Skelmorlie Castle

Skelmorlie Castle – B Listed

Owners	Dates	Notes / Alterations
The 13 Lairds of Skelmorlie	1461 – 1783	1461: Land gifted to the first Laird. By 1502: Tower House constructed. c. 1636: Alterations to the Tower House, construction of a building to the south (where south wing stands today) and completion of the L–plan range including chapel.
12th – 18th Earls of Eglinton and Winton. Inhabitants: • Major-General J Montgomerie of Wrighthill, M.P. • John Graham of Glasgow (1852-1890) • Mr W. A. Coats • Archibald Montgomerie – 16th Earl of Eglinton • Archibald Montgomerie -17th Earl of Eglinton	1783 – 1975	1856-64: Major refurbishment of existing castle, and additions of a west wing and south wing during the tenancy of John Graham. Architect: William Railton of Kilmarnock. 1886: Further range added to the SE (The Mews). Architect: John Honeyman. 1959: Removal of west wing and refurbishment of the Tower House and South Wing, following a fire during the tenancy of Clement Wilson and family. Architect: Noad and Wallace.
Clement Wilson and family	1975 – 2009	Although Clement Wilson moved to Skelmorlie castle in 1956, it was tenanted until 1975 when it was purchased by the Wilson family from the 18th Earl of Montgomerie.
Dr Cameron Marshall and Mr Graham Stock	2009 – Present	2009-2016: Replacement roof and major refurbishment work.

About the Castle

The Skelmorlie Estate

Skelmorlie Castle stands prominently on a hillside, overlooking the Firth of Clyde towards Bute, Arran, and Cumbrae. It lies just north of Meigle, a settlement that grew up to support the castle, and one mile south of Skelmorlie village, which developed more than three hundred years after the castle and from which it took its name. ^[1][2]

From around 1400, the Skelmorlie estate stretched from the Kelly Burn in the north to Knock in the south and was held by Sir William Cunninghame of Kilmaurs. In 1453, Sir Alexander Montgomerie of Ardrossan, the first Lord Montgomerie, acquired the northern half of the estate, which extended from the Kelly Burn to the burn at Meigle. In 1461, he gifted this estate to his second son, George Montgomerie, who became the first Laird of Skelmorlie. The Montgomeries went on to build Skelmorlie Castle on the clifftop, at the southern boundary of this acquired land. ^[1][3]

Over the centuries, much of the Skelmorlie estate was gradually feued and sold off. By 1975, when the 18^th Earl of Eglinton sold the castle and its grounds, the holding had been reduced to approximately 56 acres (see picture below and the area outlined in blue). By 2009, this had diminished further to just over 25 acres (see picture below and the area shaded purple). ^[1][2][3]

Pictures: 1. 1910 ordinance survey map showing the Skelmorlie castle estate in 1975 (outlined in blue) and the estate in 2009 (shaded purple). 2. An aerial view of Skelmorlie castle: Canmore 1977 – Crown copyright - HES. [13]

Pictures: 1. 1910 Ordnance Survey map showing the Skelmorlie Castle estate in 1975 (outlined in blue) and the estate in 2009 (shaded purple). 2. An aerial view of Skelmorlie Castle: Canmore 1977 – Crown copyright – HES. [13]

Skelmorlie Castle is approached either from Eglinton Terrace, via a long avenue, or from Skelmorlie Castle Road, which runs east of the building. Although much of the present estate is now woodland, a considerable extent of lawn remains, together with the formal gardens lying to the east and north-east of the castle. These gardens are enclosed by a wall, most likely to keep out deer. ^[1][2]

Architectural Evolution

Source: Canmore 2011 – Crown Copyright – HES

The castle has evolved over more than five centuries and can broadly be divided into four principal components:

The original Tower House to the north, constructed before 1502, remodelled in the mid-17^th century, extended in the 19^th century, and later reduced following a fire in 1959.
The south wing was originally built in the 17^th century and replaced during the 19th-century alterations.
An L-Plan range which forms two sides of the inner west courtyard and dates from around 1636.
A further building to the east, the Mews, likely the addition carried out by John Honeyman in the late 19^th century. ^{[4][5][6][7][8]}

