David, 3rd Lord Kennedy, who was created Earl of Cassillis in 1509, took his men from Maybole to fight at Flodden in 1513. He was killed, as was his sovereign, James IV, in that disastrous battle and his body was brought back for burial in the Old College in the Kirkport.

Gilbert, 3rd Earl of Cassillis, was a famous Scottish statesman and he was appointed Lord High Treasurer in 1554. He was one of the Commissioners who went to France to arrange the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots, with the Dauphin, and, because he refused to agree that the Scottish crown should go to the French heir, he was poisoned at Dieppe and his body was also brought back for burial in the "Auld College".

Gilbert 4th Earl of Cassillis, was a confidant and adviser to Mary, Queen of Scots and was with her when she visited Carrick in August, 1563. Tradition has it that the Maybole people gathered at the Howmoor to see their tall Queen with her retinue pass on her way from Dunure Castle to Ardmillan where she stayed before journeying to Ardstinchar. Queen Mary gave Gilbert a necklace as a keepsake and this necklace is still in the possession of the present Marquess of Ailsa. It was his daughter Jane Kennedy who tied the handkerchief round Queen Mary's eyes before she knelt to be beheaded at Fotheringhay that Wednesday morning on the 8th February, 1587.

 Archibald, 11th Earl of Cassillis distinguished himself as a naval commander and raised the siege of Lisbon in 1760 and the people of that city presented him with a handsomely engraved silver platter which is still in the possession of the present Marquess of Ailsa. After he retired from the sea, Archibald, lived in No. 1 Broadway, New York, but, on his refusal to take part in the Boston Tea Party, George Washington evicted him from his home and took possession of it for himself. The Earl married Anne Watts, daughter of John Watts of New York and part of her dowry is said to have been Long Island in New York State but the Earl lost all his American property during the War of Independence. When Glenlyon's Regiment carried out the massacre at Glencoe in September, 1692, a young ensign in the regiment refused to take part in the slaughter and he was taken back to Fort William and ignominiously discharged. Tradition has it, truth or not, that the name of the young ensign was Archibald Kennedy of Maybole.

Text above from the book - Maybole - Carrick's Capital.