Blairquhan Castle, South Ayrshire One Place Study

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Blairquhan, South Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
Surnames/tags: One_Place_Studies Ayrshire Scotland

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Contents 1 Blairquhan Castle, South Ayrshire One Place Study 1.1 Name 1.2 Geography 1.3 Blairquhan - The unknown Factor 1.4 Overview 1.5 Families of the Castle 1.6 Historical Highlights Timeline 1.7 Interior Highlights 1.8 Estate Grounds and Gardens 1.9 Memorials 1.10 Notable People 1.11 In the Movies 1.12 Visitation 2 Sources

Blairquhan Castle, South Ayrshire One Place Study

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Name

Blairquhan Castle, Straiton, Maybole, South Ayrshire, Scotland, UK

Geography

Continent: Europe

Sovereign State: United Kingdom

Country: Scotland

County: Ayrshire

GPS Coordinates: 55.3161, -4.5776

Elevation:

Blairquhan - The unknown Factor

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On first thought, one might say that the word 'Blairquhan' came from the latest family of occupants of Blairquhan Castle, the Hunter-Blairs, but that's not the case. The origin likely came into being about 400 years prior to the Hunter-Blair dynasty.

Most of the history of Blairquhan is well known and well written about, but there is one unknown factor that remains elusive. And that is how did the name Blairquhan evolve? The answer could not be found in any current written or online information.

The following are some possible scenarios that might hold the key:

A. We do not know much about Sir Thomas Kennedy of Dalmortoun other than the fact that he bought the 'Lands of Dalelachane' from the original owners. One thought is that he renamed his new property 'Blairquhan' based on the Scots-Blair / Gaelic-Blar connotation which signifies a "plain", "meadow" or "field", frequently a “battlefield”.

Note: Without verification, it is the opinion of this OPS manager that Sir Thomas was the individual that named his new property acquisition 'Blairquhan'.

B. It is believed that Sir John Kennedy (1382-1473) (later 1st of Blairquhan) was married because he had a son (later, the 2nd of Blairquhan), but there is no valid information as to whom Sir John married. Family Search says he married (Mrs. John Kennedy (1386-XXXX)) in 1405. Did he marry a relation of Sir Thomas and acquired Blairquhan through marriage? Or did he and his new spouse rename the property, and John then styled himself the 1st of Blairquhan?

C. Another case would be that there was the Blair family (also called the Blair's of Blair) of Ayrshire who might have bought the "Lands of Dalelachane' from Sir Thomas and renamed it Blairquhan. They may also have had a daughter who married Sir John and that couple renamed the property from the the "Lands of Dalelachane' to Blairquhan. It is a known fact that the Blairs did marry some Kennedy's, but no connection could be found in any currently available information.

So you see that there are various possible ways that the name Blairquhan came about and more research is needed to determine the correct path the name took.

So we start with what we know from written and online resources:

Overview

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‘Patrick MacChruiter, son of the late Michael MacChruiter ‘the Harper’ in the Earldom of Carrick acquired the lands of Dalelachane where the current castle sits from his brother Andrew and in 1346 built an early tower house there. The entire land was then acquired by Sir Thomas Kennedy the Lord of Dalmortoun in 1385 from nearby in the same general area.

Sir John Kennedy (1382-1473) acquired Blairquhan in the early 1400's through marriage and became the 1st (Laird) of Blairquhan.

The Whitefoord family acquired the estate in the early 1600's but had to sell it following the Ayr bank crash of 1772 when the family lost most their savings.

Sir David Hunter Blair, 3rd Baronet bought the estate in 1798. He eventually built a new structure (today's castle) between 1820 and 1824 in the Tudor Revival style to the plans of noted Scottish architect William Burn (1789-1870) which was one of his early commissions. Previous designs prepared by J. Gillespie Graham in 1814 and Robert Wallace in 1818 were not implemented. The house was built slightly to the south of an earlier fortified building and incorporates features of 1576 within the kitchen courtyard.

The 21st century saw the estate under pressure from debts and taxes. The Hunter-Blair family sold paintings and art works, which brought in a few million, but eventually Blairquhan Castle and 670 acres of the estate went on the market for £4.85 million.

In 2012 Sir Patrick David Hunter-Blair, 9th Baronet, sold Blairquhan to Ganten Scotland, a subsidiary of a Chinese bottling company.

