Skelmorlie Castle
| Skelmorlie Castle | ||
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 Skelmorlie Castle |
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| Creation time : | 1502 | |
| Castle type : | Niederungsburg (Tower House) | |
| Conservation status: | rebuilt | |
| Standing position : | Scottish nobility | |
| Construction: | red sandstone | |
| Place: | Skelmorlie | |
| Geographical location | 55 ° 51 '6.7 " N , 4 ° 53' 4.7" W | |
| Height: | 33 m ASLTemplate: height / unknown reference | |
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Skelmorlie Castle is a lowland castle ( Tower House ) of the eastern shore Firth of Clyde in the Scottish administration unit North Ayrshire . The building dates back to 1502 and was formerly the seat of the Montgomery clan . The current village of Skelmorlie is north of the castle.
history
On Robert Gordon's map from 1636-1652 the name is mentioned as "North Skelmoirluy", on John Adair's map from 1685 as "Skelmurly" and on William Roy's map from 1745-1747 as "Skelmorly". Originally the name may have meant “protected leeward side of the great rock” and “Skel-” could be synonymous with “Skeir” or “Skerries”.
The Cunninghame family
During the reign of King Robert III. the lands of Skelmorlie belonged to the Cunningehames of Kilmaurs . Around 1460 the northern part went into the hands of the Montgomery (as "Skelmorlie-Montgomery"), while the rest (as "Skelmorlie-Cunninghame") remained. Anne , sister of Alexander de Montgomerie , married a Cunninghame from Kilmaurs and this explains the division of the land.
The Montgomerie family
The lords or barons
On June 6, 1461, Sir Alexander de Montgomerie of Ardrossan , the first Lord Montgomerie, transferred the lands of Skelmorlie to his second son named George , whom he had with Margaret Boyd (daughter of Sir Thomas Boyd of Kilmarnock) . He became the founder of the branch line of the Montgomeries of Skelmorlie. George also received the lands of Lochliboside, Hartfield, and Colpy in the Baronate Renfrew . Another theory is that Skelmorlie Castle was built for a brother of Hugh , the first Earl of Eglinton . This Hugh was the son of the second Lord Montgomerie and grandson of the first Lord Montgomerie. John was the second laird and married Marion Dalzel , with whom he had a son, Cuthbert , the third laird. Cuthbert married Elizabeth , daughter of Patrick Houston , and their eldest son George became the fourth laird. George married Lady Catherine Montgomerie , youngest daughter of Hugh, the first Earl of Eglinton. The two had a large family and their oldest, Thomas , became the fifth laird. Thomas died in 1566 and his brother Robert inherited Skelmorlie, as did Lochransay, Synnock, and Lochliboside .
Robert Montgomerie , the seventh laird, was born to King James VI. Knighted and made a baronet by King Charles I of England in 1628 . He was the son of another Robert ; his mother was Dorothy , daughter of Lord Sempill . This Sir Robert married Margaret , daughter of Sir William Douglas of Drumlanrig .
The sixth lord, Robert, murdered Alexander Cunninghame, Commendator of Kilwinning Abbey , at his Montgreenan castle and palace in 1586 after the Cunninghames murdered the fourth Lord Eglinton. The elder Sir Robert and his eldest son were killed in revenge by Patrick Maxwell of Newark Glasgow .
The baronets
Sir Robert, the seventh laird and first baronet, was discovered one day by Patrick Maxwell at Newark Castle, presumably seeking revenge for the murder of his father and brother. Patrick is reported to have said, "Come down, Robin, get out of the corner, come down, man, to me, who did you a favor, made you the young and old laird of Skelmorlie in one day." Patrick and Sir Robert actually became friends afterwards. Sir Robert married Margaret, the daughter of Sir William Douglas of Drumlanrig. She was a well-known beauty and the subject of ballads by Alexander Montgomerie of Hessilhead .
The third Baronet and ninth Laird, Sir Robert , married Antonia , co-heiress of Sir James Scott of Rossie in Fife , with whom he had four sons and four daughters. This lady was a fiery covenant and her husband was repeatedly punished for attending their meetings. Robert died in 1685 and his son James followed him. He had seven sons and four daughters.
