To get to Scotland, we took a ferry from the Belfast harbor. This was a wonderful relaxing way to get across the waters (North Channel) rather than flying. While on our 2 1/2 hour journey, we enjoyed a wonderful selection of snacks and beverages, all free of charge since we had booked to ride in the VIP lounge! This was much better than the hassle of flying over.
Once we arrived into Cairnryan, we rented a car and drove to Glasgow. There we had rented a cottage for 9 days out on the eastern edge of the city which made easy access to all areas of the 'southern' half of the country.
It was now time to put our plan into action on how to find all the castles that once were owned by the Colvilles!! This, for us, was the best part of the whole trip!
Pictures below taken from the ferry as we cruised across to Scotland.
Not much to see except a lot of water!! lol
When our ferry landed in Cairnryan, we rented a car and drove to Glasgow and got settled into our cottage that we would inhabit for the next 9 days.
Now, onto our explorations in Scotland! The first castle location in our search was that of the one occupied by the Colvilles of Ochiltree. From our research we knew that it was along the Lugar River, in Ayrshire, where the Glenmuir River and River Lugar converged, so we headed that way. We came upon a town named Lugar, but knew that we needed to find Ochiltree. Nevertheless, we took a detour into that town, thinking that maybe there would be some information there. We went into a feed store and spoke to a wonderful lady there asking if she was familiar with the location of the Lugar River at a place where another river flowed into it, since our research had said that the Colville boys used to swim in the Lugar where the two rivers met. The Auchinleck Castle was on the opposite bank, and the Auchinleck boys and the Colville boys used to swim in that river. Based on the information we already had and the added detail from the lady in the feed store, we went on our journey towards Auchinleck in search of that river! Ochiltree (town) is just a few miles down the road from Auchinleck, and we found the bridge over the two rivers, the point at where they met. On one side of the river was high mound, which, we believe the Ochiltree Castle once stood, and across the river was another high mound, which was probably the Auchinleck Castle. The history between these two families is very interesting and can be found at the link provided below. On another day, I will try to go back into this page and add more detail of the friendship, then the feud between these two families, but right now, I want to get to posting pictures of the two rivers, and the two mounds. It is noted that there are some remains of the Auchinleck Castle, and from our distant view, it did look like there was something on the mound that, if we were in the right place, which I believe we were, and I tried to zoom in with the camera to this.
Link here for more about the Colvilles of Ochiltree and the Auchinleck families.....
The ancient barony of Ochiltree belonged to the family of Colville, who were Normans that came to Scotland about 1174. The castle stood on the bank of the Lugar, upon a high, rocky bank. The Castle of Ochiltree was captured by Douglas in 1449, and Colville and his male retainers slaughtered and his lands laid waste. This was an act of retaliation for the slaughter, by the hand of Colville, of Auchinleck of Auchinleck, a friend of Douglas.
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| The lady at the feed store in Lugar told us about this 'blue' bridge just outside of Ochiltree....this is where we found the two rivers. |
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| The Ruins at Auchinleck? |
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| The two rivers converge here |
The description here is during the year 1449, during the reign of James the Second of Scotland:: Taken from
http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/stoz/stewarth7.htm
"The families of Ochiltree and Auchinleck had, for a long time, been on such friendly terms that a rope had been stretched from castle to castle across the width of the Lugar, and on this rope was fitted a travelling ring by means of which messages and even little fights could be swiftly and easily conveyed from the one household to the other. But this state of matters came to an end. What the cause of offence may have been we can only conjecture; how many bitter messages passed along the connecting cable there is not to tell us now, but after a period of world strife, Auchinleck, under pretence of making friendly overtures towards a renewal of the old relationship, sent to Ochiltree, along the line of communication. A neatly wrapped parcel. On being opened, the packet was found to contain nothing more than the well picked bones of a sheep's head. This was accepted as a crowning insult, an unmistakable "casus belli" and all idea of a return to the neighborly friendship of the by gone days was finally abandoned. Between the two families there could now be nothing but war-war to the knife, and the knife to the hilt.
The lair of Auchinleck was at this time preparing to pay a visit of state to his powerful friend and patron, Lord William Douglas, and when this became known. The Ochiltree family devised a scheme of revenge, the execution of which was entrusted to Sir Richard, the eldest son. With a strong force at his back, he lay in wait at a quiet part of the road which his enemy was bound to travel, fell suddenly upon him and his retinue, slew the laird himself and put his followers to utter rout. But his triumph was short lived. Douglas waited not for judge or jury, but flew to avenge the death of his friend. He leveled Ochiltree Castle to the ground and put Colville and his men to the sword.
Douglas in turn suffered for this and his many other cruel and turbulent misdeeds by being stabbed to the heart in Stirling Castle at the hands of the King himself."
At any rate, it was thrilling to find the bits and pieces of information come together as we researched the Colville family history!!
The next day, it was time to go onward to search for more castles and ruins which were, at one time, the Colville 'tromping' grounds!!
