Parks and Activities South Ayrshire

Historic Places - Citadel, Ayr

Ayr Citadel was built by the command of Oliver Cromwell and could house a garrison of troops numbering up to 1000. With it being bounded on two sides by the sea it was extremely difficult to penetrate.

Once Charles II was returned to the throne, the Citadel was dismantled, to ensure that it could not be used by any future enemy of the crown. This land was later gifted to the Earl of Eglinton and later came into the ownership of the Kennedys of Cassillis.

Around the time of 1800 the moat was filled in and much of the surrounding area was laid out for residential development.

Map of Citadel