Skeldon Castle
Cottage (Period Unassigned), Tower House (Medieval)
Site Name Skeldon Castle
Classification Cottage (Period Unassigned), Tower House (Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) 'The Old Castle'; Old Castle And Remains Of Skeldon Castle; Skeldon House Policies; Castle Cottage
Canmore ID 41642
Site Number NS31SE 5
NGR NS 37820 13853
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/41642
- Council East Ayrshire
- Parish Dalrymple (Cumnock And Doon Valley)
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Cumnock And Doon Valley
- Former County Ayrshire
NS31SE 5 37820 13853
(NS 3782 1385) The Old Castle (NAT)
and remains of (NAT) Skeldon Castle (NR)
OS 1:10000 map (1977).
For Skeldon House (NS 3774 1353) and associated buildings, see NS31SE 17.00.
Part of old Skeldon Castle exists as a square tower incorporated in a cottage.
NSA 1845; J Paterson 1847
The cottage known as the 'Castle' is built on the site of Skeldon Castle.
Name Book 1856
The cottage known as the 'Castle' is almost completely modernised and is sited on a slight mound. It is a rectangular structure, 10m by 8m, with immensely thick walls of undoubted antiquity. In the NE wall is a blocked-up doorway, and at the SE end are traces of a crow-stepped gable. NE of the building, at NS 3785 1390, is a small squuare tower, of mortared rubble masonry, which appears to have a stairway inside, but now used as a rubbish tip. It is apparently unconnected to and of later date than the other building.
Visited by OS (JD) 21 November 1955
As described above. The walls of the cottage would appear to be the original walls of Skeldon Castle.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 10 September 1968
The cottage is well preserved and the blocked arched door-frame is still visible.
Visited by OS (MJF) 23 September 1980
