 The long established road from the Ardrossan area to Fairlie, Largs and beyond runs very close to the Castle Knowe so that a fortified structure would be in a position to control movements along this communications corridor.The place-name elements 'Knowe' and 'Knol' are derived from the Old English 'Cnoll' meaning a small rounded hill, hillock or mound, sometimes associated with tales of the fairies.The place-name 'Kilruskin' is said to have been 'Kilronskan' originally, derived from 'The Cell of Saint Ronskan'.