Thomaston Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland

Photos of Thomaston Castle

Thomas Corry de Kelwood, had a charter from James IV dated 12, January 1507, for the lands of Thomaston and several others. The lands of Thomaston passed eventually to George Corry of Kelwood, who was served heir to his father, John, on 30 March, 1610. In George's will, it states that his son having died, his daughter Ann, the wife of John McIlvaine, Laird of Grimmet, was heiress. The heads of the McIlvaine family retained the title of Laird of Grimmet but always thereafter lived at Thomaston. Thomaston is located close to Maybole and Culzean Castle in Ayrshire. Originally built in the 13th century probably by Thomas Bruce, a nephew of Robert the Bruce, it was later extended with a tower house in the 16th century when it was then owned by the Corries of Kelwood. Around 1800 it was abandoned and today its shell is remarkably intact except for some of the upper features. The tower would have had 3 stories and a garret. The basement contained 4 chambers including a kitchen and wine cellar from where access could be gained to the hall above. Thomaston Castle as it exists today is located west of Maybole on A719 just south of the entrance to Culzean Castle. In the 1960s and 1970s the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland reviewed Thomaston Castle. Their report said, in part, that Thomaston Castle is L-shaped on plan with a lengthy main block and short wing, having a square stair-tower in the re-entrant angle. The rubble walls rise three stories to a corbelled parapet; the garret story above has disappeared. An arched pend through the wing basement gave access to a former courtyard. The remains of Thomaston Castle are in fair condition, several large holes being knocked through the walls and the interior covered with trees and debris; a modern hay loft has been erected adjoining its North wall. The castle stands on a large mound and to the West and South a wide, slight ditch or hollow is visible. There is no trace of a courtyard or any buildings to the South of the castle. In 1998, they noted that a new installation of a services pipeline exposed parts of the outer works of a castle built in about 1500, including two revetted former burn courses, a probable barmkin wall and remains of one or more substantial structures within. Thomaston is a 16th century L-plan, with a square stair tower in the angle. It rises to three storeys and once had a garret and corbelled parapet. The ground floor has four vaulted chambers, one of which was the kitchen, a private stair links another with the hall above. The courtyard was entered through an arched pend in the wing. Thomaston is not open to the public but can be seen from the road.