Greenan Ayr Castle 16th century tower house on the Ayrshire coast, Scotland. SCO 8569
The lands of Greenan were forfeited by John, Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles in 1476 for treason against James III). In 1493 James IV granted the Lands of Greenan to William Douglas, son of Archibald, Earl of Angus. Beside the tower are traces of a walled courtyard and outbuildings - probably stables and a kitchen block as the small tower has no kitchen within its walls. In this courtyard on the morning of 12 May 1602, Sir Thomas Kennedy of Culzean and his servant, Lancelot Kennedy, mounted their horses to ride to Edinburgh, having spent the night before with Thomas's half-brother, John Kennedy of Baltersan. Just a few miles away in the woods of St Leonards (now a suburb of Ayr), they were ambushed by Thomas Kennedy of Drummurchie, Thomas Kennedy, brother to the Laird of Bargany, Walter Muir of Cloncaird, Thomas M'Alexander, Thomas Wallace, a boy called Gilbert Ramsay and a borderer, Williame Irrwing. Sir Thomas was murdered in retaliation for the death of the young Laird of Bargany in December, 1601 at the Battle of Brockloch, near Maybole. Years later, the Muirs of Auchindrain (father and son) were executed for their "art and part" in this murder. The story inspired Sir Walter Scott to write a short play. The castle-town would have be jammed packed full of wood n' wattle thatched roofed dwellings with storage barns, stables, barracks, brew houses and shelters for livestock. Providing accommodation of over 100 residents and their animals separate from John Kennedy and his immediate household within the Keep itself. Likely Greenan was not only a centre of domestic and military interest but commercial because of it's position beside the sea where merchant ships regularly passed en route to Ayr to trade various wares.
Size: 4034px × 6062px
Location: Greenan Castle, Doonfoot. Ayr. Scotland. United Kingdom.
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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