Loudoun Castle. (The Scottish Windsor)

  History of the Loudoun estate:-
In the 12th century the Barony of Loudoun was granted by De Morvilles to James De Laudun and his successors the Crawford’s of Loudoun, who in the 13th century became Sheriffs of Ayr. This was held by the Loudoun family for over 500 years before being abolished in 1747.
Under a tree on the grounds of the Loudoun Estate the union of the crown between England and Scotland was signed.
In 1525, The Kennedy’s of Culzean set fire to Loudoun Castle, Sir Hugh Campbell's wife, and their nine children died with their nurse maid.
The Castle was rebuilt.
In 1870, the Loudoun family erected barricades after a dispute with the inhabitants of Newmilns over the right of way at the Lime Road in the estate. Every time the barricades were erected they were taken down, this lasted until 1878 when the Loudoun family then erected gates which were eventually removed. In 1886 the road was closed again , which in turn was demolished for the 9th time by the radicals in 1891, It was then the estate workers dug up the road, that was the limit so the radicals took legal action and after two trials in Edinburgh in 1893, the road was cleared and open, the radicals had won.
In 1941, the Castle was destroyed by fire, and that is what is left to this day.