James Montgomery , fourth baronet and tenth laird, was a Member of Parliament and the 1689 Convention, as was his father Robert. It is known that his mother wrote a letter to him in 1684 in which she severely punished him for not caring for her and her four fatherless children. He was one of those chosen to offer the crown to King William and Queen Mary in London . Dissatisfied with his salary as an employee of Lord Justice , he became a supporter of the deposed King James II of England , whom he joined in St. Germains , France . Despite this support, Sir James, a Protestant, was not fully recognized by the Catholic King Jacob and, despite his promise to make him Earl of Ayr , he died of " anger " in London in 1694 . He had married Margaret Johnston , daughter of a co-conspirator, the Earl of Annandale . The two had two sons, Robert the Elder and William .
The Lord Provost of Glasgow, Hugh Montgomerie of Busbie , bought the property from the fourth Baronet; he took it in 1731 and inherited the title of 6th baronet and 11th laird. In 1687 he married Lilias Gemmel , daughter of Peter Gemmel , a businessman in Glasgow , and his wife Christian Boyd . Hugh was one of the negotiators who negotiated the unification of Scotland and England and a member of the last Scottish Parliament. He was appointed to represent Glasgow in the UK's first parliament. Hugh died in 1735 with no offspring; he was thus the last direct descendant; the title has been deleted.
The Skelmorlie estate fell to the 4th Baron's daughter, Lilias, who married Alexander Montgomerie of Coilsfield . Lilia's son Hugh became the 12th Earl of Eglinton and his brother owned the Annick Lodge estate . Lilias had five sons and three daughters and died in 1783, a few weeks before her husband. They sold their lands in Renfrewshire and bought lands adjacent to Skelmorlie.
The castle and the estate
The first Skelmorlie Castle could have stood on a mound , which is in a defensible position on a ledge between a small stream and Skelmorlie Water .
The oldest part of today's castle was built in 1502 and expanded in 1636. At that time, parapets and their consoles were removed and corner turrets, which were later also covered, were installed instead. Timothy Pont describes Skelmorlie Castle in his survey of Cunninghame around 1600 as “(...) a quite well built house. It is certainly a very pleasant and most delightful place in its location, with its old-fashioned gardens, terrace and bushes. The view from there over the Firth of Clyde to the islands of Bute, Arran and Cambraes opposite is not to be missed in its picturesque scenery under all the views in Great Britain. "The baronial great hall was on the first floor and as a more modern dining room it had that Coat of arms of the Montgomeries on the roof together with the year 1762. The chapel , which was converted into cattle stalls and quarters for the servants in the 19th century, is still on the west side of the southern courtyard. Sir Roberts building wing from the 17th century has been preserved in parts.
The Tower of Skelmorlie is very similar in dimensions and interior to those of Little Cumbrae Castle , Fairlie, and Law Castle .
The property was described in the 19th century as follows: “(...) beautifully landscaped and covered with rich and lush forests. The main disadvantage of this fine, old country house as a modern dwelling is certainly the difficulty of the driveway, as it stands on a steep hill. But in other respects a pleasant, rather delightful, summer house. ”The Ordnance Survey map from 1855 shows a bowling green and a sundial , possibly a Scottish sundial. The name `` Milnburn '' (dt. Mühlbach) near Skelmorlie Water still reminds of the old Baronsmühle . The Skelmorlie Mains (farm of the estate) are also listed.
The silhouette of the donjon remained largely unchanged for five centuries. This construction made of red sandstone - quarry stone was roughly plastered with Harl in the early 1960s after the upper floors and the west wing burned out in a fire in 1959. The west wing was demolished and the donjon restored. These restoration works were planned by Glasgow architects Noad and Wallace .
Historic Scotland has listed Skelmorlie Castle and its separate outbuildings (17th century corner turret house, former chapel and Victorian stables) on the south side of the south courtyard as Category B Historic Buildings since 1971.
Resident since the 19th century
Major-General James Montgomerie of Wrighthill , Member of Parliament for Ayrshire, lived in the castle for a long time in the early 19th century; he was the brother of the 12th Earl and great-uncle of the 13th Earl. During this time, the castle remained a slightly changed, but run-down example of a tower castle.
