Portencross Castle, West Kilbride, Ayrshire, Scotland.

Описание: Set on a rocky headland looking over the Firth of Clyde, Portencros Castle is a 14th-century fortified tower built by the Boyd family. The Boyds may have built the castle, but they were by no means the earliest people to use the headland. Excavations have revealed an Iron Age settlement a stone's throw from the castle site on Auldhame (Auldhill).
Tradition says that the ancient kings of Scotland were brought to Portencross before being taken by ship to the holy island of Iona for burial. According to the stories the king's bodies lay in state at Portencross Castle before making the final voyage. The 'castle' in question was not the one we see today, for that was not built until the 14th century!
After the Norman Conquest, the area around Portencross was controlled by the de Ross family, and it was probably the Rosses who reused materials from the Iron Age dun to build a motte and bailey fortification in the early 12th century.

Robert I gave the Boyds estates around Portencross in thanks for their support at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Robert's son, Robert II, maintained close ties with the Boyds, and actually signed several royal charters at Portencross.

Robert III also issued royal charters from Portencross, but during the 15th century the castle was used less and less by the crown and reverted to acting as a power base for the Boyd family.