. A local tradition states that he Danes fought here and also associates the Danes with the construction of a castle at Dunure.
Finds
A crown-size coin of Albert and Elizabeth of BrugesBruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
and Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
(c.1630) was ploughed up near Dunduff Castle.
Dunduff Creek
The exact location has been lost, however in 1655 a 'Dunduff Creek' is recorded as being in use as a small harbour between Dunure and the Heads of Ayr.Kirkbride
To the west of the castle, just beyond Dunduff Farm, are the rectangular shaped ruins of the pre-reformation church, dedicated to St Brigid, the Irish Saint from KildareKildare
-External links:*******...
, who lived c.453-525 Other Ayrshire dedications included Giffen and Trearne
Barony and Castle of Giffen
The Barony of Giffen and its associated 15th-century castle were in the parish of Beith in the former District of Cunninghame, now North Ayrshire. The site may be spelled Giffen or Giffin and lay within the Lordship of Giffin, which included the Baronies of Giffen, Trearne, Hessilhead, Broadstone,...
, Irvine
Irvine, North Ayrshire
Irvine is a new town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. According to 2007 population estimates, the town is home to 39,527 inhabitants, making it the biggest settlement in North Ayrshire....
, Sundrum
Coylton
Coylton is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located east of Ayr, and west of Drongan, on the A70. Sundrum Castle Holiday Park is located to the west of the village, in the grounds of Sundrum Castle, which partly dates to the 13th century...
, Ardrossan
Ardrossan
Ardrossan is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in south-western Scotland. The name "Ardrossan" describes its physical position — 'ard' from the Gaelic àird meaning headland, 'ros' a promontory and the diminutive suffix '-an' - headland of the little promontory...
, West Kilbride
West Kilbride
West Kilbride is a village in North Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland by the Firth of Clyde, looking across the water to Goat Fell and the Isle of Arran...
and South Kilbride
Chapeltoun
Chapeltoun is an estate on the banks of the Annick Water in East Ayrshire, Scotland. This is a rural area famous for its milk and cheese production and the Ayrshire or Dunlop breed of cattle.-Templeton and the Knights Templar:...
near Stewarton
Stewarton
Stewarton is a town in East Ayrshire, Scotland. In comparison to the neighbouring towns of Kilmaurs, Fenwick, Dunlop and Lugton, it is a relatively large town, with a population of over 6,500. It is 300 feet above sea level.Groome, Francis H. . Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland. Pub. Caxton. London....
. Kirkebride at Larges (sic) had belonged to the Cistercian foundation of St Mary of North Berwick
North Berwick
The Royal Burgh of North Berwick is a seaside town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately 25 miles east of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the 19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the...
, together with 52 acres (210,436.7 m²) of land and a salt pan
Dry lake
Dry lakes are ephemeral lakebeds, or a remnant of an endorheic lake. Such flats consist of fine-grained sediments infused with alkali salts. Dry lakes are also referred to as alkali flats, sabkhas, playas or mud flats...
. The name 'Larges' was the secular name of the area and was once used to describe much of the old parish; it survives in the name of Largs Farm.
In 1928, amongst the rubble, a cross was found carved on a slab. The stone had a chamfered edge and the cross bore an unusual lozenge-shape, cut out at the centre. It may have been the consecration stone of the chapel and was dated as possibly 12th century. The whereabouts of this cross is at present unknown.
The church was abandoned after the parish of Kirkbride merged with that of Maybole and was ruinous by 1696. In 2010 only some ruins remain together with the churchyard and its gravestones. A field next to the church is known as the 'Priest's Land' and Groome states that the cemetery was still in use as late as 1903.