Looking at each of these parts in turn……

The Tower House

The oldest surviving part of Skelmorlie Castle is the substantial rectangular Tower House, situated at the northern end of the building. ^[3]

The construction is generally attributed to George Montgomerie, the 1^st Laird of Skelmorlie. An alternative account suggests that it may have been built by a nephew of the 1^st Laird, although firm evidence for this is limited.^[3][5][9]

The date 1502 is widely recorded as the construction date of the Tower House. However, some members of the Scottish Castles Association believe it was built 30 to 40 years earlier. They argue that medieval buildings can, in part, be dated by the thickness of their walls, which generally became thinner as Scotland grew more peaceful and the need for defensive construction declined.^[5][8]

Architecturally, the tower shares features with similar buildings at Law (West Kilbride), Fairlie, and Little Cumbrae, though it is the largest of the group. ^[4]

Photos: 1. Skelmorlie Tower House – Wikipedia. 2. Little Cumbrae – V Staffen 22. 3. Fairlie – Wikipedia. 4. Law (West Kilbride) – Wikipedia.

To appreciate the Tower House’s earliest form, imagine stripping away the white harling to reveal rubble masonry walls with dressed stone quoins at the corners. Retain the largely original windows, but replace the pitched roof with a flat roof enclosed by battlements. Remove the modern downpipes and the single-storey structure to the east. The result is a plain but impressive defensive tower, closely resembling other contemporary castles along this stretch of the Ayrshire coast.

A notable feature of Skelmorlie’s tower is the unusual placement of the kitchen on the first floor, situated directly to the east of the main hall. ^[4]

Returning to the current day Tower House. Historic Scotland describes the structure as a rectangular-plan tower of three storeys plus attic, constructed of red rubble stone with ashlar dressings (See pictures 1 and 2 below). The building was harled during renovations following the 1959 fire and features crow-stepped gables at either end. ^[6]

Photos: 1. Skelmorlie Tower House – Wikipedia. 2. M Yeomans 2026. 3. The south entrance: Canmore 1942 – Crown copyright-HES. 4. Douglas and Montgomerie coats of arms supported by unicorns or lions – CM

Although many additions have been made to the tower house over the centuries, the original south-facing entrance has been preserved (see above). The entrance features the arms of Montgomerie and Douglas, supported by lions with two saltires and Douglas emblems above. This would have been added by Sir William Montgomerie in the mid-1600s. As at Fairlie, a newel stair is set within the wall thickness to the right of the south entrance. The windows above ground-floor level also remain unaltered. ^[4][6]

As noted earlier, the original Tower House would almost certainly have featured battlements and a flat roof, in keeping with other castles of the period. The removal of these defensive features and the addition of a pitched roof and creation of the turrets were probably undertaken during the renovations of around 1636. By the seventeenth century, changing patterns of warfare and a more stable political climate meant that wealthy Scottish landowners increasingly favoured comfort and architectural fashion over military practicality. As a result, medieval defensive features were often replaced with more domestic and stylistically refined designs, reflecting a society that had become more peaceful and civilised. ^[8][10]

Photos: 1. Remnant wall on the northeast angel, indicating where a parapet likely once stood: ND-10/25. 2. The north entrance and west wing: Canmore 1942 -Crown copyright-HES. 3. Views from the walled garden looking southwest towards the Tower House and West Wing: Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire, 1889.

Photos: 1. Remnant wall on the northeast angle, indicating where a parapet likely once stood: ND-10/25. 2. The north entrance and west wing: Canmore 1942 -Crown copyright-HES. 3. Views from the walled garden looking southwest towards the Tower House and West Wing: Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire, 1889.

