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Castles in Scotland

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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 9:31 pm

Guthrie Castle

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Guthrie Castle is a castle and country house in Angus, Scotland. It is located in the village of Guthrie, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of Forfar, and 29 kilometres (18 mi) north-east of Dundee. The castle dates back to the 15th century, although much of the present building is of 19th-century origin. It is now a private house, but is hired out as a venue for corporate events and weddings.

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 Restoration
2 References
3 External links
History[edit]
Guthrie Castle comprises a tower house, originally built by Sir David Guthrie (1435–1500), Treasurer and Lord Justice-General of Scotland, in 1468. The Guthrie family later built a house beside the tower. In 1848, the two were linked by a baronial style expansion, to designs by David Bryce. The historic keep remained in the Guthrie family until 1983, with the death of Colonel Ivan Guthrie.[1]

Restoration[edit]
In 1984 Guthrie Castle was purchased by Daniel S. Peña, Sr., an American businessman. Peña restored the castle to its 19th-century condition, and built a golf course within the estate in 1994/95. In 2003, the castle and its grounds were opened to the public, for wedding parties, corporate functions and for group bookings.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 9:35 pm

Hatton Castle


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Hatton Castle stands on the lower part of Hatton Hill,[1] the most easterly of the Sidlaw Hills, to the south of Newtyle in Angus, Scotland. The castle overlooks the wooded Den of Newtyle, and its views extend across Strathmore and include Ben Lawers and Schiehallion as well as the Angus and Glenshee hills. The 16th-century castle was originally built in a typical Scottish "Z plan" tower house design, as a fortified country house or château. There was an earlier castle called Balcraig Castle which stood less than half a mile from the present building, also on Hatton Hill.

Contents [hide]
1 Etymology
2 History
3 Gardens
4 See also
5 References
Etymology[edit]
The name "Hatton" was adopted from the farm nearby. "Hatton" is a contraction of Hall-toun, which in Scots means the farm (or ferm toun) near the Hall (or Ha). Thus the Hall must have been there first, and the name "Hatton" actually refers to the adjacent farm, now known as Hatton Farm (the word farm is thus redundant, duplicating toun). Hatton Castle was probably originally called "Newtyle Castle", taking its name from the estate. In Scots, the word tyle means a roofing stone (not restricted to fired clay tiles as in English). There are brick and tile factories on the River Tay near Dundee, but "Newtyle" most likely relates to the sandstone quarried locally, and used extensively for building, dyking and roofing, as well as for carving into Pictish standing stones such as those preserved at the nearby Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum. The name Newtyle rather implies that there was another place where sandstone was quarried previously.

History[edit]
The earliest history of the general area demonstrates that Pictish peoples inhabited the area. For example, discovery of the Eassie Stone in this region indicates sophisticated Pictish carvers who embraced Christianity about the year 600 AD.[2]

The lands were given to Sir William Olifard (8th chief)[3] in 1317 by Robert the Bruce. Robert the Bruce's daughter, Elizabeth, married Sir William Olifard's son, Sir Walter Olifard,[4] who also inherited the Newtyle estate. The castle was built in 1575,[5] commissioned by Laurence, fourth Lord Oliphant (1527–1593). Hatton Castle is unusual in that it contains a scale and platt staircase incorporated into its original construction. Such a feature was normally only included in larger constructions. The 4th Lord Oliphant also considerably extended another of his many castles, Kellie Castle in Fife, which bears many similarities.

A variety of people lived in Hatton Castle after the Oliphants, including at least one bishop. It is recorded by Marian McNeill,[6] quoting A. Hislop, Book of Scottish Anecdote, that the old Scots custom of 'compulsory hospitality' was demonstrated at Hatton Castle: "The Lords Oliphant used to keep a cannon pointed to the road near by their old castle, so as to compel the wayfarers to come in and be regaled". A cannon is still there today. Hatton was the home of the Masters of Oliphant rather than their fathers, who resided primarily at Aberdalgie and Dupplin Castles.

Hatton Castle was de-roofed in about 1720, after the 1715 Jacobite rising, when it was replaced by the Italian-style Belmont Castle in Meigle, which is now a Church of Scotland residential home. Hatton Castle gradually became encrusted by ivy and a home to pigeons and jackdaws, until it was sold by the Kinpurnie Estate for reconstruction. This was done faithfully, initially by Roderick Oliphant of Oliphant, yr and his brother Richard Oliphant of that Ilk, with help from Historic Scotland, so its charm remains much as it was in 1575, including glass hand-made in Edinburgh, in the leaded windows. Under-floor heating was installed (during the reconstruction) to avoid the sight of radiators. The exterior is harled with the traditional pinkish lime-based hand-daub.

It still has the strong room which, in ancient times, would have served as a bank for valuables for local people - one of the functions of a Hall. There is a 'priest hole' in what was originally the laird's bedroom. Not so much for priests, one suspects, as for young ladies who might have needed a secret exit route. Hatton Castle has an interesting Great Hall, almost a double-cube measuring 34x17x17 feet, which has stunning acoustics. As in the 16th century, music is again played most days in the Great Hall, and some memorable dances and house-concerts have been held. It is a regular gathering place for Scottish traditional musicians, notably hosting the creative network, 'Fiddle Force'. House Concerts are held, on a non-commercial basis, for a wide variety of artists, memorably including, for example, The Poozies, Barbaby Brown and John Kenny (Sardinian triple pipes and carnyx), Park Stickney (Jazz Harp), Philip Higham (Bach cello suites and more), Cathy Fraser from Australia, Fiddlelore from New Zealand, Douglas Lawrence, Gregor Borland and Sandy Brechin, Jarlath Henderson and Man's Ruin. In 2007, Hatton Castle hosted the first ever performance in Europe of a Japanese biwa and chant group, supported by the Scottish harp duo Sileas. American cellist Abby Newton, with David Greenberg, Corrina Kewat, Mairi Campbell, Dave Francis and Scott Petito in her group Ferintosh, recorded her Scottish Traditional album 'Castles, Kirks and Caves' in the Great Hall. Hatton Castle is now a family home, and the present owners have continued the restoration, aided by specialist castle-restorer Gordon Matthew of Midmar.

