Brought to you by
EAST AYRSHIRE LEISURE
AFTER an extensive £5.2 million renovation and modernisation project, excitement is building as Dean Castle finally prepares to re-open to the public on
Saturday, April 1.
The jewel in Kilmarnock’s crown and the home and stronghold of the Boyd Family for over 400 years, this wonderful historical stronghold has been used as a location in TV series Outlander and sits proudly within the magnificent grounds of Dean Castle Country Park.
East Ayrshire Council, supported by East Ayrshire Leisure, was awarded £1.5m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund towards the restoration and modernisation, which has cost £5.2m, with funding of £500k also secured from Historic Environment Scotland and the remainder coming from East Ayrshire Council.
The project involved the refurbishment of the Keep, Palace, Gatehouse, Courtyard and Laundry buildings as well as returning the collections for a redisplay and new interpretation for visitors.
The interior of the Palace will have new display cases, housing the key objects from the collections and more information on the history of the De Walden family and the Keep will be dedicated to telling the story of the Boyds.
The Keep, dating back to around 1350, houses displays telling the story of the Boyd family and medieval life, as well as a stunning collection of arms and armour.
From humble beginnings, in the space of only a few generations the Boyds would be made Knights, Lords and ultimately hold the Regency over the entire realm – only to lose it all under accusations of treason. They rose again to become the Earls of Kilmarnock.
The project involved the refurbishment of the Keep, Palace, Gatehouse, Courtyard and Laundry buildings
Their story is one of battles, plots, kings and politics and includes many figures of historical note – from William Wallace and Robert the Bruce to Mary Queen of Scots.
The Dean Castle site comprises a number of historic buildings set around a central courtyard. These are:
The Keep: Completed around 1350, the Keep is the oldest permanent structure on the site. It was the original home and stronghold of the Boyd family, Lords of Kilmarnock. As well as being a domestic residence, the work of the Lords was done here. It contains a Great Hall, private chambers, Minstrel’s Gallery, a dungeon, a guardhouse and kitchens.
The Gatehouse: Built in the 1930’s by Lord Howard de Walden, the style and materials used are in keeping with the rest of the buildings. Originally a janitor’s house, this building now serves as office and storage space.
The Palace (or Place): This building was finished around 1460 and was designed to accommodate the expanding role that the Boyd family held in society and within political circles. The Palace comprises a large banqueting hall, private chambers and kitchens. The presence of many windows, larger than those of the Keep, indicate a move toward a less defensive, more diplomatic society and a way for the family to display their wealth and power.
The Courtyard: An enclosed courtyard with a curtain wall topped with walkways.
Conservation Unit: This is a collections conservation lab, situated in old laundry buildings.
The exquisite craftsmanship and rarity of the musical instrument collection fires the imagination
Dean Castle’s collections of objects are of international significance. From the exquisite craftsmanship and rarity of the musical instrument collection to the Viking sword that fires the imagination, the Dean Castle collections – as well as the buildings themselves – represent over 150 years of collecting and over 1,000 years of the history of Ayrshire, its people and beyond.
Entry to the Castle and Country Park is free and is a great way to spend a day out for all ages.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article