Culzean Castle
the ice-house at Culzean
Ownership
The Kennedy family has owned the land here since the 12th century, and probably had a fortification of some sort here for most of that time. The estates were given to Dir Thomas Kennedy in 1569, by his brother, the 4th Earl fo Cassilis (a title the family still holds). His brother preferred Dunure Castle.
Sir Thomas Kennedy inherited the house in 1742, after a protracted legal battle he also gained the title Earl of Cassalis, which broght the castle and earldom into the same family. He began to modernize the castle in 1750, but it was his son who is responsible for the castle as it stands today.
The castle was given to the care of the National Trust in 1945, and the family has moved back to Cassillis Castle.
the main gate - designed as a "romantic ruin" in the 19th century
Notes
The castle has been on banknotes issues from the Bank of Scotland since 1987.
Also, make sure to look for the little lego men in each of the public rooms - the curator of the collection moves them every so often!
the other buildings on the site all match the castle style