Site Report

WoSASPIN 5159

(NS 1965 0722) Turnberry Castle (NR) (remains of)
OS 1:10000 map (1972)

Bruce's Castle, Turnberry, was evidently built in the 13th century with a great enclosing wall, much of which still remained in the 18th century, together with part of what seems to have been a central keep and traces of a drawbridge. Only the ruins of some vaults and portions of wall are now traceable. The keep appears to have been partly circular and the base of an entrance gateway may be traced on the landward side. The castle occupies a strong situation on a rocky promontory; two inlets appear to have been arched over by the wall; at their head there seems to have been a wall with a door and staircase, giving access to the castle. In 1271, the castle was owned by the father of Robert the Bruce. D MacGibbon and T Ross 1889

The remains of Turberry Castle are numerous but fragmentary. The enclosing wall has been built on and around the faces of the cliffs, following the many small bays on the N. On the NE side, where the keep formerly stood, a wall has been built across the back of a small bay with an entrance leading from the bay; at the E side of this wall are the remains of a section of vaulting. Slightly N of this wall are two similar walls built at the rear of two similar coves, one of which extends through a large, natural cavern, Only one wall, on the NE side of the keep, some 5.0m high, remains. The drawbridge apparently lay at the SE corner, where the present road leads to the lighthouse. The remains of a ditch lie on either side of the road, outside the wall.
Visited by OS (JD) 1 December 1955

Turnberry Castle is generally as described in the previous field report. Revised at 25".
Visited by OS (RD) 16 March 1967

No change to the previous reports.
Visited by OS (JRL) 31 May 1977

Based on charter evidence, Barrow indicates that there was a castle at Turnberry prior to 1200.
G W S Barrow 1980

The castle site is shown and named on General Roy's Military Survey of Scotland (1747-55) as being partly occupied by upstanding buildings or structures. This in itself does not imply that any buildings were habitable, as Roy's surveyors were charged with recording any remains that might form a defensible barrier or shelter for enemy troops, rather than creating an historical record of the settlement pattern of the period. Nevertheless, the same map shows a large enclosed area of unimproved land around the castle site which may represent a park (see WoSASPIN 67402) associated with the castle and maintained as a reserve by the feudal superior into the modern period. Such continuing use may have required some form of habitable dwelling within the castle complex after its main occupation had ceased. No other buildings are shown within the enclosed land by Roy's surveyors (cf. WoSASPIN 42955).
Entered WoSAS (HMcB) 22/06/2015