Polkelly Castle

Polkelly Castle
Fenwick, East Ayrshire, Scotland UK grid reference NS45684524
Pokelly Hall and Balgray Mill
Polkelly Castle
Coordinates	55°40′34″N 4°27′21″W / 55.676102°N 4.455712°W / 55.676102; -4.455712
Site information
Owner	Private
Controlled by	Mure family
Open to the public	No
Condition	Removed
Site history
Built	14th century
Built by	Mures
In use	Until 16th century
Materials	stone

Polkelly Castle, also Pokelly, was an ancient castle located near Fenwick, at NS 4568 4524, in the medieval free Barony of Polkelly, lying north of Kilmarnock, Parish of Fenwick, East Ayrshire, Scotland. The castle is recorded as Powkelly (c1747), Pockelly (c1775), Pow-Kaillie, Ponekell, Polnekel, Pollockelly, Pollockellie, Pokellie, Pathelly Ha' and Polkelly. The name is given circa 1564 as Powkellie when it was held by the Cunninghams of Cunninghamhead.

Prior to the 1390s the evidence suggests that the lands of Polkelly were in the hands of the Comyns. The estate was important to the Lairds of Rowallan as it gave uninhibited access to the large and important grazing lands of Macharnock Moor, now Glenouther Moor.

In the charter of confirmation of 1512 the feudal Barony of Polkelly comprised Darclavoch, Clonherb, Clunch, with its mill, Le Gre, Drumboy, the lands of Balgray, with its tower, fortalice, manor, and mill, and the common of Mauchirnoch (Glenouther). The Lainshaw Register of Sasines records that Laigh and High Clunch were part of the lands and barony of Pollockellie or Pokellie.

Dobie records that the Mures held Pow-Kaillie which extended to 2400 acres, two-thirds of which were arable.

The origins of the lands of Polkelly and Rowallan as a unit may date back to the British period of the Kingdom of Strathclyde, as indicated by certain anomalies and coincidences in the boundaries of these lands.

Polkelly became the secondary power centre within the feudal Barony of Rowallan. It became of minor importance when Balgray became the principal messuage of the free barony of Polkelly in 1512. The castle lay close to the Balgray Mill Burn. The castle remains were removed in the 1850s and used to create a road, only leaving the motte, measuring 23m by 16m.

A Gulielmus (William) de Lambristoune was a witness to a charter conveying the lands of Pokellie (Pokelly) from Sir Gilchrist More to a Ronald Mure at a date around 1280. During the reign of Alexander III (1241–1286) Sir Gilchrist Mure held Pokelly and had to shelter there until the King was able to subdue Sir Walter Cuming. For the sake of peace and security Sir Gilchrist married his daughter Isabella to Sir Walter.