Dolphin Arch And Coach Ring, Mortar Battery, Courtyard Including Castle Walls, Culzean Castle Estate

Various architects, including Robert Adam, later 18th century to circa 1833. Courtyard between the Castle and stable court to E, providing outer entrance to both and turning place for carriages, comprising several elements: mortar battery to N; screen wall and piers to E; Dolphin Arch to SE; linking walls to W and SW; central stepped dais. Semicircular forecourt at garden front (S) of Castle enclosed by curved walls to E and W attached to the wall of the garden terrace to the S.

CASTLE WALLS: 1770-1836, incorporating earlier fragments. Curved crenellated stone walls with slab coping and dummy gun loops. Ashlar construction. N WALL AND MORTAR BATTERY: later 18th century and 1829. Concave curves to W and E. Lowered parapet at centre and battery consisting of flagstone platform, with low parapet. Sundial (SE corner of parapet): carved stone head of bearded classical diety surmounted by flat octagonal table with circular brass dial. 2 antique bronze mortars. Further crenellated retaining wall on cliff edge below. W WALL: later 18th century. Pair of crenellated quadrants terminated at centre by a pair of mock sentry boxes flanking E door to Castle. Square plan, crenellated parapets. Each with narrow arched window to E and arched doorways on return elevations. SW WALL: later 18th century. Crenellated segmental quadrant, with dummy arrow slits. Opening in centre flanked by piers in the form of dummy square towers with pilastered corners and machicolated parapets. Painted timber gates. SE WALL: later 18th century. Crenellated segmental quadrant with dummy arrow slits, plain pier on W, and attached to archway on E. E WALL: circa 1815. Screen wall in castellated style. Central piers flanking entrance to stable court: diminutive cylindrical pepperpot towers with dummy arrow slits machicolated and crenelated parapet, conical cap with ball finial. Flanked by pair of diminutive square towers with dummy arrow slits and crenellated and machicolated parapets.

DOLPHIN ARCH: circa 1830. Triumphal arch in castellated classical style, surmounted by sculpture. Pilastered piers, machicolated cornices, roundels in spandrels, volute keystone, crenellated parapet. Panel with sculpted coat of arms on both elevations. Sculpture of boy riding on a dolphin on parapet.

COACH RING: circa 1830. Octagonal-plan triple-stepped stone dais, located on circular grassed island surrounded by gravelled carriageway in centre of courtyard. Antique bronze mortar on timber mounting.