The Castles of Clan Hunter

Hunter lands were gifted to them by King David I, with the Hunter family being of Norman origin. William the Hunter was such a gifted hunter that King David actually invited him and his family to settle in Scotland. It was around this time in the 12th century that the family established themselves in Ayrshire, where they’ve remained a prominent clan every since.

The original castle was built during the period in the middle ages in which the British Isles had need of defensive structures due to Viking invasions. The castle itself and the Hunter's of the surrounding area may not have been incredibly overcome by the invasions, but it does seem likely that they were involved in smaller battles further away from the castle and closer to the coast. It was during this time that the famed Hunterston Brooch may have been lost. The Hunterston Brooch was found on Hunter lands in the 19th century and a beautiful replica can be found at the castle today.

Hunterston Castle has belonged to the Hunter family for over 900 years and remains the clan seat today. The oldest part of the building is thought to have been constructed sometime in the 13th century, though the exact date is unknown. The majority of the tower house was built in the 16th and 17th centuries. To get into the tower house, one would have had to climb a ladder and enter through a trapdoor, which sounds a bit precarious today, but then would have provided much needed safety. Originally, the castle was surrounded by a moat, but the swampland was drained about 200 years ago and was instead converted to farmland.

The Castle itself was restored in the early 20th century by Scottish architect Sir Robert Lorimer. One notable section of the castle is the Great Hall, which was laid down by John Hunter, 14th Laird, during the 16th century. It features a fireplace with the Hunter coat of arms above the mantelpiece, which was a Lorimer design.

In the 19th century, Hunterston House was built on the castle grounds and remains a popular manor residence, particularly as a Scottish filming destination. It is known today as a filming location for Outlander, having been featured as several different places in the show. One such room is seen below.

Today, the estate in its entirety is extremely important to the mission of the Clan Chief and the Clan society, both in terms of preservation and progression. The castle is the sight of clan gatherings and other special events. In addition, renovations of a workshop building on the grounds of the estate are in the works to form a Clan Hunter Centre for the purpose of clan business and gatherings. Though the government compulsorily purchased much of the estate in the 20th century in order to built the Hunterston A and Hunterston B nuclear power stations, the clan still owns and operates the castle. You can take a virtual tour of the Castle with Pauline Hunter which we highly recommend!