Kelburn Castle is a large house near Fairlie, North Ayrshire. It is the seat of the Earl of Glasgow. Originally built in the thirteenth century (the original keep forms the core of the house) it was remodelled in the sixteenth century. In 1700 the first Earl made further extensions to the house in a manner not unlike a French château which is virtually how it appears today. In 1977 the house and grounds opened to the public as a country park. It is one of the oldest castles in Scotland and has been continuously inhabited by the same family for longer than any other. The castle is protected as a category A listed building, while the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.

When it was found in 2007 that the castle's concrete facing would soon need replacing, Lord Glasgow invited four Brazilian graffiti artists to decorate the walls. This was still in place in 2011, when the Earl sought permission from Historic Scotland to keep the graffiti permanently.

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Fairlie, United Kingdom
See all sites in Fairlie

Details

Founded: 16th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Chris Mee (7 months ago)
Excellent attraction to visit. The castle itself is a living history following the past and current family who still reside here. There is so much more to do here with the animals play park and a decent cafe. Big shout out to Emily our guide around the castle who showed an in depth knowledge of the castle, its residents and history. Certainly worth a visit and it is in my opinion reasonably priced.
Deborah M (7 months ago)
This review is for the glamping: Planet Kelburn A universe of its own where children can roam free in safety and play, hide, catch toads, count bats, butterflies and birds, toast marshmallows, make friends, pretend to be witches or cowboys, tell ghost stories, play in a waterfall, eat brambles, converse with a turkey. The yurts are incredibly comfy, particularly the beds. The staff are amazing. The bothy (communal kitchen and lounge) is well-equipped with ovens, hobs, kettles, fridges and cutlery/cooking stuff). Showers and toilets are spotlessly clean. The play areas are the stuff of legend. Witches cottage, stockade, secret forest, on and on. The indoor soft play also great. Try the venison burger and chips at the concession. To bring with you: sunscreen, bug spray, towels (micro fibre quick drying ideal), torches, water shoes for waterfall and beach use, a little beach net for gently catching toads and sea animals, a hat, a jumper, good walking shoes, a power bank for your phone as there’s only electricity in the bothy. The solar panel battery in the yurt will not charge your phone well and if you try, you’ll then have no lights at night in your yurt. This place is just magic. Go there. It’s glorious.
Dougie Wotherspoon (Cmdr D) (7 months ago)
Fantastic campsite with lots to do and see. Electric hookups and very clear toilets however only one shower for men and one for woman so this was the only thing. Wood was supplied on site and was great as kindling also supplied. Staff were all great and amenities were spotless.
David C (7 months ago)
Interesting place to spend 2 or 3 hours. They have some farm animals which children found interesting. There is an adventure area with climbing frames etc. There is also a cafe and gift shop. We enjoyed a walk passed the waterfalls and up to the top of the hill. Some beautiful views from up there.
Doug Heke (7 months ago)
2nd visit and it is still stunning. The walks are relaxing and informative(not too mention beautiful), the play areas are well maintained and my kids loved them, the secret forest is a wonderful maze like journey of discovery that thrills kids(of all ages) then there is the painted castle! "Love it" or "Wonder why you'd do that to a castle?" it is amazing and set into a picturesque hill. Just go... You won't regret it!
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Monte d"Accoddi is a Neolithic archaeological site in northern Sardinia, located in the territory of Sassari. The site consists of a massive raised stone platform thought to have been an altar. It was constructed by the Ozieri culture or earlier, with the oldest parts dated to around 4,000–3,650 BC.

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