Dunure Castle Dunure Castle is located on the west coast of Scotland , in South Ayrshire , about 5 miles south of Ayr and close to the village of Dunure . Dunure Castle today stands in ruin s on a rocky promontory on the Carrick coast , protecting the small Dunure harbour . Introduction . The site dates from the late 13th century ; the earliest charter for the lands dating from 1256 , but the remains of the building are of 15th - and 16th - century origin . One tradition is that the castle was built by the Danes and another states that the Mackinnon s held the castle from Alexander III , as a reward for their valour at the Battle of Largs . The castle is the point of origin of the Kennedys of Carrick , who once ruled over much of south western Scotland and were granted the lands in 1357 . Sir James Balfour described Dunure as " a grate and pleasand stronge housse , the most ancient habitation of the surname of Kennedy , Lairds of Dunure , now Earles of Cassiles . " This family should not be confused with the renowned American Kennedy family which came from Co . Wexford in Ireland . In August 1563 , Mary , Queen of Scots , visited the castle for three days during her third progress round the west of the country . The Celtic name Dunure or Dunoure is said to derive from the " hill " or " fort of the yew tree " . Roasting of the Commendator of Crossraguel . In 1570 , a dispute arose between Gilbert Kennedy , 4th Earl of Cassilis , and Allan Stewart , the succeeding lay Commendator of Crossraguel Abbey over the ownership of some of the abbey lands and their rental income . The Earl ' s uncle was Quintin Kennedy , the last true abbot of Crossraguel . It was Quintin who challenged John Knox to a debate on the Catholic Mass . Gilbert had expected to secure the Commendatorship , however Allan obtained it through the influence of his relative , Captain James Stewart of Cardonald . Gilbert , with sixteen men , caught Allan Stewart unawares in Crossraguel Woods whilst a guest of the Laird of Bargany , and tricked him into journeying to Dunure . At the castle he was deprived of his horse and weapons and guarded by six of the Earl ' s men . For two days Gilbert left the commendator to consider his fate and because he was obstinate and refused to sign over the lands and rentals he tortured him twice , roasting and basting his feet and body over a brazier in the Black Vault of the castle , aided bizarrely by his cook , baker and pantrymen . As a result of the torture sessions of the first and seventh days of September 1570 , the lands were signed over to Gilbert . The Commendator was rescued from his confinement by the Laird of Bargany , Allan ' s brother in law , who arrived with a body of men ; first hiding in the chapel and then storming the castle . The rights to the abbey lands were settled , partly by the Earl providing Allen Stewart with sufficient funds to allow him to live ' comfortably ' for the rest of his life . In the meantime he had been taken to the Cross of Ayr where he had denounced the Earl of Cassillis . The Earl however was never fully brought to book for his actions by the Privy Council and Allen Stewart never walked again . The castle and estate of Dunure , together with Dalquharran , were purchased by Sir Thomas Kennedy of Kirkhill in the late 17th century . Castle . The castle consisted of two distinct parts ; a keep of an irregular shape on the top of a precipitous rock and other buildings at a lower level . The keep walls are about five feet thick and the vaults on the basement are well preserved , however most of the superstructure is entirely demolished . The keep represents the original castle , much altered . The central portion of the castle may be 15th century and was intended to form a defence to the access into the keep . The additional buildings are of a later date and contain two kitchens on the ground level , one for the castle and the other for the retainers . To the north - east stands a detached wall which may have led to a gateway . A drawbridge may have stood nearby and the chapel may have been located against the thick wall of the central part of the castle . A moat or fosse protected the approach and a wall may have also existed . In the 1990s excavations showed that a hall house was built across the 13th century court in the 14th century . Beneath the castle is a cavern , called the Browney ' s Cave which may have been a sally - port ; a secret tunnel leading to the castle . In 1429 a meeting took place at Dunure between James Campbell , representing King James I of Scotland and John Mor MacDonald , representing the Lord of the Isles . Violence broke out and MacDonald was killed . James I ' s efforts to contain the outrage of the Lords of the Isles by executing Campbell did not prevent a subsequent uprising by them . For three days from 4 August 1563 , Mary , Queen of Scots , stayed at Dunure Castle on her Royal tour down the west coast to Glenluce Abbey then on to Whithorn Priory . She was the guest of Gilbert Kennedy , the 4th Earl of Cassilis . Doocot . The late medieval " beehive " - shaped dovecot of Dunure Castle dates probably from the 15th century . It would have held some 200 nesting boxes and would have supplied the castle with fresh eggs and meat . Demise . This began in the mid - 17th century and by 1694 the castle is described as " wholly ruined " . It is not clear whether this can be linked to the Civil War period , although local tradition suggests that Dunure had been burnt and / or blown up . A major collapse of the SE part of the keep could perhaps be linked to such activity . Recovery of building materials for the construction of the Cromwellian citadel in Ayr may also account for its ruination , as at Ardrossan Castle . Much evidence exists for the systematic dismantling of the structure for recoverable building materials including the orderly removal of slates , stone and glass . The windows were dismantled and comprehensively stripped of their lead . Remains of a localised fire and associated deposits of coal suggested that smelting of the lead took place within the room . Those dismantling the castle seem to have occupied part of the structure during their work . The ruin subsequently saw periodic robbing of its sandstone dressings . A range of castle buildings to the S of Area 4 remained in occupation until c . 1860 . Census records and reuse of some rooms demonstrate that some of the occupants were fishermen . A large midden of mussel shell gave evidence for the baiting of cod lines . Domestic refuse of the later 18th and early to mid - 19th century was also recovered . The only relatively late recorded military action at Dunure consists of a short siege in 1570 . A Civil War action or slighting is a further possibility , although the castle may have been abandoned by that time . The route of a stone - lined water course was located at the S end of the trench as it ran into the entrance of the Area 4 kitchen range . Groundworks to the S of the ruins located a further , well preserved section of the same water course . Present day . The castle has been excavated and consolidated , making safe the public access to the area . The castle dominates the Kennedy Park , which has a number of facilities for visitors . There are also said to be secret Ley tunnel s which connect Dunure Castle to Greenan Castle further north . Brendan Roy Clouston of Dunure is the Baron of Dunure ( 2009 ) as registered with the Lord Lyon King of Arms . Micro - history . In the story " " The Brownie of Dunure " " Sir Thomas Kennedy of Dunure adopts the son of his neighbour and kinsman , Reginald Duff , Laird of Dunduff . Sir Thomas has an illegitimate daughter and he hopes that the two will marry . The O ' Neils of Ireland are competitors for her hand and to ensure a love match the legend of the Brownie of Dunure is employed with mixed results .