In the period from 1852 to 1890 John Graham (1797-1886), a textile and port wine merchant from Glasgow and a great art patron with an exceptional collection, leased the castle. He had the castle rebuilt in 1856; the donjon was restored at his own expense and with the permission of the Earl of Eglinton and a country house was added to the old buildings. Its architect was William Railton from Kilmarnock.
The 16th Earl of Eglinton moved here from the abandoned Eglinton Castle , the old seat of the Montgomeries, in the mid-1920s , but the 18th Earl of Eglinton sold the castle, which had been leased to the Wilson family since 1956 . The 16th Earl died at Skelmorlie Castle in 1945. The castle became the property of the Wilson family in the mid-1970s , who also owned a meat canning facility at Eglinton Castle.
In 2007 the castle was put up for sale and changed hands in summer 2009.
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Rev. John Boyd: An 1879 Guide to Wemyss Bay, Skelmorlie, Inverkip, Largs and the surrounding districts with maps and illustrations . Alexander Gardner, Paisley 1879. p. 9.
- ↑ James B. Johnston: Place-Names in Scotland . David Douglas, Edinburgh 1903. p. 267.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h A. H. Millar: The Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire . Grimsay Press, Glasgow 1885. ISBN 1-84530-019-X . P. 134.
- ^ A b Walter Smart: Skelmorlie. The Story of the Parish Consisting of Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay . The Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay Community Center, 1968. p. 13.
- ^ A b James Paterson: History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton . Volume V. II: Cunninghame . J. Stillie, Edinburgh 1863-1866. P. 534.
- ^ John Fullarton: Historical Memoir of the family of Eglinton and Winton . Arthur Guthrie, Ardrossan 1864. p. 101.
- ^ John Fullarton: Historical Memoir of the family of Eglinton and Winton . Arthur Guthrie, Ardrossan 1864. p. 102.
- ↑ James D. Dobie, JS Dobie (editor): Cunninghame, Topographized by Timothy Pont 1604-1608, with continuations and illustrative notices . John Tweed, Glasgow 1876. p. 343.
- ^ John Fullarton: Historical Memoir of the family of Eglinton and Winton . Arthur Guthrie, Ardrossan 1864. p. 104.
- ^ Walter Smart: Skelmorlie. The Story of the Parish Consisting of Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay . The Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay Community Center, 1968. p. 14.
- ^ A b c John Fullarton: Historical Memoir of the family of Eglinton and Winton . Arthur Guthrie, Ardrossan 1864. p. 107.
- ^ A b James Paterson: History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton . Volume V. II: Cunninghame . J. Stillie, Edinburgh 1863-1866. P. 535.
- ^ John Fullarton: Historical Memoir of the family of Eglinton and Winton . Arthur Guthrie, Ardrossan 1864. p. 109.
- ^ John Fullarton: Historical Memoir of the family of Eglinton and Winton . Arthur Guthrie, Ardrossan 1864. pp. 110-111.
- ↑ a b c Thorbjorn Campbell: Ayrshire. A Historical Guide . Berlin, Edinburgh 2003. ISBN 1-84158-267-0 . P. 245.
- ↑ Skelmorlie Castle . In: Canmore . Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Accessed January 30, 2018.
- ^ A b John M. Leighton: Strath-Clutha or the Beauties of the Clyde . Joseph Swan, Glasgow. P. 219.
- ^ T. McGibbon, D. Ross: The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelveth to the eighteenth centuries . Volume III. Edinburgh 1887-1892. P. 174.
- ↑ John M. Leighton: Strath-Clutha or the Beauties of the Clyde . Joseph Swan, Glasgow. P. 220.
- ↑ a b Dane Love: Ayrshire. Discovering a County . Fort Publishing, Ayr 2003. ISBN 0-9544461-1-9 . P. 8.
- ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ^ T. McGibbon, D. Ross: The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelveth to the eighteenth centuries . Volume III. Edinburgh 1887-1892. P. 183.
- ↑ John Straw Horn: The History of Irvine . John Donald, Edinburgh 1994. ISBN 0-85976-140-1 . P. 202.
- ^ Archives of the Eglintons.
- ^ Huma Qureshi: For sale: ancient castle, all mod cons in The Guardian . October 21, 2007. Accessed January 30, 2018.
