Dundonald

The village of Dundonald lies west of Kilmarknock in South Ayrshire. Many visitors come to visit Dundonald Castle, which was built in the 14th century by King Robert II, on the ruins of a castle built in 1260 by his grandfather, Alexander Comyn. It was used by Scottish royalty for over 150 years. The castle is located on a hill to the west of the village and has a museum and visitor centre along with a café.

There is also a Dundonald Highland Games that take place beside the castle, which showcases the traditional Scottish heritage of Ayrshire. The games feature pipe bands, Highland dancing, children’s rides and stalls.

Other historical points of interest are the ruins of Old Auchans Castle which was the previous residence of Lady Eglinton. The present church built in 1803, however the first recorded church was present in 1229 when it was gifted to the convent at Damilling and later to Paisley Abbey, with whom it stayed until the Reformation.

Today, the village is mostly populated by commuters going to the other larger towns, but the village centre itself has many interesting shops, cafes and restaurants.