Gardens[edit]
No record exists of the original gardens of Hatton Castle, but a house of this scale would certainly have had fine gardens in the 16th and 17th centuries. The buildings of Hatton Farm probably stand on what was originally a garden to the south of Hatton Castle. Until the 1990s when the current owner took it on, Hatton Castle stood in a gently sloping field full of sheep, cattle and a gaggle of geese from the adjacent curling pond. Sir James Cayzer, from the neighbouring Kinpurnie Estate planted standard trees in the surrounding parkland, and a garden is now emerging for Hatton Castle, featuring dry-stane dyking up to three metres high. This is the work of master-dyker Duncan Armstrong. An orchard of ancient Scottish apple varieties has been planted, as well as mulberry trees, and the sunken vegetable garden contains fig trees and artichokes. The eastern boundary of the garden of Hatton Castle is the Dundee and Newtyle Railway, which was the first railway line to open in the north of Scotland. It was built to transport daffodil and other flowers grown in farms around Newtyle to Dundee, and thence by ship to Edinburgh. The 'bulb factory' was adjacent to Newtyle station, which still exists.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 9:38 pm

Invermark Castle


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Invermark Castle is an oblong tower house dating from the 16th century, at the east of Loch Lee, Angus, Scotland.[1] It is near the head of Glen Esk.[1]

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Structure
3 See also
4 References
History[edit]
The present castle is on the site of a 14th-century castle.[2] The castle belonged to the Lindsays of Crawford. It was designed to control Highland marauders. It was here that David Lindsay, 9th Earl of Crawford died in 1558.[1] The present castle was built in the 16th century, and heightened in the early 17th century.[1] The castle was abandoned in 1803.[2]

Structure[edit]
The 16th-century castle was a three-storey structure, having a corbelled parapet and parapet walk.[1] The additions were another storey and a garret, and a two-storey angle-tower.[1] The castle walls have rounded corners. Two massive chimney-stacks have window-openings giving the garret light.[1]

The entrance, at first floor level, was reached by a movable timber bridge or stair.[1] The entrance, a rounded arch,[2] which still has an iron yett, led to the hall, to which a small room is attached. A wheel stair was the only access to the vaulted basement. The turnpike stair by which access could be gained to the upper floors, which were also subdivided, no longer exists.[1]

There are foundations of outbuildings to the east and south of the tower; material known to have been robbed from the site to build the parish church probably came from here.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 9:44 pm

Inverquharity Castle

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Inverquharity Castle is a 15th-century tower house in Angus, Scotland. It lies around 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) north-east of Kirriemuir near the River South Esk.

The lands of Inverquharity came to the Ogilvie family around 1420. The castle was first constructed as a rectangular tower in the 1440s, by Alexander Ogilvie, 2nd Lord Inverquharity. In the 16th century a wing was added to form a four-storey L-plan castle.

In 1445 a dispute between Alexander Ogilvy of Inverquharity and the son of the Earl of Crawford from nearby Finavon Castle culminated in the Battle of Arbroath in which Ogilvy and the Earl were killed.[1]

In the late 18th century, the tower was sold by the 5th Ogilvy Baronet, and the wing demolished. The castle decayed until the 1960s, when it was restored and the wing rebuilt. The original 15th-century yett, or iron gate, is still in place. In 2014, a BBC documentary followed the sale of the castle from the owners who had restored and lived there for the previous 40 years.[2] It sold in 2012 for £611,000[3] and this category A listed building remains a private family home.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 9:46 pm

Kinnaird Castle

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Kinnaird Castle is a 15th-century castle in Angus, Scotland.[1]

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 14th century
1.2 15th century
1.3 17th century
1.4 18th century
1.5 19th century
1.6 20th century
2 Citations
History[edit]
14th century[edit]
Charters show a mansion had existed on the property.[1]

15th century[edit]
A castle was listed onsite in 1409, when the estate was granted to the Clan Carnegie.[1] After the Battle of Brechin on 18 May 1452, the castle was burnt by Alexander Lindsay, 4th Earl of Crawford as Clan Carnegie had supported King James II of Scotland.

17th century[edit]
In 1617, King James VI stayed at Kinnaird. King Charles I and Charles II also visited the castle. James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose spent 3 years at Kinnaird from 1629.

18th century[edit]
During the winter of 1715, James Francis Edward Stuart (The Old Pretender) spent some time at the castle. As punishment for supporting the Jacobite rising of 1715, the estate was confiscated. The castle was transformed by the architect, James Playfair in 1791 into a large house.

19th century[edit]
The castle returned to Clan Carnegie ownership in 1855 and was remodeled in Victorian baronial style.

20th century[edit]
The castle burnt to the ground in 1921 and was rebuilt.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 9:49 pm

Melgund Castle,

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Melgund Castle, lying around 2 kilometres due east of Aberlemno in Angus, Scotland, is a restored 16th-century house which today serves as a private residence.

The castle is generally said to have been built in 1543 on the orders of Cardinal David Beaton as a home for himself and his mistress, Margaret Ogilvie. However, Charles McKean has argued that the work of the 1540s was a re-modelling of an earlier building.[1] It much later passed by marriage to the Earls of Minto, who were granted the title Viscounts Melgund, presently used by the heir to the earldom. The building is L-shaped and was probably styled on 15th century fortified houses. Archaeological investigations were carried out at the castle between 1990 and 1996. The castle was long in a semi-ruined state, and lacking a roof, until restored by Benjamin Tindall Architects.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 9:50 pm

Montrose Castle

Montrose Castle was a 12th-century castle built in Montrose, Angus, Scotland.[1] Montrose was created a royal burgh by King David I of Scotland in the 12th century. The castle, once a royal castle, was built as a motte and bailey castle. King Edward I of England accepted John Balliol's surrender of Scotland at the castle on the 10 July 1296. The castle was destroyed by William Wallace in 1297. The castle was noted to be in ruins in 1488. Nothing now remains above ground.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 9:53 pm

Red Castle of Lunan

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Red Castle of Lunan is a ruined fortified house on the coast of Angus, Scotland. It is about 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southwest of Montrose.

History[edit]
The earliest structure on the site was built for King William the Lion in the late twelfth century to repel Viking invasions to Lunan Bay. Evidence shows, however, that William took up residence there on several occasions whilst on hunting expeditions. In 1194, William conferred the castle, and land surrounding the village of Inverkeilor, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the castle, to Walter de Berkely, the Royal Chamberlain. On his death, his lands of Inverkeilor, with the castle, passed to Ingram de Balliol who had married the heiress of Walter.[1] He rebuilt the castle and the property remained in that family for two generations. When his grandson, Ingram, who flourished between 1280-84, died childless about 1305 the property passed to the son of Constance de Baliol, Henry de Fishburn.

The property was forfeit during the reallocation by Robert I and in 1328, Robert the Bruce gave the castle to the Earl of Ross. The castle is referred to as rubeum castrum (Latin for Red Castle) in deeds of 1286, referring to its burnished red sandstone, typical of this area.

In 1579, James, son of Lord Gray, married Lady Elizabeth Beaton, who owned the castle, and fell in love with her daughter. After Lady Beaton threw him out, Gray (with his brother Andrew of Dunninald) laid siege to the castle for two years, ultimately burning the inhabitants out. From then on the castle slipped into decline, and, although it remained partially roofed until 1770, it was never again a residence of nobility. Its last inhabitant was the minister of Inverkeilor, one James Rait.


