Terringzean Castle

The knoll on which Terringzean Castle stands was covered with hawthorn trees in the 1890s. The spelling of the castle site has many variations, such as "Trarizeane", "Trarinyean", "Terrinzeane", "Terringane", "Trarynyane", "Terrynyene", "Torrinzeane", etc. Castle structure and aspect Terringzean Castle occupies the summit of a high, steep bank overlooking the Lugar Water and the Terringzean Holm; a dry moat ending at the steep natural haughs or slopes, is still clearly visible as a protective measure against approach from the level ground to the south-east and south-west. The moat's appearance is mainly due to the excavations carried out by the 3rd Lord Bute in the 1890s. The small, irregular, octangular 14th-century vaulted tower has a splayed base and is constructed of courses of square ashlar masonry, high, with walls thick, is the earliest part of the structure, together with the wide wall at the north-west. The tower was vaulted, with three ribs, and an entrance from the courtyard via a narrow passage leading to a partly surviving wheel-stair. The remains have seen some restoration The ruins suggest a 'castle of enceinte' like Loch Doon Castle with a massive walled enclosure. A medieval hall house existed before this walled enclosure, possibly of a 13th-century date, indicating that an even earlier fortification may have been present. MacGibbon and Ross saw similarities between the tower of Terringzean and that of Mugdock Castle. ==The Lairds of Terringzean==

The Craufurds The earliest known reference to Terringzean dates from the Exchequer Rolls in 1438, making however no mention of the castle, when £14 Scots was paid in tax from the lands to support the royal household. The Barony, castle and lands of Terringzean have a complex history of possession, with the Craufurds, also Crawfurd, being the first recorded. This family had an armorial bearing of a Stag's Head and may have been descended therefore from the Craufurds of Dalmagregan. They also and separately held Lefnoreis Castle, now the location of Dumfries House with only the dovecot surviving from the old castle. Boyds Thomas Boyd, Earl of Arran fell out of favour with King James III, despite his having been married to Princess Mary, the King's sister. The lands passed to the King due to this forfeiture in 1469, In 1488 one Thomas Turnbull was granted the castle in recognition of his good services at Blackness in 1488. He was once Lord of Bothwell and was the ancestor of the Balmain family. Other lairds Other holders were Hugh Montgomerie of Bridgend in 1647; in 1666, James Reid, merchant burgess of Edinburgh; in 1691, Sir George Campbell of Cessnock; in 1692, Sir James Carmichael, Bart., as heir of Sir James Carmichael of Bonington; in 1696, John, Viscount Stair and then the Earls of Dumfries, who became the Marquis of Bute. Present day In 2007 a consortium, led by the Prince of Wales, including various heritage charities and the Scottish Government, purchased from the 7th Marquess, Dumfries House, along with its roughly estate). ==Micro-history==

In 1587 Hew Campbell of Terringane (sic) and others were appointed by parliament to "visie" or inspect the bridges at Irvine and Ayr; in 1595 he was appointed to inspect the port and harbour of Irvine. A "Torringan" is marked on William Roy's map of 1747–55, together with nearby woodlands, all situated near the extensive landscaping of the lands of "Liffnoris". Armstrong's map of 1775 shows the site of Terringzean Castle as a ruin. "The Avenue" was an entrance to Dumfries House which ran past Terringzean Castle from Cumnock. ==References==