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Gadgirth Old Ha' facts for kids

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Gadgirth Old Ha'
Gadgirth, Annbank, South Ayrshire, Scotland
River Ayr at Gadgirth Holm, By Annbank, South Ayrshire.jpg
River Ayr at Gadgirth Holm
Coordinates 55°27′54″N 4°31′22″W / 55.464893°N 4.5228532°W / 55.464893; -4.5228532
Type Castle
Site information
Owner Private land
Open to
the public
No
Condition Sections of wall only
Site history
Built Pre 14th Century
Built by Chalmer
Materials Masonry

The castle known as Gadgirth Old Ha' or Gadgirth Old Hall, was the first castle at Gadgirth, held by the Chalmer family, standing on a whinstone promontory overlooking the River Ayr in the Parish of Coylton, the old district of Kyle, now part of South Ayrshire, Scotland.

Location

This archaeological site lies on the southern side of the River Ayr near the B742 road that crosses the River Ayr at Gadgirth Bridge and runs up to Annbank. The castle jutts into the river on a rocky promontory with an islet located within the river at this point.

Description

Oldhall Woods, Gadgirth, South Ayrshire, Scotland
Oldhall Woods and the site of Old Ha'

The Gadgirth Old Ha' consists of a section of masonry held together with lime mortar set against the crag and another small section, circa 2.3m long and a maximum height of 1.5m high enclosing the area of circa 8.7m by 6m, apparently a corner of the building. On the sides not protected by the river are the remnants of a fosse, moat or ditch and a drawbridge is said to have been located here. The approximate dimensions of the main wall are 5.5m in length and 3.5m height.

The historian John Smith in the 1890s visited the site and stated that only a short stretch of wall could be traced. The other castle in the district was at Martnaham.

History

Little is known of the history of this castle site, once held by the ancestors of the Chalmer, originally the De Camera family, which was replaced by their later 14th century Gadgirth Castle that stood around 500 metres or a quarter of a mile upstream on the same southern side of the River Ayr until demolished in 1808. Reginaldus de Camera (Chalmer) is recorded to have held the Barony of Gadgirth during the reign of William the Lion (1165-1214).

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