Castles · Scottish Lowlands
Dundonald Castle
In or near Gatehead.
Dundonald Castle — castle in South Ayrshire, Scotland, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Barassie · 3.8 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Dundonald Castle, the nearest railway station is Barassie, located 3.8 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is KA2 9HD. Accessibility is limited for wheelchair users.
About
Dundonald Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Wikidata describes it as: "castle in South Ayrshire, Scotland, UK". Coordinates: 55.5767°, -4.5973°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Dundonald Castle is situated on a hill overlooking the village of Dundonald, between Kilmarnock and Troon in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Dundonald Castle is a fortified tower house built for Robert II on his accession to the throne of Scotland in 1371 and it was used as a royal residence by Robert II and his son Robert III.
From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.
From Historic Environment Scotland
Built in 1370s, by Robert II, Dundonald Castle is a splendid example of a medieval tower house, with a fine barrel-vaulted ceiling in the lower hall.
Read more on the official property page.
From the Wikipedia article
Dundonald Castle is situated on a hill overlooking the village of Dundonald, between Kilmarnock and Troon in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Dundonald Castle is a fortified tower house built for Robert II on his accession to the throne of Scotland in 1371 and it was used as a royal residence by Robert II and his son Robert III.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Description
The third castle was built by Robert Stewart, probably to mark his accession to the throne as Robert II in 1371. It was three storeys high. The top floor above the lofty stone vault was the upper hall – the great hall. It was for the more private use of the king and family. The first floor was the lower of the two halls – the laigh hall. It would have been used for more public activities like feasting and the holding of the baron court. The ground floor was a storage area. It was probably originally subdivided providing cellars for different commodities like wine, ale, foodstuffs and fuel. The tower house was extended in the late 14th century to add additional private chambers and a prison.…
Visiting
Dundonald Castle features in the Jules Verne novel The Underground City. The castle is used as a beacon to drive ships into the coast, where the beacon lighters can then steal the cargo of the stricken ship. Within the novel, the castle is also linked to an underground city beneath Loch Katrine via a tunnel, perhaps adding to the common myth of the ley tunnel.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 55.5767, -4.5973
- District
- South Ayrshire
- Postcode
- KA2 9HD
- Parliamentary constituency
- Central Ayrshire
- Nearest railway station
- Barassie — 3.8 km
- Opening
- Daily 10am–5pm; last entry at 4pm
- Official site
- www.dundonaldcastle.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q2844574 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Dundonald Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Dundonald Castle.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Dundonald Castle Vistor Centre
Museums · 0.1 km
Dundonald
Villages · 0.3 km
Dundonald Parish Church, Main Street, Dundonald
Historic churches · 0.4 km
Auchans
Castles · 0.9 km
Auchans Castle
Castles · 0.9 km
Kemp Law, dun site
Archaeological sites · 1.2 km
Wardlaw Hill
Vineyards · 1.8 km
Drybridgestone
Windmills · 2.0 km
Harpercroft Hillfort
Hill forts · 2.0 km
Harpercroft
Vineyards · 2.0 km
Holms Henge
Archaeological sites · 2.5 km
Holm's Bridge, Drybridge
Historic bridges · 2.8 km
Nearby
📷 3Museums · Scottish Lowlands
Dundonald Castle Vistor Centre
Dundonald Castle Vistor Centre — a museum in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 5📷 5Historic churches · Scottish Lowlands
Dundonald Parish Church, Main Street, Dundonald
Dundonald Parish Church, Main Street, Dundonald — category B listed building-listed church in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 3📷 5📷 3Archaeological sites · Scottish Lowlands
Kemp Law, dun site
Kemp Law, dun site — a archaeological in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Dundonald Castle
Places to stay
📷 5Hotels · Scottish Lowlands
Marine Troon
Marine Troon — a hotel in scotland highlands.
📷 5Caravan parks · Scottish Lowlands
Dutch House Caravan Park
Dutch House Caravan Park — a caravan park in scotland highlands.
📷 5Caravan parks · Scottish Lowlands
Dutch House Caravan Park
Dutch House Caravan Park — a caravan park in scotland highlands.
📷 5Caravan parks · Scottish Lowlands
Prestwick Holiday Park
Prestwick Holiday Park — a caravan park in scotland highlands.
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Lowlands
Eglinton Camping and Touring Site
Eglinton Camping and Touring Site — a campsite in scotland highlands.
📷 5Caravan parks · Scottish Lowlands
Viewfield Manor Leisure Park
Viewfield Manor Leisure Park — a caravan park in scotland highlands.
Places to eat & drink
📷 5Historic pubs · Scottish Lowlands
Public House, Lawthorn, Irvine
Public House, Lawthorn, Irvine in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · Scottish Lowlands
The Clansman, 58, 60, 62 John Finnie Street, Kilmarnock
The Clansman, 58, 60, 62 John Finnie Street, Kilmarnock in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
📷 7Historic pubs · Scottish Lowlands
Weston Tavern
Weston Tavern in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · Scottish Lowlands
Kingsway Bar, 26-28 Main Street, Kilwinning
Kingsway Bar, 26-28 Main Street, Kilwinning in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
📷 7Historic pubs · Scottish Lowlands
Champion Shell Inn, 5 Schoolwell Street, Stevenston
Champion Shell Inn, 5 Schoolwell Street, Stevenston in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · Scottish Lowlands
Railway Tavern, 18 Smith Street, Ayr
Railway Tavern, 18 Smith Street, Ayr in Scotland Lowlands, United Kingdom.
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📷 4Frequently asked questions
- Where is Dundonald Castle?
- Dundonald Castle is in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (postcode KA2 9HD).
- What is Dundonald Castle?
- Dundonald Castle — castle in South Ayrshire, Scotland, UK.
- How do I get to Dundonald Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Barassie, about 3.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode KA2 9HD.
- Is Dundonald Castle a listed building?
- Dundonald Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Does Dundonald Castle charge admission?
- Dundonald Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Dundonald Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Barassie, about 3.8 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode KA2 9HD.