Families of the Castle

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Over the centuries there has been four families who owned and occupied the Blairquhan lands.

The following is a summary of some but not all members of these families. They are listed here as reference only to their respective families.

MacChruiter (later var. McWhirter)

The first written records of the MacChruiters appear in 1190, where they are referenced as the hereditary harpers of the Carricks (the Mac Citharistes) which were a sept of the Clan Buchanan.

The hereditary Citharistes (Harp players) of Carrick seem a likely origin for the surname MacWhirter (MacChruiter) in the Earldom of Carrick (later Ayrshire).

The MacWhirter surname is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic “Mac Chruiteir,” a patronymic created from the occupational byname “Cruiteir,” or “a player of the crwth,” a musical instrument that figures prominently in the name’s early history.

Early versions of the name would likely have used the Scottish 'Mac' patronymic but over time the frequency of the spellings using the 'Mc' variant became dominant.

Variations of MacWhirter (also spelled McWherter and Macwherter, MacWherter) are Anglicisations of the Scottish Gaelic MacChruiteir, meaning "son of the harpist or fiddler", originating from M’Churterr. Less common forms of this Scottish name, MacWhorter and McWhorter, McQuarter, McQuirter, McGruder, and McCarter are found in North America.

Michael ‘the Harper’ of Carrick (Michaelis Cithariste de Carryk) had settled the lands of Dalelachane in 'Ballemontyrcowyltane' in the Earldom of Carrick (Ayr) and had two son's named Andrew (1st heir) and Patrick (2nd heir). Andrew inherited and resigned the land of 'Dalelachane' in the tenement of 'Ballemontyrcowyltane' (AYR) before certain nobles of the kingdom at Ayr on the 23 May 1344.

On 6 May 1346 King David II (1324-1371) granted a charter to Patrick (2nd heir) to own the land previously held by his brother Andrew. Patrick proceeded to build the first tower house here in this year.

In 1385, Patrick MacChruiteir's son and heir Duncan MacChruiteir sold the whole lands of Dalelachane to Sir Thomas Kennedy, Lord of Dalmortoun for twelve cows and their calves.

Family Members:

Michael MacChruiter ‘the Harper’ of Carrick

Andrew MacChruiter

Patrick MacChruiter

Duncan MacChruiter

Kennedy

Members of the Scots Kennedy family already owned a vast amount of property in the Carrick district of Ayrshire, some titled Kennedy of Dunure, Kennedy of Cassillis, and Kennedy of Culzean, so their history is long and came further into to the picture when John Kennedy (1382-1473), the 4th son of Gilbert Kennedy (1348-aft.1408) and Agnes Maxwell (1353-1414), acquired the estate through marriage in 1405. He would be styled the 1st (Laird) of Blairquhan.

Descendants of John (the 1st of Blairquhan through John the 7th of Blairquhan) held and used the estate for their respective homes.

Family Members:

Sir John Kennedy, 1st of Blairquhan (1382-1473)

Sir John Kennedy, 2nd of Blairquhan (1420-bef.1471)

John Kennedy, 3rd of Blairquhan (bef.1450-abt.1500)

John Kennedy, 4th of Blairquhan (bef.1475-bef.1515)

Gavin Kennedy, 5th of Blairquhan (bef.1484-abt.1522)

James Kennedy, 6th of Blairquhan (abt.1490-bef.1558)

Sir Gilbert "5th Lord" Kennedy, 3rd Earl of Cassilis (1515-1558), (son of James, 6th of Blairquhan) (above), was father of John 7th of Blairquhan (below).

Sir John Kennedy, 7th of Blairquhan (1541-1605) son of Sir Gilbert (above)

Sir Rev. Thomas Kennedy of Culzean (1543-1602), brother of Sir John, 7th of Blairquhan, 2nd son of Sir Gilbert (above)

James Kennedy (1578-1637), 1st son of Sir Rev. Thomas

Rev. John Kennedy (1580-XXXX), 2nd son of Sir Rev. Thomas, brother of James (above).

Note: Without validation, the following summary is assumed:

Sir John Kennedy, 7th of Blairquhan (1541-1605) had a brother Rev. Sir Thomas Kennedy (1543-1602) who had two sons James (1578-1637) and John (1580-XXXX).

Sir Rev. Thomas Kennedy (1543-1602) died in 1602.

