📍 Photo via Google Maps

Kelburn Castle

📍 North Ayrshire, Scotland

4.1 ★★★★ 1,200 reviews

About

Kelburn Castle is a large house near Fairlie, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It is the seat of the Earl of Glasgow. Originally built in the thirteenth century it was remodelled in the sixteenth century. In 1700, the first Earl made further extensions to the house in a manner not unlike a French château, which is virtually how it appears today. In 1977 the house and grounds opened to the public as a country park. It is one of the oldest castles in Scotland and has been continuously inhabited by the same family for longer than any other. The castle is protected as a category A listed building, while the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.

One of Scotland's oldest castles, with original parts dating to the 13th century. Ancestral seat of the Boyle family, Earls of Glasgow, for over 800 years. In 2007, when the castle needed re-harling, Lord Glasgow invited four Brazilian graffiti artists (including Os Gêmeos) to paint the exterior in vivid colours. Historic Scotland approved on condition the art would be temporary — but it remains, making it one of Scotland's most Instagram-worthy castles.