Ruins of the keep
Description[edit]
Red Castle stands on high ground overlooking Lunan Bay, on the North Sea coast. Immediately to the north of Red Castle is the mouth of the Lunan Water, with the hamlet of Lunan beyond. Only a part of the fifteenth century rectangular tower, and the 2-metre (6.6 ft) thick east curtain wall remain. The tower in particular is in precipitous condition, being perched on the edge of the hill above Lunan Bay, and was described as being "in imminent danger of collapse" in 1999.[2] The castle is clearly visible from the A92 road. The remains are those of the 15th-century keep, and the surrounding wall, or enceinte, which may date from the 13th century.[2] A midden below the castle is continually eroding, yielding a number of artefacts now in the Montrose Museum.[2] The tower and enceinte are both protected as category A listed buildings.[
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 11:31 pm

Achallader Castle


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Achallader Castle is a ruined 16th-century tower house under the shadow of Beinn Achaladair, about 3.5 miles north of Bridge of Orchy, Argyll, Scotland. Its name is from Gaelic, meaning field of hard water.[citation needed]

History[edit]
Achallader Castle was built near the northern end of Loch Tulla, close to the Bridge of Orchy, sometime in the 16th century and added to over the decades by various Clans. It is accepted that the Fletcher's, known then as Mac-an-Leisters "were the first to 'raise smoke and boil water' on the Braes of Glenorchy" although the MacGregors were also a ruling Clan of the area in the 15th century. Sir Duncan Campbell of Glen Orchy acquired the castle and surrounding lands through his treachery and betrayal of the Chief of the Mcinleisters in 1587. It is said that when the Fletchers owned Achallader, Sir Duncan Campbell - known as Black Duncan - ordered an English servant (or soldier) to pasture his horse in the Fletchers’ corn. When warned off by the Fletchers - in Gaelic - he did not understand; when he did not remove his horse they shot him. Black Duncan, affecting concern that the Fletcher laird would be hanged for the killing, advised him to flee to France. Before he fled he passed the property to Black Duncan, supposedly until his return, to prevent it being forfeited to the Crown. The Fletchers never recovered the property. The MacGregors burnt the castle in 1603.[1]

In the summer of 1683 a Commission for the settlement of the Highlands, led by Sir William Drummond of Cromlix stayed at the castle, welcoming, among others McIain, the future victim, with his clan, of the massacre of Glencoe.

In 1689, with William and Mary now reigning, the McIain’s returning from their victory at Killiecrankie and repulse at Dunkeld, pulled down what they could of the castle. It was never restored.

In June 1691 John, Earl of Breadalbane, empowered by King William to treat with the clans, conferred with the highland chiefs in the ruin of the castle. By a mixture of threats, promises of bribes, and duplicity, he persuaded most of the clans -but not the McIains - to enter a treaty. This included secret provisions, which he later denied, including the right of the chiefs to request relief from their oaths of allegiance from the exiled James VII and II. The promised bribes did not materialise.

Description[edit]
The castle formerly rose to three storeys and a garret, well defended by shot-holes. Now only two walls, one with a trace of corbelling, remain, sheltering the farm buildings of Achallader Farm.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 11:37 pm

Ardencaple Castle,


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Ardencaple Castle, also known as Ardincaple Castle, and sometimes referred to as Ardencaple Castle Light, is a listed building, situated about 1 statute mile (1.6 km) from Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.[2][3] Today, all that remains of the castle is a tower, perched on the edge of a plateau, looking down on a flat tract of land between it and the shore of the Firth of Clyde.[4] The original castle was thought to have been built sometime in the 12th century,[5] and part of the remains of the original castle were said to have existed in the 19th century.[2] Today, that sole remaining tower is used as a navigational aid for shipping on the Firth of Clyde. Because of its use as a lighthouse the tower has been called Ardencaple Castle Light.[6]

Contents [hide]
1 Lairds of Ardincaple
2 Renovations to the Ardincaple Estate
3 Modern era and destruction of the castle
4 See also
5 References
Lairds of Ardincaple[edit]
The word Ardencaple or Ardincaple has been said to be derived from the Gaelic Ard na gCapull, meaning "cape of the horses", or "of the mares", or "height of the horses".[7][8] In 1351 this place name was recorded as Airdendgappil.[7] From the Middle Ages the lands of Ardencaple were controlled by the Lairds of Ardincaple. By the late 15th century or 16th century the lairds had adopted the surname MacAulay. By this time the Laird of Ardincaple was considered the clan chief of Clan MacAulay.

The fortunes of the Lairds of Ardincaple failed in the 18th century. These chiefs of Clan MacAulay were forced to divide and sell, piece by piece, the lands once governed by former lairds of Ardincaple. In the 1740s,[9] Archibald MacAulay, Laird of Ardencaple, had to sell off a portion of his estate, though by the early 1750s the roof had fallen in[9] and the overall condition of the castle had deteriorated to such an extent that the next Laird was forced to abandon his residence there and live in nearby Laggarie. In about 1767,[10] the 12th chief, Aulay MacAulay, died at High Laggarie (now within the present village of Rhu).[11]

Renovations to the Ardincaple Estate[edit]

1948 photo of addition to the southern half of the west front of Ardincaple Castle showing asymmetrical towers. Photo by Robie Macauley.
The estate was then purchased by John Campbell, 4th Duke of Argyll,[12] and remained in possession of the Campbells well into the 19th century. It was during the Campbell's tenure as lairds of Ardencaple in the 18th century that extensive development was done on the estate by Robert Adam - Scotland's foremost architect of the time. In 1764, while the house was in possession of Lord Frederick Campbell, Robert Adam was first consulted about work on the castle. The house was then irregularly shaped, and Adam came up with a plan for the addition of castle-style additions on the western side of the house which faced the Gare Loch. However, nothing came of this scheme and it wasn't until 1774 that Adam came up with a set of drawings for an addition to the southern half of the west front of the house. This addition was made up of three-bay-windowed, D-shaped tower set in between two smaller turrets (pictured left). Later photographs of Ardincaple Castle show that Adam's extension had been altered or that some features present in his sketch were omitted from being implemented. For instance, the conical roofs, the crow-stepped gable in the sketch do not appear in photographs of the castle. Photographs of Ardincaple Castle show that the tower and southern turret had one more storey than appear in Adam's sketch According to David King, it is possible that Adam was responsible for the added extra floor to the tower, but that is it very unlikely Adam altered the turret because the altered turret broke the symmetry of the addition. Also, Adam had planned that the tower would contain a D-shaped dressing room on its main floor (upper floor). However, it was later decided to make the room oval shaped. David King remarks that Adam had planned a pleasant ceiling for this room, but that there is no sign of it in photographs of 1957.[13] George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll was born at Ardencaple Castle on April 30, 1823.[14] By 1852 the Duchess Dowager of Argyll sold the Ardencaple estate to the wealthy Colquhouns of Luss.[15]


Modern era and destruction of the castle[edit]
In 1923, Sir Iain Colquhoun sold the castle to Mrs. H. Macaulay-Stromberg,[16] a wealthy American, who restored the castle and lived there until her death, in 1931.[17] The castle then passed to Adelaide Parker Voorheis until 1935,[17] when it passed to a consortium of developers who had constructed, in 1936-1937 a housing estate on what used to be the Tower Lawn.[17] The castle then was requisitioned by the Royal Navy[17] with the outbreak of World War II.

