'Antiquities of Scotland' Index

Colaine or Culzeen Castle

THIS castle stands on the coast of Carrick, in a bay to which it gives name; it is elevated on a rock eighty feet above the level of the sea, which it seems to overhang.

HERE formerly stood an ancient fortalice, of which this is in some degree a part. It was the residence of that branch of the family of the Kennedy's, which afterwards succeeded to the title of Cassilis, in the person of Thomas Kennedy, in default of issue male of the elder branch.

AT the bottom of the rock, under the castle, are three caves, one beyond the other, well known for the legendary tales related of them, on which account they are celebrated by Mr. Burns, the Ayrshire Poet, in his excellent poem on Hallow E'en. {Click here for Robert Burn's poem - Halloween}

IN the account of Carrick, among Mr. McFarlan's papers, before; quoted, the seat itself is called the Cave.

THE Cave (says Mr. Abbercrombie) the mansion house of Sir Archibald Kennedy, of Colaine, takes his name hence: under, the outer area of this house there be three natural caves, which, enter large at the water mark, from thence they enter upward to a higher, by an easy ascent;. but the entry to the third is more difficult, being both low in. the entry and strait. In the highest of them there is a spring of good water.

THE edifice here represented was erected by the present Earl, after a plan drawn by Mr. Adams in 1789. When this view was taken it was not quite completed.

THIS castle is admitted here rather on account of the beauty of its situation, than for any pretence it has to antiquity, unless it may be considered as an ancient building repaired.