The Registry of Castles in Scotland lists the Kyle Castle as an early 15th century keep, also called a "scottish tower house" A baronial style home built from the 14th to the 18th century. The basic plan is a rectangular stone tower with a series of three or four rooms on top of one another, connected by a single spiral stair. In 1535 an Act of Parliament required every landowner over a certain value to build a tower or castle to defend his lands. It is likely that Kyle Castle was built during this period. There are accounts of a sketch of the standing Castle being kept at “the church at Coylton,” however there are no records as to the whereabouts of the sketch now. The sketch was said to depict a four-storied Scottish Tower House with four rooms connected by a staircase.
Above picture taken by "cousin" John Kyle,
in 1999 is of the Kyle castle. The remains is found in Old Cumnock parish
in Ayshire Scotland. Research done on the castle in 1863 noted the
local farmland was called KYLE, but the property was owned by Marquis of
Bute, with most memory by the locals of the earlier owners lost.
Another link to see the
castle
Ayrshire
Half-a-mile above Dalblair, on an elevated
point of land at the confluence of Guelt and Glenmuir Waters, stands the
ruin of Kyle Castle. The extent of the entire building (which was probably
a square tower [Scottish Tower House]) cannot now be ascertained, but a
wall of great thickness testifies to its formidable strength. Examining
the mortar in the wall, which is as hard as stone, it has the appearance
of standing for thousands of years to come, and the wonder is how it can
be so old as to have crumbled to what it is. There being no remains of
any other castle of this name in Kyle, it may safely be regarded as the
residence of the traditional King of Kyle, and probably the only genuine
relic of the old monarchy now in existence. It looks much, too bare for
Royalty now, but we must take into calculation the evidences of this having
at one time been the heart of a great forest. All east of this is moorland,
clad with bent, heath, and sprotts…
(source Ayrshire Roots Website)
Ayr, Coylton and Old Cumnack Parish, District
of Kyle & Ayrshire County is located in southwest Scotland.
An old picture taken in Coylton (town named after the Kyle in the
Nursery Rhyme "Old King Cole")
Kyle Coat of Arms
Family Moto Fides Non Timet (latin) = Faith Fears Not
District of Ayshire Tartan
Kyle Tartan
Kyle Standard Tartan TS 1288
Kyle Ancient Tartan
The above Tartan are available form:
Douglas Gregor
TartanWeb
Ratchill
Broughton, Scotland
ML12 6HH
Tel: +44(0) 18 99 22 00 88
Fax: +44(0) 18 99 22 04 47
Web: www.tartanweb.com
Kyle Blue from Scottish Weaver
Kyle Green from Scottish Weaver