In 1957 most of the castle was demolished by the government in order to build naval housing for the nearby HMNB Clyde (Faslane Naval Base), though one tower was left to be used as a mount for navigational beacons and transit lights for the Royal Navy.[18] From then on, the 45-foot (14 m) high tower was known as "Ardencaple Castle Range Rear Light", and had two green lights mounted on its south-west corner.[1] Ardencaple Castle has been considered a Category B listed building since May 14, 1971.[3] Today, all that remains of the grand turreted mansion is one solitary tower.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 11:44 pm

Aros Castle,

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Aros Castle, also known as Dounarwyse Castle, is a ruined 13th-century castle near Salenn on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. The castle overlooks the Sound of Mull.

The castle was a stronghold of the Clan MacDougall, Clan Donald and Clan Maclean during its occupation.

Aros Castle is a 13th century stone rectangular hall house and courtyard fortress, founded by the MacDougalls of Lorn. Of two storeys and a part attic, the hall stands on the north-west angle of a flat-topped promontory, with steep slopes down to the beach. The hall house commands the irregularly shaped walled courtyard and the northern landward approach across the ditch and outer bank, down to a gateway in the west wall. In the early 14th century, 'Dounarwyse' was in the possession of the MacDonald Lords of the Isles and in the late 17th century, it was garrisoned by Argylls troops. But in 1688 the castle was described as, 'ruinous, old, useless and never of any strength'. The house is buried by masonry to first floor level and projecting from the north wall, are the remaining walls of a turret. To the west and south, are the overgrown walls of the courtyard, along with turf-covered foundations of an eastern rectangular building and traces of other buildings to the north-west and south-west. 16 miles south-east is Duart Castle.
Street Map
Aros Castle is located on the Isle of Mull, north-west of Salen off the A848. 9 miles south of Tobermory, on the A848.

The site is freely accessible in daylight hours.

Car parking is by the side of the road.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 11:50 pm

Barcaldine Castle


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Barcaldine Castle is located just over a mile north of Benderloch in Argyll and Bute. Barcaldine Castle is an L-plan structure with four levels. The ground floor has the kitchen, a bottle dungeon and a cellar that has been converted into a dining area. The Great Hall and Lairds Parlor are on the first floor. The second floor is now in use as bedrooms, and the top floor is private rooms for the family. In the late 19th Century the family returned and restored the castle.

History
The castle was built by Sir Duncan Campbell at the beginning on the 17th century and was once known as the Black Castle of Benderloch, because of teh dark stone used in its construction. The castle remained in the Campbell family until it was abandoned in 1735. The Campbells bought the castle back in 1896 and restored it and the family still occupy the building.


Ghost[edit]
The ghost of Sir Duncan Campbell is said to have been spotted roaming Barcaldine searching for the man who murdered him
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 11:55 pm

Calgary Castle

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Calgary Castle, also known as Calgary House, is a 19th-century castellated Gothic mansion at Calgary on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. The mansion faces Calgary Bay on the west coast of the island, around 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) from Tobermory. It is a category B listed building.[1]

The house was built by Captain Alan MacAskill (1765–1828), who bought the land in 1817 and completed the house by 1823.[2] Around 1870 the house was acquired by John Munro Mackenzie,[1] and was subsequently extended to the east, away from the coast. Calgary Castle was later owned by Colonel Eric and Elizabeth Mackenzie from 1948 until the 1970s, and they planted over 150 species of rhododendron, azaleas and exotic plants, and created the woodland garden which still stands.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 11:59 pm

Carnasserie Castle

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Carnasserie Castle (also spelled Carnassarie) is a ruined 16th-century tower house, noted for its unusual plan and renaissance detailing. It is located around 2km to the north of Kilmartin, in Argyll and Bute, western Scotland, at grid reference NM837009.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Architecture
3 References
4 External links
History[edit]
The castle was built by reforming churchman John Carswell, who was Rector of Kilmartin, Chancellor of the Chapel Royal at Stirling, and later titular Bishop of the Isles. Carswell published the first book to be printed in Scottish Gaelic, a translation of John Knox's Book of Common Order. Construction began in 1565 using masons brought from Stirling. Although the castle was notionally built for Carswell's patron, the Earl of Argyll, he intended it as a personal residence for himself.

On Carswell's death in 1572, the castle passed to his patron, the Earl of Argyll. Later, in 1643, the 8th Earl of Argyll sold Carnasserie to Sir Dugald Campbell, 3rd Baronet of Auchinbreck. Following the 9th Earl's failed uprising in support of the Monmouth Rebellion, against James VII in 1685, the castle was blown up by Royalist forces. Although the outer walls remain largely undamaged, the ruins were never repaired. In the 19th century the estate was sold to the Malcolms of Poltalloch, who also own nearby Duntrune Castle. Today it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument in the care of Historic Scotland (no entrance fee; open in summer).

Architecture[edit]

Carnasserie has only ever been slightly altered, in the late 17th century, and so presents an accurate picture of 16th-century architecture. Although sited on raised ground close to a strategic pass at the head of Kilmartin Glen, it was designed more for domestic rather than military purposes.[1]

The castle comprises a 5 storey tower house, with a longer three storey hall house, providing a substantial range of accommodation. At basement level are the remains of cellars and a kitchen with a large fireplace and water inlet. Above this is the large hall. This is connected to a large drawing room in the tower house, which retains its stone floor and large fireplace with carved stone decoration. A broad stair rises from the entrance to the hall, contained in a small tower to the north-west. A second smaller stair leads up from the hall to the parapet walk on three sides of the tower house. Upper rooms would have contained bedrooms.

The exterior displays numerous "double keyhole" gunloops, as well as decorative string courses and corbelling. Over the entrance are blank panels framed by carved supports, as well as the arms of the 5th Earl of Argyll with the motto DIA LE UA NDUIBHNE, "God be with O'Duine", referring to the semi-legendary ancestors of Clan Campbell. At the top of the tower are the remains of open rounds along the parapet, and a caphouse above the stair. Fragments of carved drain spouts have been found, and are on display in the cellars.

To the south and west is a partially walled courtyard garden. An archway bears the inscription SDC LHL 1681, for Sir Duncan Campbell, 4th Baronet and Lady Henrietta Lindsay, whose support for Argyll's uprising led to the castle's destruction.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 12:02 am

Carrick Castle


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Carrick Castle is a 15th-century tower house on the west shore of Loch Goil, Argyll, Scotland.[1] It is located between Cuilmuich and Carrick, 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Lochgoilhead.

The Castle consists of two floors above the central great hall. The building is oblong, 66 feet long by 38 feet wide, with walls seven feet thick. It stands 64 feet high. There is a curiosity – a small chimney is built into a window recess. There is an appendage of a smaller 17th Century structure to the original rectangular tower house.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 The castle
3 Notes
4 References
5 External links
History[edit]
The present ruin is possibly the third occupant of this location. The first may have been a Viking fort.[2] The second structure, and first castle, is believed to have been built in the 12th century. Allegedly a hunting seat of the Scots kings, Carrick was originally a Lamont stronghold.

In the spring of 1307, Robert the Bruce drove Henry Percy from the Castle before conducting a guerrilla war against Edward I of England. Edward had given the castle, which belonged to Robert, to Percy. In 1368 it then passed on to the Campbell Earls of Argyll.


