Law Castle
8.8Ayrshire Coast, West Kilbride, Scotland
Exclusive Use
You can have the venue to yourself, sleeps 14 guests in 6 rooms.
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Authentic and atmospheric restoration with over 500 years of history
Grade A-listed Law Castle was built in the 15th century as a wedding gift for Princess Mary, the eldest daughter of James II of Scotland. After falling into disrepair, it was bought by local entrepreneur Davy Hutton, who committed to restore the building to fulfil a lifetime dream of owning a castle.
Now you can enjoy this authentic restoration with a group of up to 14 guests. Located close to the Ayrshire coast within easy reach of Glasgow and Edinburgh, you will have Law Castle entirely to yourselves for the duration of your stay.
Inside
The completed restoration combines luxury, history and atmosphere in perfect keeping with the original feel of the property.
The Great Hall, as tradition dictates, is the building’s heart, with its fireplace, stone walls and high-beamed ceilings.
It once served as a courtroom and comes complete with a pit prison behind a flagstone trap door. Today, it’s a great place for you to relax on comfortable sofas as a log fire crackles in the wide fireplace.
The kitchen has been ‘fashioned’ out of what would have been the original cooking chimney at one end of the Great Hall. It has a 4-oven Aga – perfect for cooking up a feast for family and friends, who will eagerly gather round the huge oak dining table when it’s time to eat.
Across the castle you will discover shuttered windows that have seats in small chambers set into the thickness of the wall.
Law Castle's 5 floors are connected by a winding stone staircase.
The 6 bedrooms sleep up to 14 people in total. Each room has its own personality - especially the Dungeon bedroom with its quirky 'ode to a drawbridge' bed and stone bathroom. All upper rooms are individually styled with intricately hand-carved four-poster beds and quality drapes.
Not every bedroom is ensuite, but each floor has an easily-accessed bathroom.
The staircase continues to the roof level, where there is an unusual 'Caphouse', formerly the guards' lookout. Outside you can take in views over the quiet village of West Kilbride, towards the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Arran.
History
Law Castle was built for Princess Mary, sister of King James III, as a wedding gift upon her marriage to Thomas Boyd, Earl of Arran, in 1467.
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In 1469, Thomas travelled to Denmark to escort James III's bride, Margaret of Denmark. While away, conflict broke out between the king and Thomas’ father, Lord Boyd, which left Thomas subject to high treason. On fulfilling his mission to return the king’s bride to Scotland, Mary warned him of the danger he now faced and he was forced to escape back to Denmark. The marriage was eventually annulled.
Following Boyd’s hasty departure, Law Castle served as a court and a prison, which is where it gained its modern name.
From the later parts of the 19th century, the castle began to fall into disrepair. Initial attempts to restore the castle in the 1990s ran into financial difficulties, but the restoration was subsequently completed by Davy Hutton in 2005.
Inside you can see features such as the original stone fireplace or a secret stone staircase. The castle's original 'murder hole' is still here, which allowed soldiers to pour boiling oil down onto unwelcome visitors outside. Even the stone steps of the castle's entrance are deliberately uneven to make it tricky for attackers to keep their balance while running up the stairs. If they did make it through the entrance hall, door frames were low enough to give armour-clad unwelcome guests a nasty bump!
Activities
Ayrshire is known for its world-famous golf courses, stunning shorelines, castles, great country houses and walking, fishing and cycling opportunities. There is so much to discover, so much leisure time to be enjoyed and quiet spaces, with spectacular views, just waiting for you to find and explore.
Prices
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Location
Law Castle is located in West Kilbride in its own grounds at the foot of Law Hill, just inland from the Ayrshire coast. Glasgow is approx an hour away, Edinburgh approx two hours away.
Reviews
8.8