- Kilmahew Castle
Infobox Military Structure
name=Kilmahew Castle
location=Cardross,Argyll and Bute ,Scotland
gbmappingsmall|NS350786
coordinates=
caption= Kilmahew Castle
type=Rectangulartower house
built=unknown, but after 1290
builder=unknown member of theClan Napier
materials=Stone
used=15th century to 21st century
condition=Ruin
ownership=Catholic Church
open_to_public=Yes
controlledby=Clan Napier until 1820
various owners 1820 to presentKilmahew Castle is a ruined castle located just north of Cardross, in the council area of
Argyll and Bute . Kilmahew is named for its patron saint,Mochta (Mahew).History
Kilmahew castle was built upon the lands granted to the Napiers by Malcolm, the Earl of Lennox around the year 1290. The castle itself was built sometime in the 16th century by the Napier family, who owned it for the next 18 generations. The Napiers who owned Kilmahew are notable for being the progenitors of most of the Napiers in North America, as well as some of their members who had notable contributions in the field of engineering, such as Robert Napier, the "Father of Clyde Shipbuilding," and David, James and Montague Napier, who owned the engineering company of
Napier & Son .The estate was inherited by George Maxwell of Newark and Tealing (1678-1744) in 1694, when he assumed the name of his maternal grandfather, John Napier of Kilmahew. The estate was sold to Alexander Sharp in 1820 in repayment of gambling debts. In 1839, the estate was acquired by James Burns.
The ruins were acquired by the
Archdiocese of Glasgow , along with the surrounding estate, in 1948.cite web |url=http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/avanti-chap12-stpeters.pdf
title=Avanti Report |accessdate=2008-07-16 | work=historic-scotland.gov.uk ]Design
The castle was originally a four-storey 16th century
tower house . Some obvious gothic modifications were done during the 19th century by Alexander Sharp, who owned the castle at the time. cite web |url=http://www.electricscotland.com/history/garelochside/chapter12.htm
title=Annals of Garelochside |accessdate=2008-07-16 | work=electricscotland.com ]External links
* [http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/StPeters/161103/index.htm a site with some pictures of the ruin]
* [http://www.electricscotland.com/history/garelochside/chapter12.htm Annals of Garelochside, which contains some descriptions of the ruin]References
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