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Historic Scotland
Web siteROWALLAN CASTLE is perhaps as picturesque as any of the numerous baronial mansions in Ayrshire, and though it is now deserted and fast failing to ruin, it still retains some portion of its former grandeur, and is hallowed by many memories of the olden times. For centuries it was associated with the ancient and honourable family of Mure, and numbered amongst its inhabitants not a few of the patriots of Scotland. The castle stands upon the banks of Carmel Water, about three miles north of Kilmarnock; and it is conjectured that at a remote period the river swept closely around the base of the gentle eminence upon which the original fort was erected, thus justifying the name of "the Craig of Rowallan," which it once bore.
The oldest portion of the building is a vaulted lower apartment, which probably dates from the thirteenth century, and may have been the birthplace of Elizabeth Mure, the first wife of Robert 11 of Scotland, and mother of the Duke of Albany, and the Earls of Carrick, Fife, and Buchan. This part of the castle has been surrounded by more recent erections of various dates. The main front, with the staircase and double turrets, was built circa 1562 by John Mure of Rowallan and his wife, Marion Cuninghame, and their names and armorial bearings may yet be found on the upper portion of the structure. Several other dates are carved on different parts of the castle, marking the times when alterations or repairs were executed. The Royal Arms of Scotland, fully blazoned, are carved over the main entrance, together with the shields of the Cumin family, from whom the Mures claimed descent, and the Moor's head, which forms the Rowallan crest. It has been suggested that the latter emblem may have been assumed to commemorate some feat of prowess against the Saracens during the Crusades; but it is more likely to be merely a term of canting heraldry - a leu-de-mot on the name Mure.
From a genealogical account of the Mures of Rowallan, drawn up early in the eighteenth century, it appears that in the time of Alexander 111 (ascended 1245) the barony belonged to SirWalter Cumin (Comyn or Cuming), whose only daughter and heiress, Isobel, was bestowed by the king upon Sir J. Gilchrist Mure as a reward for his valour at the memorable battle of Largs in 1263. The first Mure of Rowallan was either the builder or the repairer of the old castle, as the conjoint arms of himself and his wife were visible upon the oldest portion of it last century. He died in 1277, and was buried in Mure's Aisle at Kilmarnock. His grandson, Sir Robert, the third Baronet, had only one daughter, who married Sir Adam Mure, second son of Lord Abercorn, and whose daughter was that Elizabeth Mure, the Queen of Robert 11, to whom allusion has been made. From Sir Adam's three younger brothers sprang the numerous branches of the Mure family afterwards settled in Caldwell, Thornton, Glanderstoun, Treescraig, Auchendrane, Cloncaird, Aucheneil, Craighead, Park, Middleton, Spittleside, and Brownhill. The succession descended from father to son, without interruption, from the time of Sir Adam, the fourth Baronet (circa 1350), till the death of SirWilliam, sixteenth Laird of Rowallan, in 1700. During this long period many noble matrimonial alliances were made, and several of the members of the family distinguished themselves both in literature and in arms. SirWilliam Mure, tweIfth Laird, was knighted by James VI, "who had value for him, and never mentioned the House of Rowallan but with great respect as one of the families he was come of." He died in 1606, and was succeeded by his son, Sir William, who was knighted by Charles 1 in 16 3 3. * He was thrice married, and left a numerous family at his death in 1639. His son, SirWilliam, is perhaps best known to the nation as one of the poets to whom the General Assembly committed the task of preparing a metrical version of the Psalms of David, which received the approbation of Robert Baillie, but was rejected for the version by Francis Rous still used in Scotland. He wrote a history of his own family, and was Member for Ayrshire in the Convention of 1643-4-4. Thought an ardent Covenanter, he was opposed to the execution of the king, and composed an elegy on his death. A curious fact regarding his connection with Glasgow University has not been recorded by his biographers. His kinsman, Zachary Boyd, Rector of the University and author of Zion's Flowers, had lent considerable sums of money to Rowallan, the Earl of Loudoun, the Earl of Glencairn, Maxwell of Nether Pollok, and others, holding their bonds for repayment; and when Boyd died he left this monev by will to the Senate, "to be imployed for building of newe buildings in the said College" The bonds were not immediately redeemed, and for several years the estate of Rowallan contributed towards the erection of the High Street frontage of'the old Glasgow College buildings. SirWilliam Mure died in 1667. His grandson, who bore the same name, was the sixteenth and last Mure of Rowallan. He represented Ayrshire in Parliament from 1690 till his death in 1700, and gave his hearty support to William of Orange. His daughter was married to the first Earl of Glasgow, and her elder daughter married Sir James Campbell of Lawers, third son of the Earl of Loudoun, who thus became Laird of Rowallan. He was Member for Ayrshire from 1727 till 1741, and died on the field of Fontenoy in 1745. His son, Major-General James Mure Campbell of Rowallan (1726-86), became fifth Earl of Loudoun in 1782. His only daughter, Flora, Countess of Loudoun in her own right, married the first Marquess of Hastings in 1804, and died in 1826; and her great-grandson, Charles Edward Hastings Abney-Hastings, eleventh Earl of Loudon (born 1855, succeeded 1874), is the present proprietor of Rowallan Castle, and the representative the ancient Scottish families of Mure and Campbell of Loudoun.
* The compiler of the Lineage of the Muirs of Rowallan is evidently wrong in his chronology at this point, as he makes the first Sir William attain an incredible age, and almost outlive two of his successors. The dates should run thus: John Mure, born 15 15, died 158 1, aetat. 66. Sir William, b. 1546, d 1606 = 60. Sir William, b. 1576, d. 1639 = 63. SirWilliam, b. 1604, d. 1667 = 63
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