Gadgirth Old Ha' facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gadgirth Old Ha' |
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| Gadgirth, Annbank, South Ayrshire, Scotland | |
River Ayr at Gadgirth Holm
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| Coordinates | 55°27′54″N 4°31′22″W / 55.464893°N 4.5228532°W |
| 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 |
Gadgirth Old Ha (also called Gadgirth Old Hall) was an old castle in Scotland. It was the very first castle built in the Gadgirth area. The powerful Chalmer family owned it. This castle stood on a rocky cliff, high above the River Ayr. It was located in a place called Coylton Parish, which is now part of South Ayrshire.
Where is Gadgirth Old Ha'?
This ancient castle site is on the south side of the River Ayr. It is close to the B742 road. This road crosses the river at Gadgirth Bridge and goes towards Annbank. The castle's land sticks out into the river. It sits on a rocky point, and there is even a small island in the river nearby.
What Does Gadgirth Old Ha' Look Like Today?
Today, Gadgirth Old Ha' is mostly ruins. You can see a part of a stone wall. This wall is held together with a material called lime mortar. It stands against the rocky cliff. There is also another smaller section of wall. This piece is about 2.3 meters long and 1.5 meters high. It seems to be a corner of the old building. This corner encloses an area about 8.7 meters by 6 meters.
The sides of the castle not protected by the river had a ditch or moat. People believe a drawbridge was once located here. The main wall that remains is about 5.5 meters long and 3.5 meters high.
A historian named John Smith visited the site in the 1890s. He said that only a short piece of the wall could be found even then. Another castle in this area was at Martnaham.
The History of Gadgirth Old Ha'
We don't know much about the early history of this castle. It was once owned by the ancestors of the Chalmer family. They were originally known as the De Camera family. Later, in the 14th century, the Chalmer family built a new castle. This new castle was called Gadgirth Castle. It stood about 500 meters upstream on the same side of the River Ayr. The newer Gadgirth Castle was torn down in 1808.
A person named Reginaldus de Camera (Chalmer) is recorded as owning the Barony of Gadgirth. A "barony" was a large area of land controlled by a baron. This was during the time of King William the Lion (1165-1214).
