Old Photograph Skelmorlie Castle Scotland

Old photograph of Skelmorlie Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland. This first Scottish castle here dates from 1502, and was formerly the seat and stronghold of the Montgomery Clan. The modern village of Skelmorlie lies to the north of the castle. Major General James Montgomerie, of Wrighthill, Member of Parliament for Ayrshire lived at the castle for a long period in the early 19th century, being the brother of the 12th earl and grand uncle to the 13th earl. During this time the castle remained as a little altered, but run down example of a tower castle. The castle was tenanted during the period 1852 to 1890 by John Graham, born 1797, died 1886, of Glasgow, a textile and Port wine merchant. He rebuilt the castle in 1856 by restoring the old tower at his own expense, and adding the mansion house which joined two old buildings, with the permission of the Earl of Eglinton. His architect was William Railton of Kilmarnock. The 16th Earl of Eglinton moved here from the abandoned Eglinton Castle the Montgomerie family seat in the mid 1920s, but it was sold by the 18th Earl of Eglinton, having been leased to the Wilson family since 1956. The 16th Earl died at Skelmorlie Castle in 1945. The castle became the property of the Wilson family in the mid 1970s, also the owners of the meat canning factory at Eglinton Castle, Kilwinning. The castle was advertised for sale in 2007 and passed to new private owners in the summer of 2009.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.