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Trabboch Castle

Tower House (Medieval)

Site Name Trabboch Castle

Classification Tower House (Medieval)

Canmore ID 42739

Site Number NS42SE 1

NGR NS 45829 22132

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/42739

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council East Ayrshire
  • Parish Stair
  • Former Region Strathclyde
  • Former District Cumnock And Doon Valley
  • Former County Ayrshire

Archaeology Notes

NS42SE 1 45829 22132.

(NS 4582 2213) Trabboch Castle (NR) (remains of)

OS 6" map (1967)

The NSA notes that the remains of a tower, probably the residence of the proprietor of the barony of Trabboch, stands at Trabboch Mains. It is named "Trabboch Castle" in the ONB, which states that its S and E walls were removed to build Trabboch Mains; the remaining portion stood about 10ft high, with the walls, which contained arrow-slits, some 7ft thick. Nothing was known of its history.

NSA 1845 (W Rorison); Name Book 1856

The remains of Trabboch Castle consist of an L-shaped portion of walling, 2.5m thick, average height 3.0m, of massive rubble masonry, 9.0m long on the NW arm and 12.5m long on the SW arm. No window or door openings are visible. Mr A M Service (owner, Trabboch Mains) states that the castle is said to have been given to Boyd of Kilmarnock by Bruce for services rendered at Bannockburn.

Visited by OS (JFC) 21 June 1954

The earliest reference found to the lands of Trabboch is in a rental of 1303-4. Evidence to substantiate the tradition that Robert Bruce gave the castle to Boyd of Kilmarnock for services rendered at the Battle of Bannockburn may be found in an undated charter in the Register of the Great Seal. This states that Bruce granted the 'lands of Trebach' (Trabboch) in Kyle-Regis to Robert Boyd. It is not known how long the lands remained in the hands of the Boyd family, but by 1451 they had been given to William, Earl of Douglas.

J Retter 1978

Trabboch Castle remains are as described. The broad natural ditch on the W side and the shallow curvilinear ditch on the S side were probably utilised as part of the defences.

Visited by OS (MJF) 20 October 1980

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