Killochan Castle facts for kids
Killochan Castle is a cool old castle from the 1500s. It's a type of building called an L-plan tower house, which means it's shaped like the letter 'L' and was built for defense. You can find it about 3 miles northeast of Girvan in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It's located near the Water of Girvan. This castle is still in great shape and people live in it today! It's even a special "Grade A Listed building," which means it's very important historically.
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History of Killochan Castle
Early Owners: The Cathcarts
The Cathcart family owned the land where Killochan Castle stands for a very long time, starting in the 1300s. A Cathcart named Robert died in a big battle called the battle of Flodden in 1513.
Later, there was a feud between two powerful families, the Kennedys of Cassillis and Bargany. The Cathcarts supported their neighbors, the Bargany Kennedys. John Cathcart, who built the castle we see today, even led the back part of the army at the battle of Pennyglen.
The castle you see now was built in 1581. It probably replaced an older castle that was on the same spot or very close by. In 1586, Jhone Cathcart added more to the tower, including a new wing and two extra floors. Some older buildings were taken down in the 1700s. Then, a beautiful new wing, a courtyard, and a gatehouse were added.
Recent Times: 20th and 21st Century
The Cathcart family lived in the castle off and on until 1954, when they sold it.
In 1997, Princess Viola von Hohenzollern bought the castle. She owned it for many years. In 2010, a magazine called Country Life described the castle. It said Killochan Castle had been updated in the 1990s. It had six main rooms, two bedroom suites, six more bedrooms, and three bathrooms. There was also a separate apartment for a caretaker. The gatehouse had its own living room, kitchen, three bedrooms, and a bathroom. The castle sits on 131 acres of lovely gardens and woods, looking over the Girvan Water.
In October 2012, news came out that the castle had been sold again. Many of the things inside the castle were sold at an auction because the new owner didn't want them. The Princess explained that some items came with the house, and she had added many others herself. The person who bought the castle was said to be a businessman from Saudi Arabia.
In 2020, Killochan Castle was put up for sale once more. Country Life magazine reported that the castle had been completely fixed up and restored five years earlier.
Castle Structure and Design
Killochan Castle is known as one of the best-fortified houses in southern Scotland. The main part of the castle has five floors and runs from east to west. A taller wing extends north from the east end.
In the inner corner where the main block and the wing meet, there is a square tower with stairs. There is also a round tower at one corner. This round tower has a corbelled-out parapet at the top. A parapet is like a low wall around the edge of a roof or tower. The very top of the main tower has two small turrets called bartizans.
The south side of the castle has a very tall parapet. The roof edges are smooth and don't have any windows sticking out (called dormers).
You can see small holes in the walls, called shot-holes. These were used to fire weapons at attackers. The main entrance to the castle is protected by a special part that sticks out from the parapet above it. This part, called a machicolation, had openings to drop things on enemies below.
Inside, a wide, straight staircase, called a scale-and-platt stair, leads from the entrance to the first floor. From there, you can reach the other floors using a spiral staircase, known as a turnpike stair, located in the inner corner. The main hall and a room next to it are on the first floor.
The basement of the castle is vaulted, meaning it has arched ceilings. This area used to hold the kitchen and two storage rooms.
Some beautiful oak wall panels were taken from the castle. They are now on display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. These panels have carved figures of members of the Cathcart family. The wing that was added in the 1700s has two floors.