The positioning of the angled turrets, whose corbelling aligns with the current eaves, supports the idea that the roofline has been altered over time. ^[4]

On the first floor, two windows flank a prominent chimney breast serving the first-floor hall. Above this level, three smaller windows illuminate two upper rooms and a former closet (picture 2 above). Finally, there are two narrow slit windows: one on the east end of the north gable lighting a small closet, and another in the north gable providing light to a mural stair (stone spiral staircase set in the corner of the building) which rises from the first to the second floor. ^[4]

19th Century Alterations

Between 1852 and 1890, Skelmorlie Castle was tenanted by John Graham of Glasgow, a textile and port wine merchant. With the permission of the 13^th Earl of Eglinton (the owner) and at his own expense, Graham undertook extensive renovations between 1856 and 1864, employing the Kilmarnock-based architect, William Railton. ^[5][6]

Photos: 1. Footprint of Skelmorlie Castle in 1908 showing the original Tower House and new wings.[12] 2. View of the castle from the North showing the west wing and front door: Canmore 1942- Crown Copyright-HES [15] 3. The new entrance to the North: Canmore 1942-Crown Copyright-HES.[15 ] 4. The 13th Earl of Eglinton’s Coat of Arms above the north entrance – CM 2026.

The work significantly transformed the castle. In addition to refurbishing the Tower House, Graham added a substantial west wing, replaced the earlier south wing, and relocated the main entrance from the south to the north side. The new entrance, which survives today, features a moulded surround and displays the thirteenth Earl of Eglinton’s coat of arms, together with a datestone of 1856. ^[4][12]

Outside, Graham added the north drive, running from Eglinton Terrace to the new front door. This provided a far more impressive approach to the castle, transforming the welcome and making the building feel less isolated and defensive in character. Although the exact date of the drive’s construction is unknown, it was most likely laid out at the beginning of the works to improve access for the extensive alterations that followed. ^[8]

Author’s Note: It is assumed that the gatehouse, which unfortunately no longer survives, was also constructed during this period. Evidence for its existence can be traced through the valuation rolls. In 1895, it was occupied by John Stalker, butler to W. A. Coats, and records show continued occupation until at least 1940, when it was home to Mrs McClymont, a widow employed as the gatekeeper. It is also understood that Kate Downie was the last resident, after which it fell into disrepair and was most likely demolished during the 1970s. ^[13]

By 1864, the number of rooms in the castle had increased dramatically – from twenty-nine to sixty-two, reflecting the scale of the expansion.^[14]

The interior of the Tower House has evolved in response to several factors, including the construction of additional buildings to the south and west, the relocation of the main entrance, and the changing needs of its occupants. While no public records survive describing the interior before the 1860s, a clear impression can be gained from a 1908 floor plan of what the Tower House looked like after John Graham’s renovations.

1908 Tower House floor plan: 1. Ground floor. 2. First floor. 3. Second floor. Source: The National Library of Scotland.[12]

At ground-floor level, the Tower House comprised a hall, kitchen and scullery, with a newel stair rising from the hall to the upper floors. The first floor contained a large billiard room, an adjoining room (once a kitchen), and access to the staircase. This space reflects the adaptation of the earlier hall for more formal Victorian use. The upper floor of the Tower House accommodated two bedrooms. ^[12]

Further insight into the interior is provided by photographs taken in 1942 that depict the former billiard room. These images show architectural detailing such as moulded ceilings, decorative plasterwork, a painted ceiling centrepiece with the date 1672 and two lions rampant, and an ornate fireplace, all offering valuable evidence of the character of this room during the early 20^th century. ^[15]

Photos: 1. Alcove in south wall 2. Moulded ceiling & chandelier looking west. 3. Ceiling centrepiece showing two lions rampant and a shield dated 1672. 4. The interim fireplace. Source of pictures: Canmore 1942- Crown copyright- HES [13]

Before leaving the Tower House, it is worth noting that, despite the passage of centuries, the building retains its original footprint and, remarkably, has remained almost continuously inhabited.