Sir John (7th) left Blairquhan to his nephew Rev. John Kennedy (1580-XXXX) (2nd son of Rev. Sir Thomas).

Rev. John Kennedy (1580-XXXX) sold the estate to brother James Kennedy (1578-1637) (1st son of Rev. Sir Thomas).

In a legal dispute during the mid to late 1620s, the Kennedy's lost possession of Blairquhan to the Whitefoords of Ballochmyle. However the Kennedy's managed to remain in residence until well into the middle of the 17th century when they conceded defeat to the Whitefoord's.

Whitefoord

Following the legal dispute with the Kennedy's and having finally gained vacant possession of Blairquhan, Sir John Whitefoord rented it to the McAdams of Lagwyne, parents of the famous road improver John Loudon McAdam (1756-1836), inventor of tar-macadam.

The Whitefoords of Blairquhan, in the County of Ayr, are descended from a younger son of the Whitefoords of that Ilk, who took up residence in the Ayrshire with his brother, Abbot of Crossraugel, during the reign of King James IV, who designed them Heritable Coroners of the jurisdiction of Carrick. They intermarried, at various periods, with many eminent northern houses -- Blair of that Ilk, Kennedy of Ardmillan, Cathcart of Carnock, and Inglis of Sheel.

As the family grew in power and reputation and acquired considerable estates. They married into more powerful families like Semple, Somerville and Houston. They obtained substantial lands in Ayr and were hereditary coroners of Carrick. James Whitefoord married a daughter of Sir Bryce Blair of that Ilk, and their son, Adam, was created a Baronet in 1701.

Family Members:

James Whitefoord (1630-1697)

Sir Adam Whitefoord (1684-1727) ,1st Baronet 1701-1727

Sir John Whitefoord (1700-1763), 2nd Baronet 1727-1763

Sir John Whitefoord (1734-1803) , 3rd Baronet 1763-1803 (Patron of Robert Burns)

The barony ended with the 3rd Baronet because he did not produce any legitimate male heirs.

The Sir John Whitefoord, 3rd Baronet was badly affected by his investment in, and collapse of the Ayrshire bank in 1769. Although they retained Blairquhan at the time, he was eventually forced to sell it in 1798 to Sir David Hunter Blair, 3rd Baronet (1778-1857).

Hunter-Blair

In 1798, David Hunter Blair (1778-1857), 3rd Baronet bought Blairquhan from Sir John Whitefoord (1734-1803) , 3rd Baronet. David also inherited the baronetcy in 1800 when his elder brother John died, and after marrying a niece of the Marquess of Tweedale, he and his family took up part time residency at Blairquhan, but he did not take up full residence there until after a major expansion of the building that he commissioned was completed in 1824. Today, the castle is largely as he created it, including all of the original furniture.

The double-barrelled name arose from David Hunter, a son of a landed Ayrshire family, and Jean Blair, the daughter and heiress of John Blair of Dunskey in Wigtownshire.

Family Members:

Sir James Hunter-Blair, (1741-1787) 1st Baronet was created a Baronet in 1786, the Territorial Designation being "of Dunskey"

Sir John Hunter-Blair (1773-1800), 2nd Baronet 1787-1800 (eldest son of James, 1st Baronet)

Sir David Hunter-Blair (1778-1857), 3rd Baronet 1800-1857 (2nd eldest son of James, 1st Baronet)

Sir Edward Hunter-Blair (1818–1896), 4th Baronet 1857-1896 (eldest surviving son of David, 3rd Baronet)

Sir David Oswald Hunter-Blair (1853–1939), 5th Baronet 1896-1939 (eldest son of Edward, 4th Baronet)

Sir Edward Hunter-Blair (1858–1945), 6th Baronet 1939-1945 (eldest surviving son of Edward, 4th Baronet)

Sir James Hunter-Blair (1945–1985), 7th Baronet 1945-1985 (eldest son of Edward, 6th Baronet)

Sir Edward Thomas Hunter-Blair (1985-2006), 8th Baronet 1985-2006 (son of James, 7th Baronet)

Sir Patrick David Hunter Blair (b.1958) , 9th Baronet 2006-Present (grandson of 7th Baronet's younger brother)

Note: The present Baronet, Sir Patrick and Lady Hunter Blair, still live on part of what used to be the estate, in the "old Dower House" at Milton of Blairquhan.