Carrick Castle, 1980
The third structure, the late 15th-century castle, was a royal stronghold, held by the Earls of Argyll as hereditary keepers, and was the symbol and source of their power in South Argyll.[2] It was one of their three chief castles, the other two being Duart and Fincharn.

Mary, Queen of Scots, visited here in 1563.

In 1685, during the rebellion of Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll, against King James VII, HMS Kingfisher bombarded the castle, badly damaging the keep, which lost its roof.

The castle was intermittently occupied until it was sold to the Murrays, the Earls of Dunmore.

The keep was a ruin for many years but is now in private ownership and undergoing restoration.

The castle[edit]
The castle stands on a rocky peninsula, and was formerly defended to landward by a ditch and drawbridge. The building is around 66 by 38 feet (20 by 12 m), and up to 64 feet (20 m) high.[2]
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 1:58 pm

Claig Castle


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Claig Castle was a stronghold of the Clan Donald or MacDonald in the south of Scotland.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Location
3 See also
4 External links
History[edit]
The castle was once a massive fort described as a sea fortress, which allowed the Macdonald Lord of the Isles to dominate and control the sea traffic north and south through the Hebrides for more than four centuries.

The castle remained a stronghold of the MacDonalds until they were subdued in the 17th century by the Clan Campbell.

Location[edit]
The castle is located at grid reference NR471627 on the Isle of Fraoch Eilean which is just off the Isle of Jura, Scotland.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 2:01 pm

Craignish Castle,


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Craignish Castle, Adfern, Argyllshire, an old baronial architectural build, rebuilt around 1832. Scottish seat of the Gascoigne family of Parlington Hall, Lotherton and Castle Oliver.


Craignish Castle, standing on the peninsula, 2¼ miles from the point, includes a strong old fortalice, which withstood a six weeks' siege by Colkitto, but is mostly a good modern mansion, rebuilt about 1832; its owner, Fred. Chs. Trench-Gascoigne (b. 1814), holds 5591 acres in the shire, valued at £1013 per annum.

The founder of the Campbells of Craignish, Dugall Maul Campbell became first Laird of Craignish and his descendants built and resided in Craignish Castle in Argyll. Ranald MacCallum was made hereditary keeper of Craignish Castle in 1510. However, the castle has long since escaped family hands, and in 1832 was rebuilt as a private mansion for Mr. Trench-Gascoigne, who owned nearly 6000 acres (24 km²) in Argyllshire. Today, the Castle has been converted into apartments and is owned privately.

Lairds of Craignish[edit]

Coat of arms of Dugall Campbell of Craignish
Dugall Maul Campbell, 1st Laird (1156-????), 1st Chieftain of Campbell of Craignish
Dougall Campbell, 2nd Laird (1178–1220), 2nd Chieftain
Dougald Campbell, 3rd Laird (1200–1250), 3rd Chieftain
Dougall Campbell, 4th Laird (1225–1250), 4th Chieftain
Malcolm Campbell, 5th Laird (1250–1290), 5th Chieftain
Dougald Campbell, 6th Laird (1272-????), 6th Chieftain
Dougald Campbell, 7th Laird (1300–1350), 7th Chieftain
Christina Campbell, 8th Chieftain
Ronald Campbell, 8th Laird, 9th Chieftain
Iain 'Gorm' Campbell, 9th Laird, 10th Chieftain
Donald Campbell, 10th Laird, 11th Chieftain
John Campbell, 11th Laird, 2nd Baron of Barrichibean, 12th Chieftain
Donald Campbell, 3rd Baron, 13th Chieftain
Iain Campbell, 4th Baron, 14th Chieftain
Ronald Campbell, 5th Baron, 15th Chieftain
John Campbell, 6th Baron, 16th Chieftain
Donald Campbell, 7th Baron, 17th Chieftain
George Campbell, 8th Baron, 18th Chieftain
Dugald Campbell, 9th Baron, 19th Chieftain
Captain Dugald Campbell, 10th Baron, 20th Chieftain
Colin Campbell, 11th Baron, 21st Chieftain
The seventh laird left only one daughter, Christine Campbell (b. 1323). Her weakness and imprudence caused the majority of the estate to be resigned to the Knight of Lochow, who took advantage of her. She was left with only a small portion of the upper part of Craignish under his superiority. The nearest male representative - Ronald Campbell - fought hard to win back his heritage, and the then Chief of Clan Campbell was obliged to allow him possession of a considerable portion of the estate, but retaining the superiority, and inserting a condition in the grant that if there was ever no male heir in the direct line the lands were to revert automatically to the Argyll family. In 1544 the direct line ended, and the rightful heir, a collateral relative by the name of Charles Campbell of Corranmore in Craignish had the misfortune to kill Gillies of Glenmore in a brawl. This compelled him to flee to Perthshire where he settled at Lochtayside under the protection of the Breadalbane family. This unfortunate event therefore prevented Charles from claiming the estate, and so it fell into the hands of the Earls (later Dukes) of Argyll. Charles' descendants at Killin, Perthshire were later recognised by the Lord Lyon as Chieftains of the Clan Tearlach branch of Clan Campbell and from them descended the Campbells of Inverneill. A grandson of Duncan Campbell 8th of Inverneill in the 1980s owned one of the apartments at Craignish Castle. The arms of Campbell of Inverneill are those of Campbell of Craignish differenced by the addition of "a bordure azure" (a blue border). The first and third Campbells of Inverneill (Sir Archibald Campbell of Inverneill and Sir Janes Campbell of Inverneill Bt were interred at Westminster Abbey in what is now known as Poets' Corner. The second, Sir James Campbell of Inverneill and many succeeding Campbells of Inverneill are interred in the Campbell of Inverneill Mausoleum, though the late Dr John Lorne Campbell of Inverneill (and of Canna) is interred on the Isle of Canna where he had lived for over 50 years. The estates of Inverneill, with the exception of the Mausoleum and Inverneill Island, were sold in the 1950s. Inverneill Island remains in the ownership of the present Campbell of Inverneill.

One part of the inheritance which did not revert to the Argylls was the small Barony of Barrichibean, which John Campbell had inherited from his mother's father. This Barony is not currently possessed by anyone today, but genealogical records point to some likely successors.

Edmund Kempt Campbell was created first Baron Campbell of Craignish by the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1848. He moved to America but was naturalised in Britain some years later. In 1882, Captain Ronald Macleay Lorentz Campbell, his nephew, was ennobled as Baron Craignish by the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and applied to Queen Victoria to use the title in Britain. His application was accepted and he was allowed the title 'Baron Campbell von Laurents'. One of these barons was a hero in the Battle of Gravelotte during the Franco-Prussian war. His son Ronald also used the title, and then it fell to his granddaughter Sarah Elizabeth to become a Peeress In Her Own Right. Baroness Campbell von Laurents published a book in 1913 called 'My Motor Milestones: How to Tour in a Car', and was a member of the Italian Greyhound Club. Her father visited the famous Wright brothers, the inventors of the aeroplane, and a copy of his calling card is preserved in a collection dedicated to the aviators.

