Kerelaw Castle

Stevenston, North Ayrshire

Kerelaw Castle is on the northern edge of Stevenston in North Ayrshire.

Built in 1191 probably by the Lockharts (Stephen Lockhart is he person that Stevenston is named after) and was later passed to the Cunninghams. It was eventually burned down in 1488 by the Montgomeries, their long-time enemies, and later in pay-back they in turn burned down Eglinton Castle in 1528. Thirty years is a long time to plot revenge

Rebuilt after 1488 it passed through many hands: Sir Thomas Boyd, then back to the Cunninghams, then the grandfather of Alexander Hamilton (the US founding father they made a musical about) and was lived in by the Hamiltons until 1787 after which it fell into disuse.

The Hamilton they made the musical about never lived here and his birth on the Caribbean island of Nevis in around 1755 was illegitimate, though his father was the son of the owner of this castle so there is a connection, if a little tenuous.

Foot access to the ruins is easy and there's parking nearby in the housing estate.