Kilmaurs Place

Kilmaurs Place, The Place or Kilmaurs House, is an old mansion house or fortalice at grid reference NS41234112 in Kilmaurs, East Ayrshire, Scotland. The house stands on a prominence above the Carmel Water and has a commanding view of the surrounding area.

The building seen today (2008) replaced Kilmaurs Castle located near Jocksthorn, the ane ancient, strong building, belonging to the Earl of Glencairne, environed with a fair parke, called Carmell wod, from the watter of Carmell that runs by it. The Place was begun by William Cunningham, 9th Earl of Glencairn (1610–64), Lord Chancellor of Scotland (1660–64). A most extensive and imposing building was intended, however financial problems and his unexpected death resulted the abandonment of the original design; today's structure represents the remnants of the unfinished mansion.

The Statistical Account of 1791-99 states that "...the house known by the name of the Place, was poffeffed by them, where the late Chancellor had laid the foundation of a very extenfive building, and executed part of it; but from embarraffments of fortune, from which he expected to be relieved by Government, in whofe service, he incurred them, was obliged to give up the plan."

Kilmaurs Place is said by the Royal Commission, following McNaught, to be a 17th-century mansion abutting the East wall of its predecessor (NS44SW 16), the construction works on the previous building having ceased upon the death of the 9th Earl of Glencairn. Tranter regards it as having been erected against the east wall of its predecessor, Kilmaurs Tower.

Adamson in 1875 calls the building 'My Lord's Place' and goes on to say that With the exception of the mansion-house which is in an excellent state of preservation, blocks of masonry adjacent to it are much decayed, and at first sight seem the remains of a large building that time has shattered and almost leveled to the ground. But this is not the case. The seeming ruins are nothing more than the remnant of the walls of an elegant structure which was in the course of erection during the lifetime of the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, William, ninth Earl of Glencairn. Hume describes The Place as being built in around 1620, with a T-plan and a turnpike stair leading to the upper levels in the projecting jamb. He sees the ruins as being part of the tower that preceded the existing house.

...
Wikipedia