Edmund Kempt Laurentz Campbell, 1st Baron of Craignish
Captain Ronald Macleay Lorentz Campbell, 2nd Baron (Campbell von Laurents)
Ronald Campbell, 3rd Baron (Campbell von Laurents)
Sarah Elizabeth Campbell, Baroness (Campbell von Laurents)
Incumbent[edit]
The title 'Laird of Craignish' is no longer used, because the title 'Laird' conveys a sense of ownership of land, and the Craignish estates were lost long ago (see above). However, most of these properties have since been sold on.

The House of Craignish represents thousands of Campbells worldwide, but currently no Chieftain has been identified.

The title 'Baron Campbell von Laurents' is a German title, which was restricted in inheritance to the male line of the original holder, meaning it is now extinct.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 2:05 pm

Duart Castle


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Duart Castle or Caisteal Dhubhairt in Scottish Gaelic is a castle on the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland, within the council area of Argyll and Bute. The castle dates back to the 13th century and is the seat of Clan MacLean.[1]

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Lairds of Duart
3 2014 restoration
4 Trivia
5 References
6 External links
History[edit]
In 1350 Lachlan Lubanach Maclean of Duart, the 5th Clan Chief, married Mary, daughter of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles and Duart was part of her dowry.[2]

In 1647, Duart Castle was attacked and laid siege to by the Argyll government troops of Clan Campbell, but they were defeated and driven off by the Royalist troops of Clan MacLean.

In September 1653, a Cromwellian task force of six ships anchored off the castle, but the Macleans had already fled to Tiree. A storm blew up on the 13 September and three ships were lost, including HMS Swan.

In 1678, Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll, son of the Marquess of Argyll, successfully invaded the Clan MacLean lands on the Isle of Mull and Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet fled the castle and withdrew to Cairnbulg Castle, and afterward to Kintail under the protection of the Earl of Seaforth.[3]

In 1691 Duart Castle was surrendered by Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet to Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll.[1] The Campbell clan demolished the castle, and the stones from the walls were scattered. Donald Maclean, 5th Laird of Torloisk used some of the stones to build a cottage for his family close to the site of the castle.[4]

By 1751 the remains of the castle were abandoned.

Descendants of Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll sold the castle in 1801, to MacQuarrie, who then sold it to Carter-Campbell of Possil who kept it as a ruin within the grounds of his own estate to the north, Torosay Castle. He later sold his Torosay Estate which now included the ruins of Castle Duart to A. C. Guthrie in 1865. On 11 September 1911, the ruin was separated from the rest of the Torosay Estate and was bought by Sir Fitzroy Donald Maclean, the 26th Chief of the Clan MacLean and restored.[1][5][6]

Lairds of Duart[edit]
Lachlan Lubanach Maclean, 5th Chief, was the 1st laird of Duart, it was part of his wife's dowry.[2]
2014 restoration[edit]
In 2012, the centenary of the 1912 restoration, the Chief of Clan Maclean announced that his family could no longer afford the upkeep of the castle in light of the expense of major repairs. In the winter of 2013-14 the castle lost four ceilings, which were brought down by water penetration through the chimneys. In July 2014, a Restoration Appeal was launched.[7]

Trivia[edit]
The castle was used as a location in the 1999 film Entrapment, starring Sean Connery (who has MacLean ancestry on his mother's side) and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The castle also features prominently in the 1971 film When Eight Bells Toll, starring Anthony Hopkins.

It is also the setting for the base of Buffy Summers in the first half of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight.

References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b c "MacLean". Electric Scotland. Retrieved 2007-08-26. The castle dates from the thirteenth century, and was repaired and enlarged by Hector Mor Maclean, who was Lord of Duart from 1523 till 1568. In 1691 it was besieged by Argyll, and Sir John Maclean, the chief of that time, was forced to surrender it. After that date, though occasionally occupied by troops, the stronghold gradually fell to ruins, and the Duart properties passed to other hands till Sir Fitzroy repurchased Duart itself in 1912.
^ Jump up to: a b "Duart Castle". Duart Castle. Retrieved 2009-03-06. In 1350 Lachlan Lubanach, the 5th Chief, married Mary Macdonald, the daughter of the Lord of the Isles and she was given Duart as her dowry.
Jump up ^ MacLean, John Patterson (1889). A History of the Clan MacLean from Its First Settlement at Duard Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the Present Period: Including a Genealogical Account of Some of the Principal Families Together with Their Heraldry, Legends, Superstitions, Etc.. R. Clarke & Company. The MacLeans, not yet recovered from the disastrous effects of the battle of Inverkeithing, were upon this occasion illy prepared to resist the invasion of such a force. The Campbells landed in Mull in three different places, without opposition, the inhabitants contenting themselves with removing into the mountains and fastnesses of the island for protection, with their cattle. The young chief, to shield him from personal harm, was sent to the castle of Cairnbulg, and afterward to Kintail under the care of the Earl of Seaforth.
Jump up ^ Fryer, Mary Beacock, Allan Maclean, Jacobite General: The life of an eighteenth century career soldier, Dundurn Press, Toronto, 1987, p.16
Jump up ^ "Sir Fitzroy Maclean". The Times. November 23, 1936. Retrieved 2009-03-06. Sir Fitzroy Donald Maclean, Bt., who died yesterday at Duart Castle, Isle of Mull, at the age of 101, Chief of his Clan and a Crimean veteran, was one of the best known of the "grand old men" of Scotland. When a boy in his early teens he was taken by his father to see the ruins of Duart Castle, burnt to the ground two centuries before, and then made a vow to restore it to its former glory. The vow was redeemed in 1912, when the yellow banner of the Chief of the Clan once more floated over the castle walls amid the rejoicings of the chieftains and clansmen from all parts of the world. ...
Jump up ^ MacLean, John Patterson (1912). Renaissance of the clan MacLean. ... who in turn parted with it to Campbell of Possil, who later on sold it to A. C. Guthrie in 1865, and on 11 September 1911, it was sold to the present chief of MacLean, the official announcement having been made by MacIlleathan, himself, before the annual meeting of the Clan MacLean Association, held in Glasgow, on the evening of October 25, 1911. But the public journals had taken it up before, and the news rapidly spread to every place where the English language was spoken. Letters of warm-hearted congratulations were sent to the Chief from all quarters, and the event awakened a responsive enthusiasm in the hearts of the clansmen.
Jump up ^ "Restoration appeal". Clan Maclean Website. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 2:09 pm

Dunans Castle

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Dunans Castle is a historic structure located in Glendaruel, on the Cowal peninsula, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. A property at Dounens was shown on maps in 1590; Dunans House was elaborated into its present mock castle form in 1864. Once part of a much larger estate the property presently includes 16 acres (65,000 m2) of ground and in 2001, was ruined by fire.[1][2][3]

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 Present day
2 Bridge and mausoleum
3 Scottish laird scheme
4 Owners
5 Gallery
6 References
7 External links
History[edit]