Historical Highlights Timeline

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14th Century

1346 – A tower house was built on the land by the M’Churterr (McWhirter) family after being granted ownership and use by King David II.

1385 - Duncan MacChruiter, son and heir of the late Patrick MacChruiter sold the whole lands of Dalelachane to Sir Thomas Kennedy, Lord of Dalmortoun.

15th Century

c.1400's - Sir John Kennedy, 1st of Blairquhan. (1382-1473) acquired Blairquhan through marriage (spouse unknown).

16th Century

1573 - John Kennedy (1541-1605) 7th of Blairquhan and his wife Anne Keith, is recorded on a date stone of 1573 (as Laird of Blairquhan).

1576 - John Kennedy and his wife Anne Keith, added a new front porch.

17th Century

1602 - Sir Rev. Thomas Kennedy (1543-1602) died.

c.1622 – Blairquhan Castle is taken over by the Whitefoord family.

18th Century

1701 - Sir Adam Whitefoord was created Baronet of Blairquhan.

1772 - Ayr Bank crash.

1798 - Sir David Hunter Blair, 3rd Baronet (1778-1857) bought Blairquhan.

19th Century

1820 – Sir David commissions the famous Scottish architect William Burn (1789-1870) to build a new castle after the original building was neglected and left ruinous.

1821 – The foundation stone of today’s Blairquhan Castle is laid by on August 31st by Sir Alexander Boswell of Auchinleck.

1820's - John Tweedie (1775-1862) created the walled garden.

1824 – Building work is completed at a cost of 16,000 Pounds and another 4,000 Pounds for interior furnishings.

20th Century

1970 – Blairquhan opens its doors to paying guests for the first time.

21st Century

2005 – Oscar winning motion picture ‘The Queen’, starring Helen Mirren, is filmed at Blairquhan

2012 – The castle is sold to its current owners, Ganten Scotland (a Chinese bottling company).

Interior Highlights

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Dining Room

Comfortably seats up to 60 diners. Next door, there is a serving kitchen.

Entrance Hall

The Entrance Hallis one of the sequence of Tudor Gothic rooms through the centre of the castle. The entrance doors are 10’7” high and made of oak, and there is an oak floor which continues into the Saloon.

Principal Ground floor Bedrooms

River Room (shares bathroom with Flower Garden Room)

Oriel Room (own bathroom)

Canopy Room (own shower room)

Queen’s Room (shares bathroom with Queen’s Dressing Room)

Laird’s Room (shares bathroom with Laird’s Dressing Room).

Secondary Ground Floor Bedrooms

Peach Room (own bathroom)

Boudoir (own bathroom),

Lady Hunter Blair’s Room (own bathroom).

Hallway (adjacent) Bedrooms

Yellow Room (shares bathroom with Yellow Dressing Room)

Pink Room (shares bathroom with Pink Dressing Room)

Dunskey Room (own shower room).

Library

The Library has fitted bookshelves, an open fire, and views over the river to 'Bishopland' and the Kings Hill.

Saloon

The 60’ high, top lit Saloon is a space which gives a dramatic introduction to the castle, and boasts 22 doors in total, eight of which are faux, essential to the symmetry of Burn’s design.

Estate Grounds and Gardens

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Sir Edward Hunter-Blair, 8th Baronet (1920–2006), was a noted horticulturalist and forester who spent most of his life restoring the castle and preserving the estate grounds, which includes veteran trees.

Blairquhan Bridge

Was also designed by William Burn. The Old Bridge of Blairquhan, at the east entrance of the estate, is a single arch, stone, hump-back bridge, possibly of the 18th century. The New Bridge, on the straightened section of road to Straiton, was built in 1820.

Dool Tree

The Dool Tree or gallows tree was planted early in the 16th century during the reign of King James V of Scotland. The once-spreading crown was heavily pruned in 1997, saving the much-weakened trunk from total collapse.

The Glass House

The Glasshouse was built in 1820.

Ice House

A well-preserved early 19th century barrel-vaulted ice house lies to the east of the stables.As with most ice houses, it is built on raised,sloping ground near a source of ice, in this case the Garden Pond and a stretch of the Water of Girvan known as the Icehouse Pool. It was renovated in 1997.

Kennels

The kennels date from the late 18th century

Stables

The stables were also designed by William Burn. They have recently been converted into three holiday flats and a house for estate staff.

