Graffiti art encouraged at castle

The graffiti will remain on the castle for two years

Artists are spraying graffiti onto the walls of one of Scotland's most historic castles.

A team of Brazilian artists are painting street art onto one side of Kelburn Castle in Ayrshire.

The idea came after the owner of the castle, the Earl of Glasgow, was told the concrete rendering was destroying the walls and would have to come off.

His son and daughter, David and Alice Boyle, came up with the idea, which they say has the support of locals.

The pair, who are encouraging artists to paint graffiti on the wall, believe it will become a work of art.

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Four well-respected artists have come to Scotland from Brazil to carry out the task over the next month.

The completed work is expected remain on the castle for at least two years, by which time rendering work will need to be carried out.

In the meantime, a debate is likely to be sparked about whether this is art or legal vandalism.

Kelburn is thought to be the oldest castle in Scotland to have been continuously inhabited by the same family.

Originally the family name was de Boyville but this changed over the years to Boyle.

The de Boyvilles from Caen in Normandy came over to Britain with William the Conqueror in 1066 and the present branch of the family settled in Kelburn in 1140.