This device, bearing the motto 'LECHADHU', represents the strong ties between the Fletcher Clan and the Stewarts of Appin.
For over two centuries Dunans was home to the Fletcher Clan who moved to the site between 1715 and 1745 carrying with them the door of their previous home at Achallader Castle (the door was used for the private chapel and was reported missing in 1999).[4] The original mansion-style house (to the left in the picture) was extended into its present dramatic Franco-baronial "castle" form by the architect Andrew Kerr with the additions consisting of four main apartments and 6 bedrooms. The building passed out of Fletcher hands in 1997 when the entire 3000 acre Dunans estate was sold off by Colonel Archibald Fletcher's heirs and subsequently split up.[5][6] Following a number of financial problems,[7][8] the Category B listed castle was gutted by fire on 14 January 2001 while being run as a hotel and the building was left as a ruin.[9] The fire began in the attic space of the castle section and destroyed three floors with only the pre Victorian west wing surviving undamaged.[2] The owner Ewa Lucas-Gardener had ignored fire safety experts warnings that the building's fireplaces were unsafe[10] and abandoned the building after the insurers refused to pay out.[11] Now under new ownership,[12][13] the site, including a Victorian path network, has undergone some restoration supported by the Dunans Charitable Trust.[14] The castle was reported to have three resident ghosts.[15]

Present day[edit]
Dunans Castle Limited, which runs the ScottishLaird.com website, published the Conservation Plan for Dunans in April 2014.[16] Written by conservation architect Robin Kent,[17] the book outlines the programme for the restoration of the castle and the bridge.

The regional blog ForArgyll.com is run from the site as is the Walking Theatre Company. The building remains in the at risk category of the buildings at risk register and is described as being in very poor condition.[18]


Dunans Cottage
Leading to the castle is Dunans Bridge, an A-listed structure, designed by Thomas Telford in 1815 and constructed to commemorate the battle of Waterloo by John Fletcher.[19]

Once part of the Dunans estate, but still in the ownership of the Fletchers is the Fletcher of Dunans Mausoleum, a grade C listed structure located in the gardens of the neighbouring Stronardron house.

Further buildings once part of the estate but now privately owned include Dunans Lodge, the original gate house to the estate and Dunans Cottage, 2 workers cottages combined into one dwelling.


See also: Laird § History and definition
The current owners operate a scheme where individuals can be given or can purchase "Laird or Lady packages" that entitle them to "own" a square foot of land in the grounds of Dunans Castle in Scotland and use the decorative title "Laird" or "Lady Laird". Some of the packages include headed note paper and email addresses deeming them a laird or lady of Dunans. The scheme supports the ongoing project to restore the castle and maintain the grounds, and encourages those that buy these packages to visit Dunans, take the "Lairds' Tour" and holiday in the local environs. Though several websites, and internet vendors on websites like Ebay, sell these and other Scottish Lairdships along with small plots of land, the Court of the Lord Lyon considers these particular titles to be meaningless[20][21] because it is impossible to have numerous "Lairds" of a single Estate at the same time. Additionally the Scottish Land Register does not recognise individual ownerships of such small plots.[22][23][24][25]

Owners[edit]
Name(s) Ownership period Notes Sources
Archibald Fletcher, 9th Chief circa 1745-1763 Recorded as resident in 1745, though the date of arrival could be any time between 1715 and 1745 [26]
Angus Fletcher, 10th Chief 1763-1807 [26]
John Fletcher, 11th Chief 1807-1822 Commissioned the bridge from Thomas Telford [26]
Angus Fletcher, 12th Chief 1822-1875 Commissioned the gothic elaboration from Andrew Kerr [26]
Harriet Fletcher
Bernard James Cuddon-Fletcher 1875-1889 Cuddon took his wife's name, as did their children, keeping the estate in the Fletcher name [26][27]
Bernard James Cuddon-Fletcher 1889-1934 Cuddon-Fletcher kept the estate in his own right between his wife's death and his own demise [26][27]
Andrew William Fletcher
Ian Archibald Fletcher 1934 Shared between the previous owners 3rd and 4th sons [26][27]
Ian Archibald Fletcher 1934-1962 Bought out his brother after the estate was left to them both [26][27]
Colonel Archibald Ian Douglas "Archie" Fletcher 1962-1997 Upon his death his heirs sold the castle out of the Fletcher line [26][27]
Robert David Lucas-Gardiner
Ewa Jheresa Lucas-Gardiner 1998-2002 [28]
Charles Selwyn Dixon-Spain
Sadie Michaela Dixon-Spain 2002- Bought the ruin for £230,000
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 2:14 pm

Dunaverty Castle


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Dunaverty Castle is located at Southend at the southern end of the Kintyre peninsula in western Scotland. The site was once a fort belonging to the Clan Donald (MacDonald). Little remains of the castle,[1] although the site is protected as a scheduled monument.[2]

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 13th Century
1.2 14th century
1.3 15th Century
1.4 16th Century
1.5 17th Century
2 See also
3 References
History[edit]
The remains of Dunaverty Castle stand on a rocky head land on the south east corner of Kintyre, Scotland. The headland it was built on forms a natural stronghold with the sea on three sides and is only approachable from the north. It is attached to the mainland only by a narrow path. It is known that the castle itself was accessed by a drawbridge.

13th Century[edit]
In 1248 King Henry III of England allowed Walter Bissett to buy stores from Ireland for Dunaverty Castle which he had seized and was fortifying, apparently in revenge for hospitality given by King Alexander II of Scotland to certain English pirates. However during that same year the castle was taken by Allan, the son of the Earl of Atholl and Bissett was taken prisoner.

In 1263 Dunaverty Castle was garrisoned by King Alexander III of Scotland during the Norse invasion by King Haakon IV of Norway. The castle was eventually surrendered to the Norwegian King. Eventually Haakon gave the castle to Dugald MacRuairi, who was a steadfast supporter of his in the Hebrides. The castle is believed to have soon become property of Alexander MacDonald of Islay.

14th century[edit]
It is believed that King Robert I of Scotland, also known as Robert the Bruce, escaped his enemies by sailing down the Firth of Clyde until he reached safety at Dunaverty Castle. There he spent several days hospitably entertained by Angus Og of Islay. The King of Scotland however soon needed to flee to Rathlin Island off the coast of Ireland in order to escape the pursuing English fleet. On the 22 September 1306 the English King ordered the employment of miners, crossbowmen and masons in the siege of Dunaverty Castle which was soon surrendered to Sir Henry de Percy, 1st Baron Percy.

15th Century[edit]
In 1493 the fourth and last Lord of the Isles forfeited his title to King James IV of Scotland. By 1494 the King had garrisoned and provisioned Dunaverty Castle. It is said that the MacDonalds. led by Sir John MacDonald who the king had recently knighted, retook the castle before the King had even departed to Stirling and that the dead body of the King's castle governor was hung over the castle walls in sight of the King and his departing entourage. Sir John Macdonald however was later captured by MacIain of Ardnamurchan. He was tried and hanged on the Burgh Muir near Edinburgh.

16th Century[edit]
The castle was repaired by the crown between 1539 and 1542. In January 1544, a Commission in Queen Mary's name was given to the Captain, Constable and Keeper of the Castle of Dunaverty, to deliver it with its artillery and ammunition to the Earl of Argyll and in April of that year Argyll received a 12-year tack of North and South Kintyre, including the castle. The castle was attacked by the Earl of Surrey in 1588 but no damage was done.

