Dunure Castle
the castle and nearby doocot, overlooking the sea
The family was very prosperous. They married into the royal family (James Kennedy married Mary, sister of Robert II), and another was named Bishop of St. Andrews.
The castle here was the first built by the Kennedy family, and remained a stronghold for them for centuries.In 1570, the abbot of Crossraguel was "boiled in sop" at the castle, to force him to sell the lands of the abbey to the family (see Baltersan Castle). He was rescued by another Kennedy sept, the Kennedys of Bargany, who damaged the castle in the process by dropping stones on the chapel and tunneling underneath it to breach the walls. . The two families fueded over this event for many years. THe Kennedy family is closely associated with Culzean Castle.
The castle may have been burned and possibly blown up in the 17th century. It was abandoned and falling to ruins by 1696. Some of the buildings remained occupied until about 1860 but the castle was methodically dismantled in the previous century.
the tower stands three storeys near the sea, but only two on the landward side
the tower, crumbling into the sea