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Tarbolton motte

There are the remains of a motte and bailey castle at Tarbolton which was part of the barony of Kyle.

Some time before 1177 1177 Alan fitz Walter, 2nd High Steward of Scotland, granted Tarboultoun to Adam, son of Gilbert, son of Richer, lord of Kilbucho, along with Preueic, Drumley and Milnefinlen, Roderbren, Brenego and Enterkine. The charter was witnessed by Sir Robert de Croc of Neilston, lord of Crookston, and his son, Alan.

It may be that Tarbolton was held from the Croc family as in the 13th century Sir Robert Croc is said to have received Tarbolton from his father while towards the end of the century James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland, confirmed the earlier charter of the lands of Torbolton while granting them to Adam’s son-in-law, Sir Henry de Graham.

Around 1350 John de Graham was styled “lord of Torboltoun and of Roberestoun in Conyggam” when confirming charters to his uncle, Henry de Graham, of “the lands of Menarstoun and of Philipstoun in the barony of Abyrcorn and of Blyth in the valley of Twed”.

On the 2nd of February 1356 Sir John Stewart of Darnley was confirmed by Robert, 7th High Steward, in all the lands and tenements which he held from the Steward. The following year Sir John received from Robert the fee of the principal tenement of Tarbolton upon the resignation of John de Grahame. Around the same time he resigned and received back the lands of Tarbolton and Dromley in the barony of Kyle from John Stewart, Lord of Kyle Stewart (the future Robert III).

Sir John was dead by 1369 and his younger brother, Walter, by 1371, and their possessions passed to their younger brother, Sir Alexander Stewart, who married a sister of Sir John Turnbull of Minto. Sir Alexander is thought to have died in 1404 or 1406 and was succeeded by his son, Sir John Stewart of Darnley, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Donnchadh, Earl of Lennox, around 1408. From them descended the Stewart Earls of Lennox who would hold Tarbolton until the 17th century.

During the 1470s Sir John’s grandson, also Sir John, granted various lands in the barony of Tarbolton to Ade Cunningham of Caprintoun. In October 1488 Sir John sat at the newly-crowned James IV’s first parliament as Earl of Lennox, having inherited the title via his grandmother.

In 1570 Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, was appointed as Regent for his grandson, James VI. Lennox was shot and killed in a skirmish in Stirling the following year and the Earldom of Lennox returned to the Crown before James VI made a new creation of the title for the 4th Earl’s younger son, Charles, the King’s uncle.

Charles had married Elizabeth Cavendish and in 1575 their daughter, Lady Arbella Stuart, was born, however he died of tuberculosis in 1576. Following his death his mother, Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, attempted to obtain the lands of “Glenfermie, Ballortis, Atchinturleys, Crwkis, Inchenan, Craiguelson, and Tarbouton” which her husband had granted to her as part of her dowry. Her claim was denied however and her dowry passed to her granddaughter, Lady Arbella.

The next in line to the Earldom was Robert Stewart, Bishop of Caithness and younger brother of the 4th Earl, and in June 1578 the King made a new creation of the title for him, making him Earl of Lennox and Lord Darnley and granting him the possessions of the Earldom. In 1579 he resigned the Earldom of Lennox in exchange for the Earldom of March and his nephew, Esmé Stewart, was made Lord of Aubigny, Earl of Lennox, Lord Darnley and Dalkeith and granted the Earldom’s holdings on the 5th of March.

The Earl of Lennox was a favourite of the King and was made Lord High Chamberlain of Scotland in 1581 and was first Gentleman of the King’s Bedchamber. On the 5th of August 1581 he was created Duke of Lennox, Earl of Darnley, Lord Dalkeith, Torboltoun and Aberdour.

Later that year on the 13th of December the King made a new grant to Esmé Stewart, Duke of Lennox, Earl of Darnlie, Lord of Tarboltoun, Dalkeith and Aubigny.

Tarbolton continued to be owned by the Dukes of Lennox until the death of the 6th Duke of Lennox in 1672. Upon his death the Lennox estates were granted for life to his wife, “La Belle Stuart”, Frances Teresa Stewart, a granddaughter of Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre, while the titles became extinct.

In 1672 Charles II granted to John Cunningham of Enterkine, writer to his majesty’s signet, the “mains of Tarbolton, with the whole teinds, parsonage and vicarage of the same, in a whole and free barony called the barony of Privick, and the said mains of Tarbolton, and certain other lands adjacent thereto pertaining to the said John Cunningham, in a free burgh of barony, called the burgh of barony of Tarbolton”.

