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               Turnberry Castle

Located on a promontory, a few miles down the coast from Culzean Castle, the ruins of Turnberry Castle was probably the birthplace of Robert the Bruce, Robert I, King of Scots. The 13th century castle belonged to Robert's mother, the Countess of Carrick. She was granddaughter of Duncan, first Lord of Carrick and, after losing her first husband in the Crusades, she met and was attracted to Robert de Bruce (senior). When he turned down her invitation to join her train she had him taken by force to Turnberry Castle. There she wooed him over and the (first) result was young Robert the Bruce born in 1274, the future King of Scots. After Robert the Bruce was crowned in 1306, his army was soon defeated and he went into hiding in Ireland and the Western Isles. When he was ready to return, he waited on Arran, possibly at Brodick castle. In 1307 he received a signal from Turnberry Castle to return . He eventually achieved victory at at Bannockburn in 1314. As part of Robert the Bruce's strategy against the English, Turnberry Castle was dismantled in 1310 and was probably never rebuilt.

The castle ruin now provides the site for Turnberry Lighthouse which is one of the brightest lighthouses on the Firth of Clyde approaches. Some of the curtain wall can be seen and some vaulting.