The Walled Garden

The walled garden was designed by John Tweedie, who came to work at Blairquhan in1816. The bricks for the walls were fired on the estate. It is unusual in having only three walls,the fourth being unnecessary because of rising ground to the south. Flues within the main wall allowed fires to be lit to protect the fruit trees from frost.

Memorials

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Colonel Hunter Blair ( 1817-1854) monument on Craigengower Hill.

Sundials

There are two sundials: one in the flower garden which is mounted on a high pedestal and another in the walled garden.

Notable People

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Sir David "3rd Baronet Hunter-Blair (1778-1857)

Born: Wigtownshire, Scotland

Died: Blairquhan, Ayrshire, Scotland,

Resting place: Unknown

Bio Summary: The family member who built the current castle structure.

1800 - He succeeded as the 3rd Baronet Hunter Blair upon the death of the 2nd Baronet.

He gained the rank of Colonel in the Ayrshire Militia.

1827 - He was recognised by Lord Lyon King of Arms, and matriculated his arms at the Lyons Court.

Parents: James Hunter Blair (1741-1787) and Jean (Blair) Hunter-Blair (1752-1817)

Siblings: Anne Hunter-Blair (1770-1854), Sir John Hunter-Blair, 2nd Baronet (1772-1800), William Hunter-Blair (1774-1775), Clementina Hunter-Blair (1777-XXXX), James Hunter-Blair (1779-1831), Robert Hunter-Blair (XXXX-XXXX)

Spouse Number 1: Dorothea Hay Mackenzie (1791-1820) Married 1813

Issue: Sir Edward Hunter-Blair, 4th Baronet (1818-1896)

Spouse Number 2: Elizabeth Hay (1797-1859) Married 1825

Issue: John Hunter-Blair (1825-1885), David Hunter-Blair (1827-1869), Mary Elizabeth Hunter-Blair (1830-1870), Jane Anne Eliza Hunter-Blair (1835-1915),

For more information see Wikitree profile Hunter-Blair-2

William Burn (1789-1870) Scottish Architect

Born: Edinburgh, Scotland

Died: 6 Stratton Street in Piccadilly, London, England

Resting Place: Kensal Green Cemetery, Chelsea, London, England

Bio Summary: Architect for the 1824 Blairquhan.

William was educated at the High School in Edinburgh's Old Town. He started training with Sir Robert Smirke in London in 1808.

He received major commissions from the age of 20 until his death at 81. He built in many styles and was a pioneer of the Scottish Baronial Revival, often referred to as the golden age of Scottish architecture. Commissions totaled about 300 in his career in Scotland, England, and Ireland.

In 1827 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, unusual for an architect, his proposer being James Skene. He resigned in 1845 following his move to London and opened his practice on Stratton Street.

Parents: Robert Burn (1752-1815) and Janet Patterson (XXXX-XXXX)

Siblings: 16 children (names Unknown)

Spouse: Elizabeth MacVicar (XXXX-XXXX)

Issue: 7 Children (Names Unknown)

Sir John Kennedy (1382-1473) 1st (Laird) of Blairquhan

Born: Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland

Died: (Unknown) Scotland

Resting Place: Unknown

Bio Summary: Was included in the remainder of a charter to his father, the lands of Casillis dated 2 November 1404.

Was styled the 1st of Blairquhan through marriage. His descendants held the estate of Blairquhan until 1621 when it was sold by John Kennedy to James Kennedy, eldest surviving son of Sir Thomas Kennedy of Culzean.

Parents: Gilbert Kennedy of Dunure (1348-aft.1408) and Agnes Maxwell (1353-1414), Married 1384

Siblings: Sir James Kennedy of Dunure (13761408), Alexander Kennedy of Ardstynchar (1378-1473),Hugh Kennedy of Ardstynchar (1380-1454), Thomas Kennedy (1380-1460), David James Kennedy (1386-1460), Roland Kennedy (1385-XXXX), Gilbert Kennedy (1390-1408)

Spouse: Unknown

Issue: John Kennedy 2nd of Blairquhan (bef.1420-bef.1471)

For more information see Wikitree profile Kennedy-23030

John Tweedie (1775-1862) Landscape Gardener

Born: Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotlandmap

Died: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Resting Place: Unknown

Bio Summary: Built the walled garden at Blairquhan.

Born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, where he trained in horticulture, rising to be head gardener at Edinburgh Botanic Garden.

