The wicked laird of Culzean, the hanging tree, and a rhyme a...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1963.27.B24
Original Tape ID
Summary
The wicked laird of Culzean, the hanging tree, and a rhyme about the Kennedys.
There was a wicked laird of Culzean who forced his tenants to sign away their lands. There was a story that at the time of his death fishermen out from Dunure hailed a boat asking, "From whence to where?" and were answered, "From Hell to Culzean." At his funeral the horses drawing the hearse would not move until a crow that had settled on them flew away. The crow was said to be the Devil in disguise. The Kennedys [owners of Culzean Castle] hanged a lot of people from a tree known as the doul tree [tree of mourning]. There was a rhyme about the Kennedys: "Nae man dare bide nor ride / Except tae court wi Kennedy."
Item Notes
The wicked laird was Sir Archibald Kennedy (d. 1710).
Item Subject/Person
Kennedy, Sir Archibald
Recording Location
County - Ayrshire
Parish - Maybole
Village/Place - Maybole
Item Location
County - Ayrshire
Language
English, Scots
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good