A sad local Anniversary
Seventy years ago on Monday December 1, 1941 the Countess of Loudoun was wakened at 2.30am by the smell of burning. A fire had broken out in the library above her bedroom in Loudoun castle. The only other people in the Castle were Lady Jean Wakefield, Lady Edith Hastings and Edith Wakefield, Granddaughter of the Countess.
Kilmarnock Fire Brigade were soon on the scene followed by detachments fro Ayr and Mauchline but they were hampered by lack of eater and it took some time to set up pumps to bring water from the River Irvine. By afternoon large parts of the building, known as the Windsor of Scotland had collapsed, never to be rebuilt.
The Castle was built around a 12th century Keep, which was added to over the last four hundred years. The original Castle was at the top of Lime Road. The last additions costing £100,00 were built in 1811 giving the Castle its familiar look.
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