Cloncaird Castle, Maybole, South Ayrshire, KA19

An outstanding B Listed castle with an event space, holiday cottages and stables set amongst 143 acres of policies, woodland and farmland on the Water of Girvan.

Description

Cloncaird Castle
Set within a picturesque estate bordered by the Water of Girvan and overlooking the Kelso Burn, Cloncaird Castle occupies an impressive position within extensive grounds. The approach is via two tarmac driveways connecting to a network of internal roads, including a charming bridge crossing the burn. The estate features mature gardens, ponds, policies, woodland and farmland, extending to approximately 143 acres. It enjoys a private setting within gently rolling countryside, with uninterrupted views.

The accommodation, arranged over four floors, is laid out as shown on the accompanying floor plans and may be summarised as follows:

The ground floor is entered via a front door into an impressive entrance hall featuring an open fireplace, stone columns and ornate plaster ceiling, with marble flooring leading to a striking hall and feature marble and timber staircase. The principal reception rooms are accessed from here, including a formal dining room with original panelling and open fireplace, along with a morning room and office with adjacent cloakroom. There is also a laundry, boiler room and woodchip store, together with internal access to the atrium.

The glazed atrium, set within the original courtyard, provides an exceptional events space with commercial kitchen, WC facilities and storage. An apartment within the courtyard buildings offers a kitchen, sitting room, bedroom and shower room. With its own entrance and separate drive, the atrium can operate independently of the main house. Completing the ground floor is a further dining kitchen (without cooker) with direct access to the commercial kitchen.

The first floor centres around a gallery landing leading to the principal reception rooms, including a circular music room, snooker room, drawing room and library. These retain fine original features, including ornate plasterwork, panelling, fireplaces and timber floors, all enjoying views over the gardens. This floor also provides three bedrooms, a bathroom and access to a terrace.

The second floor comprises the principal bedroom suite, with marble bathroom, dressing room and a circular sitting room. Across the upper and intermediate levels there are a further eight bedrooms, six bathrooms and an additional circular sitting room at the top of the castle. Spiral staircases and turrets enhance the character throughout, while a lift connects the ground and first floors.

Cloncaird Castle has been well maintained and retains a wealth of original features, offering highly versatile accommodation suited to both family living and commercial use. The atrium courtyard and existing holiday accommodation present excellent scope to further develop its use as an events or hospitality venue.

Cottages
Set away from the castle, there are nine cottages on the estate. Four of the cottages (Coach House, Stables Cottage, Groom’s Cottage and Tack Room Cottage) have been developed within the former stable block, which is adjoined by Gardener’s Cottage.

These cottages are over two floors and have two bedrooms with the exception of Groom’s Cottage which has three.

Further down the burn are the remaining cottages: Duck Pond Cottage and Loft Cottage, both detached with one bedroom each; and Burnside and Butler’s Cottage which are semi-detached, each with two bedrooms.

With the exception of Butler’s Cottage, all cottages are currently managed for the purposes of short term holiday letting via occupancy levels peak during the summer months, with average occupancies of around 90% in the months of July and August.

Location

Cloncaird Castle is a charming residential estate set within a peaceful location in rural South Ayrshire but within easy access of the A77, one of the main arterial routes for central Scotland. The county town of Ayr is approximately 12 miles to the north and provides a wide range of high street shops and supermarkets, schooling (including private coeducation at Wellington), banking and professional services. There is an excellent range of restaurants and a variety of sports and recreational facilities including Ayr’s first class racecourse which is the home of the Scottish Grand National meeting held annually in spring. The Scottish Rural University College (SRUC) and University of the West of Scotland (UWS) share a campus in Ayr town centre.

Ayrshire, renowned as the birthplace of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns, offers a rich cultural heritage woven into its striking coastal and countryside landscapes. Often referred to as “Burns Country,” the area celebrates its literary legacy through historic sites, charming villages and an enduring sense of tradition—providing a unique and characterful setting that continues to inspire residents and visitors alike.

The Ayrshire coast is famous worldwide for golf, with championship courses at Royal Troon, Prestwick and Turnberry, all of which have hosted the Open Championship. Ayrshire has an excellent reputation for food and is renowned across Scotland for its local larder featuring freshly caught seafood, world-class beef and lamb, and the famous 'Ayrshire tattie. There are many farm shops in the area through to Michelin-recognised restaurants.

