Glenapp Castle facts for kids

Glenapp Castle, showing its south-east side.

Glenapp Castle, showing its north-west side.

Glenapp Castle is a beautiful old building in Scotland. It used to be the home of a noble family, the Earl of Inchcape. Today, it is a fancy hotel and restaurant. You can find it about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) south-east of a small town called Ballantrae in South Ayrshire.

A Look Back: History of Glenapp Castle

Glenapp Castle was built for a man named James Hunter. He was a very important local official, known as the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of the County. The castle was finished in 1870. It was designed by a famous Scottish architect named David Bryce.

The castle is a great example of the Scottish Baronial style. This type of architecture looks like old Scottish castles, with towers and turrets. The Inchcape family owned Glenapp Castle from 1917 until the early 1980s.

A brave aviator named Elsie Mackay lived at the castle. She was the daughter of the first Earl of Inchcape. Elsie was a pioneer in flying. Sadly, she passed away in 1928 while trying to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. She was flying a single-engine plane called a Stinson Detroiter.

Glenapp Castle became a hotel in the year 2000. If you want to visit the castle or its grounds, you usually need to have a room or restaurant booking.

Where is Glenapp Castle?

Glenapp Castle is located near Ballantrae in Ayrshire. From the castle, you can see several amazing islands. These include Ailsa Craig, Arran, and the Mull of Kintyre.

The castle is also close to many other interesting places. You can explore the Galloway Forest Park or visit the Mull of Galloway. Other nearby attractions include Culzean Castle and beautiful botanical gardens. Some of these gardens are Logan Gardens and Castle Kennedy Gardens. The castle buildings are almost a mile from the main entrance.