Castle-Semple, a lake and an estate in Lochwinnoch parish, Renfrewshire. From the vicinity of Lochwinnoch town, the lake extends 1¾ mile north-eastward, whilst tapering to a point from an utmost breadth of 3 furlongs. Originally 4½ miles long, and upwards of 1 mile in width, it was greatly curtailed by draining processes between 1680 and 1774, with the result of recovering from its bed upwards of 400 acres of rich land. It receives the Calder at its head, and sends off Black Cart Water from its foot; it lies in the long, wide valley which separates the heights of SE Renfrewshire and Cunninghame from the moorish uplands to the NW; and it is traversed, along most of its SE shore, by the Glasgow and South-Western railway. Its bosom is gemmed with three small wooded islets; its shores are decked with park and lawn and trees; its flanks shelve upward, with rich embellishment of hamlet, mansion, and farmstead, to picturesque ranges of distant heights; and its waters contain pike, perch, braize, and a few shy lake-trout, whilst on them swim swans and teal and other waterfowl. The estate of Castle-Semple belonged to the noble family of Sempill from the 14th century till 1727, when it was sold to Colonel M 'Dowall; in 1813 it was sold again to John Harvey, Esq.; and its present proprietor is Hy. Lee-Harvey, Esq. (b. 1823; suc. 1872), who owns 6500 acres in the shire, valued at £5562 per annum. Elliotston Tower, its original seat, ¾ mile E of the foot of the lake, was occupied by the Sempill family till about 1550, and, 45 feet long by 33 broad, still stands in a state of ruin. The next seat, Castleton or Castle-Semple, on the NW side of the lake, ¼ mile W of the foot, was built about the time of the abandonment of Elliotston Tower; appears to have been an edifice of great size, amid very beautiful grounds; and was demolished in 1735. The present Castle-Semple is an elegant edifice, rebuilt on the site of its predecessor, and standing amid a splendid park. A tower, called the Peel, was built, between 1547 and 1572, by the great Lord Sempill; stood on an islet, now forming part of the mainland, ½ mile E by S of Lochwinnoch town; had the form of an irregular pentagon, with a sharp end towards the head of the lake; and is now represented by some ruins. A collegiate church, for a provost, six chaplains, two boys, and a sacristan, was founded in 1504 by John, Lord Sempill, near the lake, in the vicinity of the site of Castle-Semple; measured 71½ feet in length, 24¼ in breadth, and 15½ in height; and included, at its E end, the burial-place of the Sempill family, afterwards the burial-place of the Harveys. A village and a chapel of St Bride also seem to have anciently stood near the foot of the NW side of the lake. A structure in imitation of a Chinese pagoda stands on Kenmure Hill, in the western part of the estate; was built, about the middle of last century, by one of the M 'Dowalls; and commands a fine view of the lake and the surrounding country.—Ord. Sur., sh. 30, 1866.
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