The Village as it now stands has developed since W.W. II to become largely a dormitory town serving larger Ayrshire towns. The past has not been forgotten; street names recall the past - Scottish heroes Bruce and Wallace, Cochrane after the family who earned the title of the Earls of Dundonald and played a leading part in our history, the most famous being Thomas, the 10th Earl who led an adventurous sea going career. Stuart Place also reminds us of the part played by the Stewart kings , a dynasty destined to rule Scotland and Britain for almost 350 years.

We are reminded of the Stewarts when we view Dundonald Castle, a 14th Century Tower House built by King Robert II who loved country pursuits and Dundonald became his favourite residence. The Castle, or Tower house to give it a more correct name was built on the site of an earlier castle which had been built by Alexander Fourth Steward of Scotland around 1260; he was the grandfather of Robert II. During work on the Castle by Historic Scotland excavations revealed evidence of earlier structures going back to the Dark Ages. The archaeological dig' exposed foundations of previous buildings on the site which serviced the Castle; e.g. blacksmith, stables and a brewhouse. As you ascend one of the approach paths there is a well which was uncovered during the excavations. It may have relied on surrounding rock formations for a water supply which would be secreted above it. The Castle is well worth a visit and gives an insight into life in the 15th and 16th centuries. The ground floor would be used to store supplies and essential materials for the castle and living accommodation for a large number of servants. From here you can see the magnificent barrel ceiling of the lower hall described by Historic Scotland as one of the finest examples of this type of construction in the country. Except for a small repair the ceiling is still in place as when it was built almost 600 years ago. The upper floor is the Great Hall where the King and his family had their private apartments. It is also a convenient place to take a superb view; to the North there is Ben Lomond and to the East of Ben Lomond there is Ben Venue and Ben Ledi, both in the Trossachs over 40 miles away. To the East of the Castle there is Loudoun Hill in the Irvine Valley and the scene of two battles in the distant past. Looking North West there is a fine view of the Firth of Clyde and of Arran with the dominating Goatfell which rises to 2868 feet. On a clear day the Paps of Jura can be seen and the Kintyre Peninsula. A brochure is available giving full details of the Castle and of the many walks in and around Dundonald. At present there is a visitor centre under construction which it is hoped will be completed soon.
Our thanks to Mr Robert Kirk, of Dundonald, for this narrative.

Dundonald Castle now has its own website

Every year the village hosts the world for the Dundonald Games, a great day out for the family. Check their website for the date for this year.

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