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Culzean Castle [Overview]

Culzean Bay, NE of Maidens, Ayrshire.

Generic. Although including a wider set of caves along the coast SW of Culzean Castle this refers specifically to two linked caves below the castle.

Upon that night, when fairies light on Cassilis Downans dance, Or owre the lays, in splendid blaze, on sprightly coursers prance; Or for Colean, the route is ta'en, beneath the moon's pale beams; there, up the cove, to stray and rove, among the rocks and streams, to sport that night. [Robert Burns]

Alternate Names: Culzean Castle (Caves)

Notes: Lengths given in entries for individual caves.

Originally called Coif Castle (pronounced Cove) this was altered to Colaine or Culean in the 16th century both meaning Castle of the Caves and the latter name Culzean deriving from Cul an -t Ean meaning 'behind the caves'. The House was at times referred to as the Cave.

THE Cave (says Mr. Abbercrombie) the mansion house of Sir Archibald Kennedy, of Colaine, takes his name hence: under, the outer area of this house there be three natural caves (the three chambers of Castle Cave), which, enter large at the water mark, from thence they enter upward to a higher, by an easy ascent;. but the entry to the third is more difficult, being both low in. the entry and strait. In the highest of them there is a spring of good water.