In 1675 the titles were recreated for Charles Lennox, an illegitimate son of Charles II and Louise de Kérouaille. In September of that year he was created Duke of Lennox, Earl of Darnley and Lord Torbolton. He was invested as a Knight of the Garter in 1681 and received a ratification from the King of the lands owned by the late Charles Stewart, Duke of Lennox and Richmond, including the “all and haill the lands and baronie of Torboltoun”.

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Alternative names for Tarbolton motte

Tarbolten; Tarboltoun; Tarbouton; Terboltoun; Terbowton; Torbolten; Torboltoun; Torboutoun

Clans associated with Tarbolton motte

Graham

Stewart

Surnames associated with Tarbolton motte

Cunningham

Graham

Lennox

Stewart

Where is Tarbolton motte?

Tarbolton motte is in the parish of Tarbolton and the county of Ayrshire.

Grid reference: NS 4323 2734

Lat / long: 55.5145780, -4.4843709

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OS Map for Tarbolton motte

OS map 326
Ayr & Troon (Girvan & Maybole)
OS Explorer map 326


OS map 327
Cumnock & Dalmellington (Mauchline & Patna)
OS Explorer map 327


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Directions to Tarbolton motte

Enter a starting point

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Weather at Tarbolton motte

17°C
max 17°C / min 17°C
12km/h NE
1023mb
58%
4%
04:02 20:26

Clear sky
Weather observed at Tarbolton at 09:27
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References (books)

Anglo-Norman Castles
Robert Liddiard
Woodbridge, 2002
The Armorial of Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount, Volume 2
Alex Maxwell Findlater
Edinburgh, 2018
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015

References (websites)

Canmore

Castles near Tarbolton motte

Coilsfield Castle (site of)

1.5km away

Drumley (site of)

3.6km away

Stair House

3.6km away

Barnweill Castle (site of)

3.8km away

Enterkine (site of)

3.9km away

Underwood (site of)

4.6km away

Craigie Castle

5.0km away

Privick (site of)

5.2km away

Helenton (site of)

5.4km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Tarbolton motte

Camp Castle broch

5.4km away

Drybridge cursus

12.0km away

Greenan Castle fort

14.4km away

Gowkstone standing stone

28.4km away

Gleniffer Braes standing stones

32.9km away

Auld Hill fort

33.4km away

Auchrannie souterrain

43.2km away

Longhaugh Point standing stone

45.1km away

Langbank crannog

45.4km away
more ancient sites....

Pictish stones near Tarbolton motte

Trusty's Hill Class I rock carving

72.9km away

Old Kilmadock 2 Class I symbol stone

80.0km away

Old Kilmadock 1 Class II cross slab

80.0km away

Eggerness Class I rock carving

80.2km away

Hawkhill Class III cross-slab

80.5km away

Dunadd Class I rock carving

89.2km away

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

94.1km away

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

94.7km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

94.7km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Tarbolton motte

Whitecleugh silver chain

38.5km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

63.3km away

Borland silver chain

65.6km away

Whitlaw silver chain

108.5km away

Haddington silver chain

117.9km away

Traprain Law silver chain

124.8km away

Norrie's Law hoard

126.7km away

Hoardweel silver chain

139.6km away

Dunnicaer fort

215.3km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Tarbolton motte

The Stair Inn
hotelMauchline
3.9km away
Enterkine Country House
hotelAnnbank
4.4km away
Adamton House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barPrestwick
5.4km away
Wilson Hall
hostelAyr
6.3km away
Premier Inn Ayr / Prestwick Airport
hotel, restaurantAyr
6.9km away
Muirhouse Lodge
bed and breakfastPrestwick
7.2km away
Smithy Andrews
hostelMonkton
7.5km away
Manor Park Lodges
bed and breakfastPrestwick
7.5km away
Manor Park Hotel
hotelPrestwick
7.6km away
Premier Inn Ayr A77 / Racecourse
hotel, restaurantAyr
7.7km away

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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Tarbolton motte

Adamton House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barPrestwick
5.4km away
Premier Inn Ayr / Prestwick Airport
hotel, restaurantAyr
6.9km away
Premier Inn Ayr A77 / Racecourse
hotel, restaurantAyr
7.7km away
Premier Inn Kilmarnock
hotel, restaurantKilmarnock
10.3km away
The Marine Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barTroon
10.5km away
Mercure Ayr Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantAyr
11.0km away
Wee Café, Craufurdland
caféKilmarnock
14.3km away
Best Western Eglinton Arms Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barEaglesham
28.4km away
Turnberry Resort
hotel, restaurant, barTurnberry
31.1km away
Premier Inn Glasgow Newton Mearns (M77 J4)
hotel, restaurantNewton Mearns
31.2km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 18th of May 2012 at 6:14 pm. Updated on the 1st of March 2021 at 4:56 pm.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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