Dean Castle

Dean Castle is an interesting tower and courtyard complex within the Dean Country Park on the outskirts of Kilmarnock, and contains a number of buildings dating from perhaps the 14th to the 17th century. The buildings are mostly open today as a museum, and are managed along with the park by a charitable trust.

There are no charters relating to Kilmarnock prior to the grant from Robert the Bruce to the Boyds in 1316. However, in the reign of Alexander III, Uhtred of Kilmarnock witnessed a document of Hugh, Lord Crawford, Reginald of Kilmarnock performed fealty to Edward I in 1296, and John of Kilmarnock is recorded as a witness to the Boyd grant, and John de Balliol “of West Kilbride” is said to have been the prior holder of the lands in the Boyd grant. This makes it seem very likely that Kilmarnock was in fact a tenanted royal property. What is clear, however is that the oldest part of Dean Castle, the rectangular great tower, was built by the Boyd family. It would be consistent with the creation of Robert Boys as Lord Boyd in 1454 for the great tower to date from this time, possibly within an existing complex. Later a long palace block was added along the courtyard wall, and a 19th century villa erected within the walls, which is still in use. An impressive gatehouse was then added during 20th century restorations.

The ambitions of the Boyds were checked in the reign of James III, and it took a while for them to recover and be elevated to become earls of Kilmarnock, but their activities continued to be politically risky, and the castle was abandoned after a fire destroyed the interiors in 1735, when it was known as the castle in the Dene. Eventually the castle was donated to the town of Kilmarnock, and the grounds were then purchased in 1976, which form the country park today.

Official Dean Castle page hosted by local authority

HES Canmore database entry