Culzean Castle

Culzean Castle is impressively found on a cliff edge near the city of Ayr. The castle is a beautiful contrast overlooking the sea, which separates Scotland and the Isle of Arran. Culzean Castle was built in the 16th Century by David Kennedy, 10th Earl of Cassilis. The Kennedy was an ancient family name descended from Robert the Bruce, the King of Scots, during the 1300s. Initially only a stone tower house, the Kennedy’s made their mark on the castle over the centuries they owned. The castle sits on a 260-ha estate which overlooks the Firth of Clyde to show wealth and impress. The castle, seen today, was designed in the 18th century by Robert Adam and is filled with turrets and treasures. In 1945 the National Trust of Scotland gained ownership of the castle and estate. The Trust converted the castle's top floor into a flat and was given to General Eisenhower as a gesture for America’s support during the Second World War.