Castle of Greexan. 97 



and a fortalice. Reid does not appear to have held possession 

 long', for in 1591 we find that the owner is John Kennedy of Bal- 

 tersan, holding the lands direct from the Crown. Baltersan is 

 close to Crossraguel Abbey, and its owner was connected not only 

 with the " kings of Carrick," but with the scarcely less distin- 

 guished families of Blairquhan and Auchindrane. It was this John 

 Kennedy who carved his initials over the doorway, and it seems 

 lie built the tower in addition to, or in place of, buildings already 

 existing. The date 1G03 cannot be taken as that of the first erec- 

 tion of a castle at Greenan. In 1642, the year of the outbreak of 

 the Civil War, the estate passed into the hands of Sir Alexander 

 Kennedy of Culzean. The Culzean family was then distinct from 

 that of Cassillis, though they both belonged to the same clan and 

 bore the same name, and though the two houses are now united. 

 The barony was held for a time by the Honourable David Kennedy 

 of Newark, who disposed of it, in 1766, to his brother, Thomas 

 Keimedy, Earl of Cassillis. It has remained in his family ever 

 since, and the present owner is his descendant, the Marquess of 

 Ailsa. 



The history of Greenan is on the whole peaceful. There are 

 few records connected with it as with Turnberry and Ounure, few 

 legends like those told of Cassillis and the Coves of Culzean. 

 Notwithstanding this, several writers of fiction have made it the 

 scene of their stories, encouraged no doubt by the situation of the 

 tower, so suggestive of romance. On one occasion, however, it 

 was closely connected with one of the tragedies so frequent in the 

 history of the Kennedys. Shortly after the fight near Lady Cross, 

 in which the Laird of Bargany was slain by the Cassillis faction, 

 the eldest son of the Laird of Culzean died abroad. He was 

 provost of the Collegiate Church of Maybole, and the office thus 

 became vacant. The Earl of ('assillis was patron, and Culzean 

 hoped that his second son would be appointed. But, probably 

 because Culzean had been heard to express disapproval of the plot 

 that ended in Bargany's death, the Earl gave the post to one 

 Gilbert Ross, a notary. Culzean was greatly offended at this, and 

 a coolness ensued between him and the head of the clan. Mean- 

 time the friends of the slain laird of Bargany were taking measures 

 to avenge his death, seeking the hurt of all the Earl's friends, of 

 whom Culzean was reckoned one. The most energetic of the 

 avengers of blood was Thomas Kennedy of Dinmurchie, the dead 



