Dean Castle

Dean Castle

Once known as Kilmarnock Castle, it was the family seat of The Boyd Family for over 400 years until in 1735, a fire gutted the castle and the Boyds took up residence in Kilmarnock House.

In 1748, James Boyd, the son of William Boyd, Earl of Arran, sold the castle and estate to William Cunningham, the 13th Earl of Glencairn, whose son then sold it to Henrietta Scott in 1786, who then married the Marquis of Titchfield in 1795 and it was from there, inherited by her daughters ([superemotions file="icon_eek.gif" title="EEK"] whew!).

It was the marriage of one of her daughters to the 6th Lord Howard De Walden in 1828 that began the final legacy of the castle and estate in the hands of the Lords Howard De Walden, until 1975, when the 9th Lord Howard De Walden very kindly gifted the castle and 40 acres of land along with various collections of musical instruments, arms and armour to Kilmarnock and Loudoun District Council. Later, in 1976 The District Council purchased a further 160 acres of land and opened the castle as a public museum.

Sadly, John Osmael Scott-Ellis, the 9th Lord de Walden died on 9th July 1999 in London, at the age of 86.

***It is interesting to note that the Castle lay in ruins until 1905, when  the 8th Lord Howard de Walden began construction on the rebuilding of the castle using materials taken from Balcomie Castle, although on further research, I came across a newsletter publication by The Scottish Castles Association, written by Stuart Morris of Balgonie entitled “The Panelling of Dean castle” that refutes this evidence, stating “The diary “Balgonie 3″ brought new light on the origins of the Dean Castle Panelling, doors and ornamental plaster work. The panelling, etc, came from Balfour House, not Balcomie Castle.”.***

Kilmarnock House

Kilmarnock House

Kilmarnock House, sadly, no longer stands having been demolished in 1935, ironically, 200 years after the fire that devastated the castle in 1735, when the Boyd Family took up short residence.

Site of Kilmarnock House, now a carpark

The car-park on St. Marnock Street, replaces the site of Kilmarnock House which during the 19th century (most probably at some point after the introduction of the  Scottish Reform Act of 1832) and until its demolition, was an Industrial and Reform school.

The Plaque that denotes the original site of Kilmarnock House

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The Laigh Kirk

Tragedy at the Laigh Kirk – On Sunday 18th October 1801, 29 people were killed in a panicked stampede when a piece of plaster falling from the church ceiling caused the congregation to believe that the building was collapsing and in the ensuing panic to get out, some were crushed due to the narrow stairways of the upper level and because there was only one exit.  The church itself had been too small for the ever increasing congregation.

In 1802 the builders of the new, replacement church made sure this type of tragedy would not happen again and added no less than 13 exits.  This replacement Kirk is the one which still (safely) stands today, less than a stone throw from Killie Cross.

Kilmarnock Cross looking toward the Laigh Kirk

The Laigh Kirk as it looks today

Footnote

Images sourced from:-
Top left: The Ayrshire Page Website
Bottom left: East Ayrshire Council Website
Right: Geography High