Maclellans Castle
The 16th Century Town House of MacLellan's Castle is a great centre piece for the pretty fishing town of Kircudbright on the Solway Firth.
Standing on the site of the former convent of Greyfriars, the land that this tall, elegant castellated Town House is built on were gained by royal charter following the reformation by local magnate Sir Thomas MacLellan. Being Provost of Kirkcudbright, Sir Thomas was a prosperous and powerful in the region and the castle was clearly concieved to show his wealth, importance and cosmopolitan taste of its owner.
Work on the castle began around 1570 and was finally completed in 1587, though it is widely believed that the interior furnishings of the castle were never completed as an inventory of items was never found and Sir Thomas died owing substantial sums of money for the castle's construction.
In his time Sir Thomas was reasonably well travelled, frequently to Edinburgh and at least once to France and it is safe to assume he brought back ideas for the design of his home. Maclellan Castle boasts fine early renaisance architecutre and a particular feature of the day an elaborate crest above the entrance containing the coats of arms of the MacLellans, the Maxwells, Sir Thomas' wife's family and the royal crest.
Sadly after Sir Thomas died none of his decendants took any interest in his town house masterpiece and within three generations it fell into disrepair. The MacLellan family's decline in wealth and standing mirroring that of the castle's until finally in 1742 it was stripped of its roof and contents.
