Castle Kennedy

The ruins of Castle Kennedy lie within the gardens associated with the baronial mansion Lochinsh Castle, and date to the early 17th century; the Kennedy family most likely to have been previously based at a manorial complex on the island of Inch Crindil, abandoned in the late 16th century.

The castle is unusual in plan, consisting of a central hall block flanked by two square towers at the eastern end, and with two small turrets in the re-entrant angles. The design is reminiscent of tower houses in Ireland, and may be deliberately archaic in style. The new building appears to date from 1607, when work started for the 5th Earl of Cassillis, but his son had little ineterst in the pace, selling it in 1650 to the Hamilton laird of Bargany.

Bargany then sold the castle to the earl of Stair in 1677, but a disastrous fire in 1716 gutted it to such an extent that Lord Stair abandoned it altogether. Eventually the mansion of Lochinsh was built to enjoy the gardens associated with the estate, and the ruined castle became a romantic ruin within these.

Official Castle Kennedy website

HES Canmore database entry