Situated on the cliff top, Culzean Castle and Country Park (run by the National Trust for Scotland) is about 9 miles away, and the nearby Galloway Forest Park (one of only four national parks in the western world to have official Dark Sky status) is an area of outstanding natural beauty and offers excellent walking, mountain biking and fishing. Further up the coastline to the north is the popular sailing area of the Firth of Clyde with yachting marinas at Troon, and further up again at Largs and Inverkip.

Glasgow city centre is accessible by both rail and road and is widely regarded as a vibrant and dynamic city with one of the UK’s best shopping districts. Edinburgh, Scotland’s famous capital city, lies about 90 miles to the northeast. The nearest airport is Prestwick which is about 18 miles to the north and has services to many European destinations along with the capacity for private planes. Glasgow Airport (50 miles) and Edinburgh Airport (82 miles) provide a wider range of domestic, European and international flights. The nearest train station is in Maybole, a small station providing links to Ayr and Kilmarnock to the north and Girvan / Stranraer to the south. Cairnryan, 38 miles to the south, benefits from two ferry ports providing regular services to Belfast and Larne in Northern Ireland.

Historical Note
Cloncaird Castle is a handsome Category B Listed country house, with origins dating back to the late 16th century. Originally constructed as a fortified tower house, the castle retains elements of this early period, including a carved armorial panel dated 1585.

During the 16th and 17th centuries the castle was held by the Mure family of Auchendrane, a prominent Ayrshire lineage closely associated with the turbulent political history of the region. In the early 19th century Cloncaird was acquired by Henry Ritchie of Craigton and Busbie, who substantially remodelled the building in 1814. The building work transformed the historic tower into an elegant castellated country residence, establishing much of the castle’s present appearance whilst sympathetically blending historic character with refined proportions.

The estate remained in private ownership throughout the 19th century before changing hands in the early 20th century, when further modernisation took place. In the mid-20th century the castle was used as a convalescent home, before later returning to private residential use. Today, Cloncaird Castle stands as an important example of the evolution of a Scottish fortified house into an elegant country residence, set within a picturesque and private estate, suited to modern life.




Acreage: 143 Acres

Directions

From Glasgow and the north, follow the A77 south (signposted Kilmarnock, Prestwick Airport, Ayr and Stranraer). Once past the town of Ayr, keep on the A77 until after the village of Minishant where you will turn left on to the B7045, signposted for Kirkmichael and Straiton. Follow this road for about 5 miles, through the village of Kirkmichael, and the driveways for Cloncaird are on the left hand side.

The postcode for satellite navigation purposes is KA19 7LU.

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Additional Info

The estate extends to a total of about 143 acres which lie predominantly around the castle and are bound by the Water of Girvan to the west and the B7045 to the east, with the exception of 21 acres located across the public road in two parcels.

The immediate policies of the castle are laid to lawn, interspersed with ornamental gardens bound by borders brimming with mature shrubs and bushes such as rhododendrons and azaleas, all centred around a large water feature of three adjoining ponds with a weir and water fountain. Adjacent to the ponds is a wooden decked area accessed via a stunning pergola adorned with climbing plants and flowering vines. The policies surrounding the cottages are lower maintenance and lawned although immaculate and set amongst trees. Nearer the estate buildings is a glass house and a circular stone walled patio, perfect for a fire pit.

The farmland extends to about 57 acres and is split into six enclosures, bound by post and wire / rail fences. Whilst currently all down to grass for livestock grazing, the land would be capable of cropping. The land is very gently undulating with an altitude ranging from 60 metres to 125 metres above sea level.

There are about 66 acres of woodland which is a mixture of conifer and broadleaf and provides shelter to the farmland as well as enhancing both the privacy and amenity of the estate. A path runs from the castle, along the river looping back on to the northern driveway, and there is potential to create more pathways. The estate benefits from 1 mile of fishing along the water of Girvan.

The farmland is currently split between grazing paddocks for the estate livery business and the rest is let on a seasonal grazing agreements to a local farmer.

The estate benefits from two distinct yard areas which are currently utilised as stabling, a workshop and general storage.

Stables / Workshop / Storage (35.8m x 12.5m) + (21m x 9.5m): A steel portal frame, purpose built stable building with concrete floor, concrete block walls and insulated profile metal sheet cladding and roof. Contains 20 block built stalls with spacious central passage, a tack room and a workshop and general storage.

General Purpose Building x 2 (55m x 6.5m): A pair of steel portal frame buildings with concrete panels and profile metal sheet cladding and roofs with a spacious yard between.