Culzean Castle and Country Park, Maybole
THERE’S nowhere quite like Culzean, outside the pages of a fantasy novel.
The castle is set on a clifftop, overlooking beaches, secret follies and woodlands. This imposing building was designed by the famous architect Robert Adam in the late 18th Century and was home to the wealthy Kennedy family for generations.
In 1945, Culzean Castle came into the care of the National Trust for Scotland and has been a firm favourite with visitors ever since.
Gordon Nelson, head guide and collections care officer, has worked at Culzean for 25 years. He loves to care for the collections and welcome guests to the beautiful property – and he has a few special highlights for you to look out for when you visit.
Perhaps most dramatic are the hundreds of flintlock pistols and many swords purchased by Archibald Kennedy, 1st Marquess of Ailsa and 12th Earl of Cassillis (1770-1846).
‘All of them have been used. While it’s hard to identify exactly which battles they were used in, the earliest is from 1738 and there are others from the early 1800s. We have weapons from the Jacobite period in Scotland, the Napoleonic Wars, the Peninsular War, the East India Company and the American Revolutionary War as well. These pistols could have been used in any of those conflicts. Each one will have a story – maybe it’s a good job they can’t talk!’
Another one for history buffs – mounted on the ceiling inside the castle is a huge teak propeller from the First
World War.
‘It has an incredible story as it came from the aircraft that first shot down a German airship, just outside London in September 1916. The aircraft was a B.E.2c night fighter, flown by Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson.
‘It was a horrible thing to fly, and he was around 1,000ft higher than he should have been when he decided to attack the zeppelin. He emptied his drums of bullets into it and, as he fired his last shots, it suddenly ignited and fell out of the sky.
‘He won the Victoria Cross for that action and later became a captain before being shot down, captured and badly treated by the Germans. He fell ill in the 1918 influenza pandemic when he returned to Britain and tragically died at just 23.’
These are just a small taste of the amazing pieces of history waiting for you to discover. There’s also a tiny model ship made of bones, paintings, fine architectural details and a barrel organ. So, whether you fancy exploring the deer park, woods and gardens or discovering the history inside, Culzean Castle is sure to impress. If you’ve got little ones with you, they’ll love the adventure play parks and looking for sea creatures on the beach.
If you want a really luxurious visit, did you know you can book to stay at this grand property? Guests can rent the castle wing where President Eisenhower stayed. While Culzean was gifted to the National Trust for Scotland, these rooms were left to the US president for his assistance to the Scottish people through the Second World War. He visited for holidays several times, and said of Culzean: ‘This is a place I can relax.’ You’re sure to fall in love with the dramatic, presidential Culzean Castle.
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