Dunduff Castle

Dunduff Castle is a tower house in Maybole, South Ayrshire, built with an L-shaped layout and walls roughly 1.5 meters thick. Inside are three barrel-vaulted chambers at ground level and a square stair-tower providing access between floors.

Building of this tower house started in 1696 when the Stewart family began construction on the site. The work remained incomplete until major restoration happened in the late twentieth century.

The name Dunduff comes from Gaelic language roots meaning Hill of the Stag or Black Hill Fort, reflecting how the landscape held meaning for early Celtic speakers. People gathering here would have seen this elevated spot as a place of natural importance tied to hunting or defense.

The castle sits on a rocky hilltop above Drumbane Burn, giving visitors wide views across the surrounding land toward the coast near Dunure village. Its raised location makes the walk worthwhile for anyone wanting to see the broader countryside from this vantage point.

An Iron Age fort called Dane's Hill sits roughly 170 meters west of the castle, showing that this ground had been settled continuously for many centuries. The proximity of these two structures suggests people recognized this location as holding value long before the Stewart family arrived.