Archaeology Notes

Event ID 699635

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/699635

NS10NE 1 19652 07221

(NS 1965 0722) Turnberry Castle (NR) (remains of)

OS 1:10000 map (1972).

For Turnberry Lighthouse (within the area of the castle), see NS10NE 4.

EXTERNAL REFERENCE:

National Library: Earnock MSS II, 66 - 1 engraving

(Undated) information in NMRS.

Bruce's Castle, Turnberry, was evidently built in the 13th century with a great enclosing wall, much of which still remained in the 18th century, together with part of what seems to have been a central keep and traces of a drawbridge. Only the ruins of some vaults and portions of wall are now traceable. The keep appears to have been partly circular and the base of an entrance gateway may be traced on the landward side. The castle occupies a strong situation on a rocky promontory; two inlets appear to have been arched over by the wall; at their head there seems to have been a wall with a door and staircase, giving access to the castle. In 1271, the castle was owned by the father of Robert the Bruce.

D MacGibbon and T Ross 1889.

The remains of Turnberry Castle are numerous but fragmentary. The enclosing wall has been built on and around the faces of the cliffs, following the many small bays on the N. On the NE side, where the keep formerly stood, a wall has been built across the back of a small bay with an entrance leading from the bay; at the E side of this wall are the remains of a section of vaulting. Slightly N of this wall are two similar walls built at the rear of two similar coves, one of which extends through a large, natural cavern, Only one wall, on the NE side of the keep, some 5.0m high, remains.

The drawbridge apparently lay at the SE corner, where the present road leads to the lighthouse.

The remains of a ditch lie on either side of the road, outside the wall.

Visited by OS (JD), 1 December 1955.

Turnberry Castle is generally as described in the previous field report.

Revised at 25".

Visited by OS (RD), 16 March 1967.

No change to the previous reports.

Visited by OS (JRL), 31 May 1977.

Based on charter evidence, Barrow indicates that there was a castle at Turnberry prior to 1200.

G W S Barrow 1980.