The history of Rowallan castle Rowallan Castle

1 history of rowallan castle

1.1 owners
1.2 origins
1.3 construction , other details

1.3.1 row allan, row!


1.4 covenanting times
1.5 rowallan

the history of rowallan castle
owners

the castle , barony has been owned or held medieval muir family, (boyle) earls of glasgow, (campbell) earls of loudoun, (corbett) barons rowallan, , more property developer, niall campbell; has said planning make changes enabling used golfer s accommodation , has given rise concern. said earliest piece of lute music written @ rowallan. said have been visited unfortunate king james of scotland when on way edinburgh england. first mure holder, sir j. gilchrist mure buried in mure aisle @ kilmarnock.

origins

the original castle thought date 13th century. rowallan said birth place of elizabeth mure (muir), first wife of robert, high steward, later robert ii of scotland.

in 1513 john mure of rowallan killed @ battle of flodden. in 1513 rowallan estate took present day form.

in 1690 estate home campbells of loudoun, held 19th century. former tower of polkelly lay near rowallan , held mures, time passed second son until passed marriage cunninghams of cunninghamhead.

construction , other details

rowallan castle today



william aiton s map of 1811 showing rowellan (sic)

the castle built around small knoll , once stood in small loch or swampy area, fed carmel burn. southern front of castle erected year 1562 john mure of rowallan , lady, marion cuninghame, of family of cuninghamhead. information appears inscription on marriage stone or tablet @ top of wall: - jon.mvr. m.cvgm. spvsis 1562. family coat of arms lies right. crest of mure s moore s head, sculptured near coat of arms. no doubt rebus or jeu-de-mot on mure name, suggested reference feat performed in crusades against saracens. royal arms of scotland, blazoned, carved on main entrance, shields of cumin family, whom mures claim descent. on ornamented gateway stone date 1616 inscribed upon it.

engraving of castle james fittler in scotia depicta, published 1804

over doorway of porch inscription in hebrew using hebrew characters read lord portion of mine inheritance , of cup, psalms. xvi, verse 5. such inscription rare unique. doctor bonar, moderator of free church of scotland, put effort deciphering , translating it. @ front of castle stood perfect example of old loupin-on-stane. fine abundant pure water present @ rowallan. king william s located in policies of rowallan.

one of rooms called lord loudoun s sleeping apartment , adamson records every room throughout house has walls covered names , addresses of visitors. have left poems or have recorded details of visit in verse.

sir john , sir william muir took great pleasure in erection of various parts of rowallan, , record kept of portions completed each. of attention taken planting of castle policies.

part of castle known woman s house indicating time when gender separation norm privileged classes, reflected in decoration of these apartments , sewing , other work undertaken ladies of house.

in 1691 hearth tax records show castle had twenty-two hearths , eighteen other dwellings associated castle , lands.

edith rawdon-hastings, 10th countess of loudoun, fond of rowallan , spent considerable sums repairing castle in 19th century. without efforts building not have survived down present day.

row allan, row!

in connection rebus mentioned, tale told of 1 allan of stewarton rowing scottish chief off ayrshire coast. weather made turn worse , chief became anxious. chief in fear of ocean said allan, row, allan row! bear me safety , have rich lands of carmelside, wuth silver build castle. hill , valley , rivers of fish yours .... row, allan, row! allan won prize , named estate rowallan after adventure. same story told in form of poem written rev. george paxton kilmaurs, pastor of secession church 1789 - 1807.

rowallan castle in 1866


covenanting times

sir william mure wrote history of family , though ardent covenanter, opposed execution of charles i, writing elegy upon death. conventicles not infrequently held within mansion, position anciently called craig of rowallan. this, fell under suspicion of government, , on several occasions suffered imprisonment. part of old castle called auld kirk in memory of covenanting days. stated, sir william befriended covenanters, , as possible protected tenantry tyranny of troopers scoured countryside @ period. intimate rev. william guthrie of fenwick, preached upon several occasions in auld kirk of castle.

in 1640s alasdair mac colla had been sent montrose suppress support covenanting cause. based in kilmarnock, plundered ayrshire countryside days , demanded financial penalties. sir william mure s penalty preventing further plundering @ rowallan 1,000 merks; damage having been done.

rowallan

16th-century oak door rowallan castle, royal scottish museum