Stanecastle

Stanecastle is a rectangular tower within an overgrown public park on the outskirts of Irvine in Ayrshire. It has a roof, but there is no ground floor access, so the inside is inaccessible. It is believed to have been built in the 16th century for the Montgomery family after they acquired the lands by marriage. There is little in the way of information, and no dedicated parking nearby – added to which the extensive brambles are a definite challenge to access!

Stane was acquired from the Francis family by the Montgomeries in as early as 1508, and reverted to the senior line – the Earls of Eglinton – later in the 16th century. The armorial that can be seen on the castle is that of William, but this may not be contemporary, and in fact the tower has been substantially altered in the mid 18th century, making the architectural history as opaque as the narrative. It is a bit if a mystery tower, but further details may be hidden in the Eglinton archive – the Montgomerie Earl of Eglinton and Winton still owns the tower.

HES Canmore database entry