Kelburn Castle

The Boyle family have been in possession of the lands of Kelburn since the 12th century. The first structure was a wood tower. This wooden tower was replaced in the 1200s with a stone Norman Keep, sections of which are still in use today. In the late 16th century a tower house was built. This replaced an earlier structure, and may incorporate parts of the earlier masonry its eastern part. In the 17th century, orchards and gardens are recorded at Kelburn. David Boyle (1666–1733), a member of the Parliament of Scotland, was created Earl of Glasgow in 1703. He began the new north-west wing of the house, which was completed circa 1722. The 1st Earl doubled the size of the building by adding a…

The Kel burn has helped form the glen over thousands of years. In the space of just over half a mile, it rises on the moors over 800 feet above the castle and drops dramatically, by way of many waterfalls and gorges, to the sea. The glen is a wealth of wild flowers and ferns, shrubs and trees. Walks up the glen reveal views across Largs, the Firth of Clyde and over to Arran.