The West Wing

As noted earlier, John Graham not only renovated the Tower House but also added a substantial west wing. Measuring approximately 25 by 35 feet, this extension increased the castle’s footprint by some 2,600 square feet (approximately 245 m²). ^[12]

In 1908, the ground floor of this wing contained a large dining room of approximately 40 m², with windows facing south and west, a study with windows to the north and west, a toilet and a staircase to the upper floors. ^[12]

On the first floor, the wing housed the drawing room (of similar size to the dining room) and an adjoining ante-drawing room. The second floor contained three bedrooms, a shared dressing room and a shared bathroom. This floor also benefited from the additional space created by three projecting oriel turrets. ^[12]

Skelmorlie Castle West Wing floor plan (1908) 1. Ground floor. 2. First floor. 3. Second floor. Source: The National Library of Scotland.[12]

The 1959 Fire

In 1959, shortly after Clement Wilson and his family moved to the castle, a fire broke out in the third-floor nursery (attic) of the Tower House and spread west and south at attic level. There was no fire hydrant, so a lack of water made the blaze slower to contain. Eventually, a very long hose was run down to the sea, and the fire was extinguished. ^[8]

Photos: 1.The 1959 Fire- CM. 2. M Yeomans 2026.

During the subsequent restoration work, carried out by Noad and Wallace of Glasgow and lasting three years, parts of the roof were replaced, central heating was installed in the Tower House, and several aspects of the design were improved. One of the most significant changes was the removal of Railton’s west wing. In its place, three storeys of paired sash windows were added to the west wall of the Tower House, opening views towards the Isle of Arran and the Sleeping Warrior. It was also at this time that the Tower House was harled. ^[4]

The restoration work revealed several previously hidden features, including the original fireplace of the Tower House and a staircase, possibly the newel staircase between the first and second floors. ^[11]

Following these changes, a description of the interior is provided by Close and Ritchie in their book The Buildings of Scotland: Ayrshire and Arran.

“The nineteenth-century north door opens into an unusually tall, vaulted hall, made wonderfully light by Noad’s inserted west windows. A door to the east leads into a similarly vaulted dining room (the kitchen in the 1908 plan) into which the sixteenth-century newel stair projects. From the entrance hall, another door opens into a lobby, from which a short, defensible passage leads to a wide newel stair, rising the full height of the tower.

At first-floor level, this stair opens into the principal reception room (formerly the billiard room). In the north wall is an exceptionally wide fireplace with a strong roll-moulded surround, revealed following the 1959 fire. On its right jamb is a clear, star-like mason’s mark.

A moulded doorway in the northwest angle leads to a secondary newel stair serving the upper floors. From the southeast corner of the tower, a passage curves around the stair compartment; created in the seventeenth century to provide access to the south wing, it now continues past the nineteenth-century stair (with its distinctive barley-twist cast-iron balusters) to the east passage of that wing.” ^[4]

Photos: 1.The dining room in 2007 – Strutt and Parker Sales Brochure. 2. The lounge in 2007 – Strutt & Parker Sales Brochure.

The South Wing

Skelmorlie Castle – ND 2025

Records show that a building was constructed to the south of the Tower House in 1636, when the battlements of the latter were replaced by a pitched roof. Nothing is known about the building’s shape or size, but it was believed to be connected at the first floor. This building stood for more than two hundred years before being replaced by the present south wing during John Graham’s alterations of the 1860s. ^[4]

Today’s south wing is connected to the Tower House at every level. Built of red sandstone, it links the Tower House with the courtyards and buildings to the south, helping to tie the different parts of the castle together. ^[6]

Close and Ritchie describe the south wing as baronial in style but with refined detailing. At the junction between the new wing and the Tower House, discreet squints are set within the inner angle, allowing light to reach the original newel stair windows. ^[4]

Photos: 1. South wing from the west: Canmore 1980 194378 – Crown Copyright – HES. 2. 1908 south wing floor plan – first floor (showing east passage and squints on inner angle) [12].

