Clonbeith Castle

Ayrshire: About 3 miles north-east of Kilwinning, on minor road south of B778, north of Lugton Water, at Clonbeith.

Ruin or site   NS 338455   OS: 63   KA13 7RH

Standing within a farm, little remains of Clonbeith Castle, a 16th-century castle, except the rectangular vaulted basement. The upper floors have been demolished, but a straight stair led to the first floor, with a turnpike stair climbing to the upper floors. There is the date 1607 above the entrance.
  The place may be marked on Blaeu’s map of Cunningham as ‘Klonlyth’, although it is given no prominence.
  This was the property of the Cunninghams. John Cunningham of Clonbeith murdered Hugh Montgomery, 4th Earl of Eglinton, in 1586 during a feud. He was pursued by the vengeful Montgomerys and cut to pieces after being found hiding in a chimney at Hamilton. Hugh Cunningham of Clonbeith is on record in 1702. The property was sold to the Scotts in 1633, then in 1691 to the Warners, and then to the Montgomery Earl of Eglinton in 1717.