The site of the old Lefnoreis Castle[1] or Ward of Lochnorris[2] (NS 53908 20515) lies about 100 yards north-west of the old stable block of Dumfries House in East Ayrshire, Parish of Old Cumnock, Scotland.

The old castle stood on a natural rise overlooking the Lugar Water, built and held for many years by the Craufurd family.

[5] The name of the fortification is commonly recorded as variations of both Lefnoreis and Lochnorris with the former version more widely used on maps and many other variations in spelling and title, such as the Ward of Lefnorris,[6] Tower of Lefnoreis,[4] Lefnoreise,[7] Ward of Lochnoris, Lochnoreis,[1] Tower of Leifnorris, Liffnoris, Leifnoreis[8] and Lefnoryis.

The convention previously being to use a letter similar to an elongated f, leading to a lower case s being easily and often confused and interpreted as an f. On the above mentioned maps this led to Lissnorris for example apparently having the spelling Liffnorris.

that of the superior to uphold and draw the rents of the lands of a deceased vassal while the heir was uninfeft or remained a minor, as an equivalent for the loss of military services during such period, the usage being termed simple ward.

[15] Lord Bute in 1897 carried out extensive excavations at the castle's site and discovered part of the walls of a fortification of considerable strength and also a causeway composed using water-worn stones.

Until 1944 the well designed by Robert Adam stood as a small square structure with four arched openings and a pyramidal roof.

His heiress, Penelope, married the second son of the 1st Earl of Stair and the Dumfries title passed into the Dalrymple family.

[1] In 1527 George Craufurd accompanied the Campbells of Loudoun in the ambush that led to the death of the Earl of Cassillis at Prestwick.

[18] In 1578 George Craufurd of Lefnoreis was fined £2000 for allowing James Elliot, an infamous border's reiver, to escape from his custody at the castle.

[21] In 1608 the Privy Council of Scotland issued an order that the Cunninghames of Caprington, Dalkeith and Auchincors were not to meet at Cumnock Church as violence was foreseen.