They go on to note:

Within the wing itself, sizeable Gothic windows with etched and coloured glass illuminate the stair added by Railton (marked 1 above). The west front of the wing projects forward from the stair to provide sufficient width for a passage on the east side. The wing has three bays; the widest of these has an unusual roofline, with a split crow-stepped gable meeting a substantial octagonal turret (marked 2). To the right are dormer heads with finials (marked 3), and at the southwest corner stands a tourelle with a narrower upper stage, complete with a dummy cannon and a candle-snuffer roof (marked 4).

The rear elevation is simpler, with a strongly modelled angle turret at the northeast marking the return to the Tower House (see picture 1 below). A wall at ground-floor level screens the servant’s passage (picture 2 below). ^[4]

Photos: 1. South wing from northeast showing angle turret – M Yeomans 2026. 2. Wall at south wing, screening the servant’s passage - M Yeoman 2026. 3. 1908 south wing floor plan –ground floor. [12]

Photos: 1. South wing from northeast showing angle turret – M Yeomans 2026. 2. Wall at south wing, screening the servant’s passage – M Yeomans 2026. 3. 1908 south wing floor plan –ground floor. [12]

The ground floor of the south wing housed the servants’ quarters. Access was via a gate leading along an open-air passage to a porch, which opened into a lobby. (see picture 2 above). From here, the scullery and kitchen (in the Tower House) lay to the right, the stairs to the upper floors were straight ahead, and the servants’ hall was on the left. This level also contained three bedrooms for live-in servants and a butler’s pantry. ^[12]

1st & 2nd floor plans 1908: The National Library of Scotland.

It is worth adding that in 1871, there were eleven live-in servants: two nursemaids, a cook, a lady’s maid, a housemaid, an under-housemaid, a laundry maid, a dairy maid, a kitchen maid, a footman and a groom. These servants likely occupied the ground-floor bedrooms, with others accommodated in attic spaces elsewhere in the castle. ^[14]

The first floor of the south wing contained two bedrooms, each with its own dressing room and a bathroom. Given their size and panoramic view over the Clyde, these were likely the master bedrooms. The second floor contained a further three bedrooms, one of which included a dressing room and bathroom, bringing the total number of family and guest bedrooms to ten (excluding servant’s accommodation). ^[12]

L-plan range and The Mews

L-plan range & linked archway: Canmore- Crown copyright – HES

To the south of the castle, linked by an archway (highlighted in green), is an L-plan range, so called because of its shape, which dates from around 1636. This building forms two sides of a west courtyard and has many special architectural features (see photos below): a segmental pedimented gable to the south with a cross on top, a crow-stepped gable to the north, and east-facing windows set within pilastered aedicules, with segmental heads breaking through the wall-head. The central window was originally a doorway, with the forestair now removed. ^{[4][6] [15]}

Around 1878, a chapel was discovered in this part of the L-plan range during alterations to the building. Reverend John Boyd, in his 1879 Guide to the District, described the chapel as having an arched gable, an oak ceiling, and joists secured with wooden pegs – features that attest to its age. The L-Plan range was built during Sir Robert Montgomerie, 1^st Baronet of Skelmorlie’s lifetime, and as someone who became increasingly pious in later life and who also built Skelmorlie Aisle (in Largs), it’s safe to assume that he was responsible for the construction of the chapel. ^[7][17]

Photos: 1. A segmental pedimented gable to the south with a cross on top. 2. The L-plan range from the east – M Yeomans 2026. 3. The crow-stepped gable to the north with fleur-de-lys – M Yeomans 2026. 4. A pilastered aedicule window/door – M Yeomans 2026. 5. South side of L-Plan range: Canmore 1942–Crown copyright – HES. [15] 6. South side of the L-plan range and guard House: Canmore 1942–Crown copyright -HES [15]

The south-facing section of the L-plan range also features segmental dormer heads, though they lack the pilasters found on the east-facing façade. At the south-west corner stands a two-storey tower, or guard house, with a crenelated parapet and a conical roof set within it. The guard house also contains gun loops, suggesting that when Sir Robert Montgomerie built this range around 1636, he still considered some defensive features necessary, despite having removed the battlements from the main Tower House. ^[4]

