Kerelaw House

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Kerelaw House
Kerelaw House

Kerelaw House was part of the former Kerelaw Estate situated on the west coast of Ayrshire, Scotland near the town of Stevenston.

Contents

[edit] History

Coat of Arms of the Hamiltons of Grange.
Coat of Arms of the Hamiltons of Grange.[1]

The house was built in the neo-Palladian style[2] 1787 by Lieut.-Col. Alexander Hamilton (a relative of the American statesman of the same name).[3][4] Alexander died in 1837 without issue and left considerable debts.[5] Captain John Brown inherited and was forced to sell the mansion house to Gavin Fullarton, Esq., a retired West Indies merchant, in 1838 along with the rest of the Kerelaw Estate including Kerelaw Castle.[3] The Fullarton family were a cadet of the very ancient family of the Fullarton's of Kirkmichael, in Arran, who held their charter from the days of guid King Robert the Bruce. The family were hereditary Crowners (Coroners) in the island of Arran. Their family motto was Lux in tenebris., The light shineth in darkness. [5]

Kerelaw castle ruins in 1890 with the Laburnum tree reputed to have been sent by David Livingstone from Africa.
Kerelaw castle ruins in 1890 with the Laburnum tree reputed to have been sent by David Livingstone from Africa.[4]

In 1919 the house was bought by James Campbell WS.[6] Campbell and his family (including son Kenneth Campbell VC) were the last family to live at Kerelaw, and in 1969 the house was bought by Glasgow Corporation Education Department and Kerelaw Residential School was opened in its grounds in 1970.[6] The house was intended to be used as offices for the school, but was instead demolished.[6]

[edit] Description

Built in the Adam style, Kerelaw House was a tall, three storey plain building with a pillared porch and large bay window overlooking the porch on the second storey.[3] A long driveway lead up to the house from the nearby road, and is still in existence having latterly been used as an entrance to Kerelaw Residential School. There is however no other trace of the house.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Robertson, Plate 6.
  2. ^ Davis, p. 292.
  3. ^ a b c Kerelaw House, from The Kilmarnock Standard, 5th April 1924
  4. ^ a b Chapter 7 - General Alexander Hamilton, First Treasurer, U.S.A. p. 54 - 56.
  5. ^ a b Paterson,
  6. ^ a b c McSherry,

[edit] References

  • Clements, James (1974). Stevenston (Stivenstoune Stinstin). The Kernel of Cunninghame.. Glasgow: Gilmour and Lawrence. 
  • Davis, Michael (1991). The Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire. Ardrishaig, Argyll M.C. Davis, 1991. 
  • McSherry, R & M (1998). Old Stevenston. Catrine: Stenlake Publishing. OCLC 39876063. 
  • Paterson, James (1863-6). History of the counties of Ayr and Wigton, Vol. 3. Edinburgh: James Stillie. OCLC 4352073. 
  • Robertson, George (1823-25). A genealogical account of the principal families in Ayrshire .... Irvine: Cunninghame P. sold by A. Constable, Edinburgh. OCLC 181661431.