Hunterston Castle

A 15th century or early 16th century Keep with a 17th

century house attached to it. Originally a morass stretched

round the castle with a protecting moat and rampart; Keep is

of small dimensions and contained four stories of which the

undermost is vaulted; main entrance on 1st floor from which

a wheel-stair in the thickness of the wall led to the top

where the parapet walk is protected by a battlement projected

on small corbels round three sides only. The 17th century

house addition has a staircase turret projecting in the middle

of the south side. The building is in good preservation

and was the home of the Hunter family until the Georgian

mansion was built. There were ranges of offices attached to

the castle which no longer exist, the site being now occupied

by a modern homestead, but the small courtyard on the south

side seems, however, to be old. What remains is a picturesque

range, with courtyards to north and south.