The Mews

In 1876, apparently in need of additional space, John Graham employed the Glasgow architect John Honeyman to carry out further additions to the castle for £800. As no other significant alterations are known to have occurred at this time, it is generally assumed that this work involved the construction of the Mews highlighted in the photograph below. This addition transformed the two southern buildings into a T-plan arrangement. ^[4][7]

Photos: 1. Aerial view of castle highlighting the east wing: Canmore 2011 - Crown copyright – HES. [15] 2. The east wing from the south: Canmore 1977 - Crown copyright – HES. [15] 3. A large bas-relief, fleur-de-lis on the north wall of the tower - M Yeomans 2026.

Photos: 1. Aerial view of castle highlighting the Mews: Canmore 2011 – Crown copyright – HES. [15]
2. The Mews from the south: Canmore 1977 – Crown copyright – HES. [15] 3. A large bas-relief, fleur-de-lis on the north wall of the tower – M Yeomans 2026.

The Mews was constructed in a style consistent with the earlier L-plan range, incorporating pilastered aedicules and segmental heads breaking through the wall-head. Originally built to house carriages, it was later converted to a garage for motor cars. More recently, the Mews was used as office accommodation for the Wilson family’s Barcapel Foundation charity and has been derelict since a major flood in 2023. ^[4]

At the northeast corner of the building is a turret with a large bas-relief fleur-de-lis set within a pointed quatrefoil panel. Above this rises a fish-scale-slated bell-cast roof, adding a distinctive decorative element to the composition. ^[4]

The Castle today

The castle today is divided into three sections:

The white-harled Tower House to the northeast, dating from around 1470. Connected to this is the baronial-style south wing, known as the Wing or Victorian Wing, built around 1860, and replacing an earlier structure believed to date from around 1636.
An L-plan range with a guard house to the south. Built around 1636, this building has served multiple purposes over time, including use as a chapel, stables, accommodation, and offices. Today, it is a standalone house known as the Turret House.
The Mews, adjacent to the Turret House, was built around 1876 to accommodate carriages and staff.

Together, these elements reflect the castle’s architectural evolution over more than five centuries, illustrating the changing needs of its inhabitants from fortified residence to modern private home.

Last updated 31^st August 2026 – ND.

Sources and references:

^[0]Historic Scotland’s glossary of architectural terms or https://www.skelmorlievillas.co.uk/architectural-glosary.

^{[1 ]} Land Registry – Summary Sasine Deed and Title Deeds for Skelmorlie Castle, the Turret House and the Mews House.

^[2]1910 Ordinance Survey map – Skelmorlie.

^[3] Skelmorlie – The Story of a Parish by Walter Smart, 1968.

^[4] Pevsner Architectural Guides: The Buildings of Scotland – Ayrshire and Arran by Rob Close & Annie Riches (2012)

^[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skelmorlie_Castle

^[6] Historic Scotland’s listing for Skelmorlie Castle

^[7]The Dictionary of Scottish Architects (1660-1980) – Skelmorlie Castle

^[8] Information provided by the current owner

^[9] The Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire by A. H. Millar and F. S. A Scot. 1885

^[10] https://thefreelancehistorywriter.com/2015/11/06/tower-house-castles-of-medieval-europe/

^[11^] https://www.theguardian.com/money/2007/oct/21/property.business

^[12] National Library of Scotland Maps – Skelmorlie Castle: Ground, First and Second Floors -1908.

^[13] Facebook chat on ‘We Know Skelmorlie Well’.

^[14] Censuses: Skelmorlie – 1861 and 1871.

^[15] Pictures of Skelmorlie Castle available on the Trove Scotland website.

^[16] A History of Skelmorlie by Chris Paton – from https://northayrshireremembers.tripod.com/id7.html – no longer accessible

^[17] An 1879 Guide to Wemyss Bay, Skelmorlie, Inverkip, Largs & Surrounding Areas by Rev John Boyd, M.A.