In 1825, rather than settling into a snug life at the latter, he followed an irresistible urge to go to South America, where he had heard there were botanical riches. In Argentina, he settled in Santa Catalina and continued to practice his craft, though he also ran a store in the city and spent long periods exploring and collecting plants.

Parents: Unknown

Siblings: Unknown

Spouse: Janet 'Jessie' Kingo (1776-1852)

Issue: Ann Tweedie (1798-1870), Margaret Tweedie (1801-1840), William King Tweedie (1803-1863), Janet Tweedie (1805-1855), Jean Tweedie (1807-1889), Annabella Tweedie (1809-1889), Elspeth Tweedie (1809-XXXX), Cecilia Louisa Tweedie (1813-1895), Elizabeth Tweedie (1813-1880, James Tweedie (1816-1881)

For more information see Wikitree profile Tweedy-339

In the Movies

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Beauty and the Geek

The Queen

Visitation

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The castle sleeps 30 guests in 15 spacious bedrooms.

All bedrooms offer tea/coffee facilities, luxurious bed linens, thick, fluffy towels and L'Occitane bath products. Complimentary WiFi is available throughout the castle.

For larger groups, the estate is home to eight secluded cottages ranging from 2, 3 and 4 bedroom, offering accommodation for an additional 49 guests. The cottages are let on a self-catering basis with the option of joining castle guests for dining and socialising.

Sources

1. ↑ Blair Society; https://blairsociety.org
2. ↑ Family Search; https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LHVC-7GS/john-kennedy-1st-of-blairquhan-1382-1473
3. ↑ Love, Dane - Ayrshire, Discovering A County, Fort Publishing, 2003
4. ↑ Blairquhan Castle; https://www.blairquhan.co.uk
5. ↑ Clan Hunter; http://www.clanhunter.com
6. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
7. ↑ Google; https://www.google.com
8. ↑ Travel Scotland; https://www.scotland.org.uk
9. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland; http://portal.historicenvironment.scot
10. ↑ History of McWherter Family; https://www.mcwherter.com/
11. ↑ Wire Strung harps; https://www.wirestrungharp.com
12. ↑ People of Medieval Scotland 1093 - 1371; https://www.poms.ac.uk
13. ↑ Roots Web; http://freepages.rootsweb.com
14. ↑ Family Search; https://ancestors.familysearch.org
15. ↑ Blair Society; https://blairsociety.org
16. ↑ Red Books of Scotland; http://redbookofscotland.co.uk/
17. ↑ Family Search; https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LHVC-7GS/john-kennedy-1st-of-blairquhan-1382-1473
18. ↑ Love, Dane - Ayrshire, Discovering A County, Fort Publishing, 2003
19. ↑ Blairquhan Castle; https://www.blairquhan.co.uk
20. ↑ Clan Hunter; http://www.clanhunter.com
21. ↑ Wikitree; https://www.wikitree.com/
22. ↑ Google;
23. ↑ History of McWherter Family; https://www.mcwherter.com/
24. ↑ Wire Strung harps; https://www.wirestrungharp.com
25. ↑ People of Medieval Scotland 1093 - 1371; https://www.poms.ac.uk
26. ↑ Roots Web; http://freepages.rootsweb.com
27. ↑ Rampant Scotland; http://www.rampantscotland.com/
28. ↑ Whitefoord; http://whiteford.itgo.com
29. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
30. ↑ Red Books of Scotland; http://redbookofscotland.co.uk/
31. ↑ Family Search; https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LHVC-7GS/john-kennedy-1st-of-blairquhan-1382-1473
32. ↑ Love, Dane - Ayrshire, Discovering A County, Fort Publishing, 2003
33. ↑ Blairquhan Castle; https://www.blairquhan.co.uk
34. ↑ Celtic Castles; https://www.celticcastles.com
35. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
36. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland; http://portal.historicenvironment.scot
37. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland; http://portal.historicenvironment.scot
38. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
39. ↑ Wikitree; https://www.wikitree.com/
40. ↑ JSTOR; https://plants.jstor.org
41. ↑ Red Books of Scotland; http://redbookofscotland.co.uk/
42. ↑ Family Search; https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LHVC-7GS/john-kennedy-1st-of-blairquhan-1382-1473
43. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
44. ↑ Celtic castles; https://www.celticcastles.com
45. ↑ Ayrshire-Arran; https://ayrshireandarran.com