The castle is the seat of the Kennedy clan and was rebuilt extensively between 1777 and 1792. They nipped a little here and tucked a little there until the Earl at the time finally just told the architect to basically go bananas. This he did with such fervor that he died before the castle was quite complete, and the Earl himself followed later that year.
Subsequent generations worked on the grounds; one earl planted no less than five million trees. Gardens and ponds and whatnot were constructed. It all came to a sad end for the Kennedys when the prospect of the confiscatory inheritance tax more or less forced them to give the property away to the National Trust in 1945. I've read examples of this tax reaching an insane 98%, but I don't know what the rate was in this case.
I had a couple of very pleasant conversations with the guides who are posted around inside the property; everything from Scottish humor to English history were touched upon. I also had the fortune of being taken for an American, wheeee! One of the guides told me that the most stupid question she'd ever gotten was from an American, who, upon hearing airplanes taking off and landing at nearby Prestwick Airport, asked her why they'd built a castle right under a flight path.
All pics here.
The building is such a grand and lovely example of a country house that it's been on the Scottish five-pound note since 1987. I strongly recommend a visit here if you're ever in Scotland.
They constructed a long viaduct leading up to the castle, complete with fake ruins.
The child in me wants to know why anyone would ruin a perfectly good football field by plonking a fountain in the middle of it.
Ailsa Craig, which I've blogged about before is still part of the Kennedy's considerable portfolio. I was told that they make curling stones out of the granite the island is made of. Also, it's for sale if you have a few million lying around.
Palm trees grow here, because the Gulf stream makes the climate so mild.
No worries there.
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