page_title: Carleton Castle
section_title: The legend of Sir John Cathcart and the murdered heiresses
hierarchical_section_title: Carleton Castle / Carleton Castle and Little Carleton Fort or Motte / The legend of Sir John Cathcart and the murdered heiresses
caption_attribution_description: English: Carleton Castle ruin from the north-east, Little Carleton Farm, Lendalfoot, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Collapsed wall details with rebuilt section.
context_page_description: The ruins of the five storey high 15th century Carleton Castle lie in a prominent position above the village of Lendalfoot located on Carleton Bay, parish of Colmonell in the old district of Carrick, now South Ayrshire, about 6 miles south of Girvan, Scotland.
context_section_description: A legend derived from the ballad May or Mary Culzean exists in several versions in different books. The essence of the story is that Sir John Cathcart of Carleton Castle was in the habit of enriching his estate through marrying heiresses. The steep Games Loup cliffs stand close to the castle and one by one his brides met their end by accidentally falling from the path that ran along the edge.
  Mary Kennedy of Culzean was Sir John's ninth heiress bride and one evening whilst walking along the Games Loup her husband informed her that she was to meet her end, but that he would keep her valuable jewel and gold thread enriched clothes. Mary told her husband to act like a gentlemen and to turn his back to preserve her dignity whilst she undressed. Upon his turning she grabbed his arm, spun him around and cast him off the cliff to his death. The ghostly screams of Sir John or his eight murdered wives are said to have been heard emanating from the castle.
caption: Carleton Castle tower showing the collapsed area and rebuilt section with new entry door.
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