17th Century[edit]
In 1626, the Lordship of Kintyre was reconstituted in favour of the Earl of Argyll and Dunaverty Castle was denoted as its principal messuage. Argyll bestowed the Lordship of Kintyre on James, his eldest son by his second marriage, who, in 1635, at Dunaverty, granted a charter of the Lordship to Viscount Dunluce, eldest son of Randal MacDonnell, 1st Earl of Antrim. The transfer was set aside by the Scottish Privy Council, no doubt on a complaint by Argyll's eldest son, the Marquis of Lorn, who had bitterly resented his father's bestowal of the Lordship on his younger half-brother. On 12 December 1636, Lorn received a charter, under the Great Seal, of the Lordship of Kintyre, with the Castle of Dunaverty as its principal messuage.

During the Civil War Dunaverty was besieged in 1647 by Scottish supporters of Oliver Cromwell who were led by General David Leslie (Leslie later became a Royalist). The MacDonalds surrendered and then 300 of them were massacred. This incident became known as the Battle of Dunaverty, or "Dunaverty Massacre". The castle is nothing more than a ruin now, known as Blood Rock for the massacre which took place there.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 2:17 pm

Dunderave Castle


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Dunderave Castle is an L-plan castle built in the 16th century as the Scottish seat of the MacNaughton clan. The castle lies on a small promontory on the northern shores of Loch Fyne, around 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north-east of Inveraray, Argyll. The castle is in use as a residence. The present castle was built after their previous castle was destroyed following a Plague infection. The old castle, and remnants of McNaughton crannógs, can still be seen on the lochan known as the Dubh Loch at the head of Glen Shira.

The name Dunderave is of Gaelic origin. Since the MacNachtans were designated 'of Dunderave' from as early as 1473, the place-name appears to have moved with the clan from the Dubh Loch. It has been suggested that the name derives either from Dun-an-Rudha, meaning 'The Knoll on the Promontory', or else from Dun-da-Ramh, 'The Castle of Two Oars'. The latter is taken to imply that there was a ferry near the site of the castle
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 2:26 pm

Dunollie Castle


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Dunollie Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Ollaigh) is a small ruined castle located on a hill north of the town of Oban, on the west coast of Scotland in Argyll. The site enjoys views over towards the island of Kerrera and a view of the town, harbour, and outlying isles. The castle is open to the public as part of the Dunollie Museum, Castle and Grounds.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 See also
3 References
4 External links
History[edit]
There was a fortification on this high promontory in the Early Middle Ages, when Dunollie was the royal centre of the Cenél Loairn within the kingdom of Dál Riata. The Irish annals record that "Dun Ollaigh" was attacked or burned down three times, in 686, 698, and in 701.[1] It was subsequently rebuilt in 714 by Selbach mac Ferchair (died 730), the King of Dál Riata credited with destroying the site in 701.[1][2] Excavations in the 1970s suggest that this early fortification was abandoned some time in the 10th century.[3]

The area around Dunollie subsequently became part of the semi-independent Kingdom of the Isles, ruled over by Somerled in the 12th century. On his death the MacDougalls became Lords of Lorne.[2] Dougall, Somerled’s son, held most of Argyll and also the islands of Mull, Lismore, Jura, Tiree, Coll and many others in the 12th century.

Excavations show that Dunollie was refortified with an earthwork castle in the 13th century or potentially the late 12th century. The builder may have been Dougall, or his son Duncan.[4] Ewan MacDougall, great-grandson of Somerled and the third chief of the MacDougalls, switched the clan's allegiance in the mid 13th century: initially allied with Haakon IV of Norway, from the 1250s Ewan remained loyal to the kings of Scotland.

In the 14th century Ewan's grandson John MacDougall, along with his kinsmen the Comyns, sided with the Balliols against the interests of Robert the Bruce. John MacDougall's army defeated the Bruce at the Battle of Dalrigh in 1306, but Bruce returned in 1308 and crushed the MacDougalls at the Battle of the Pass of Brander. The MacDougall lands of Lorne were subsequently forfeit and were given to the Campbells, though Dunollie and other estates were regained later in the 14th century.

The existing castle ruins date largely from the 15th century.[5]

The Marquis of Argyll captured the castle in 1644, but it was returned to the MacDougalls in 1661. In 1746, the MacDougalls abandoned Dunollie Castle and built Dunollie House just downhill from the castle ruins.

In recent years, descendants and members of Clan MacDougall have been encouraged by clan leadership to support local tourism and pay visits to Dunollie, as an ancestral site and important cultural location. Remains of a historical herb garden have recently been discovered in the castle grounds.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 3:20 pm

Dunstaffnage Castle

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Dunstaffnage Castle is a partially ruined castle in Argyll and Bute, western Scotland. It lies 3 miles (4.8 km) N.N.E. of Oban, situated on a platform of conglomerate rock on a promontory at the south-west of the entrance to Loch Etive, and is surrounded on three sides by the sea.

The castle dates back to the 13th century, making it one of Scotland's oldest stone castles, in a local group which includes Castle Sween and Castle Tioram.[1] Guarding a strategic location, it was built by the MacDougall lords of Lorn, and has been held since the 15th century by the Clan Campbell. To this day there is a hereditary Captain of Dunstaffnage, although they no longer reside at the castle. Dunstaffnage is maintained by Historic Scotland, and is open to the public, although the 16th century gatehouse is retained as the private property of the Captain. The prefix dun in the name means "fort" in Gaelic, while the rest of the name derives from Norse stafr-nis, "headland of the staff".

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 Before Dunstaffnage
1.2 The MacDougalls
1.3 Royal fortress
1.4 Clan Campbell
1.5 Decline and restoration
2 Description
2.1 Walls
2.2 Round towers
2.3 The gatehouse
2.4 Internal ranges
3 Dunstaffnage Chapel
4 Captain of Dunstaffnage
5 Notes
6 References
7 External links
History[edit]
Before Dunstaffnage[edit]
Before the construction of the castle, Dunstaffnage may have been the location of a Dál Riatan stronghold, known as Dun Monaidh, as early as the 7th century.[2] It was recorded, by John Monipennie in 1612, that the Stone of Destiny was kept here after being brought from Ireland, and before it was moved to Scone Palace in 843. However, Iona and Dunadd are considered more likely, given their known connections with Dál Riatan and Strathclyde kings.[3] Hector Boece records that the stone was kept at "Evonium", which has traditionally been identified with Dunstaffnage, although in 2010 the writer A. J. Morton identified Evonium with Irvine in Ayrshire.[4]

The MacDougalls[edit]
The castle itself was built in the second quarter of the 13th century, as the seat of Duncan MacDougall, Lord of Lorn and grandson of Somerled.[5] Duncan was unsuccessfully attacked by his Norwegian-backed brother, Uspak, who later died in an attack on Rothesay Castle with Norse forces in the 1230s. He had also travelled to Rome in 1237, and was the founder of nearby Ardchattan Priory.[6] Duncan's son Ewen MacDougall inherited his father's title in the 1240s, and expanded the MacDougall influence, styling himself "King of the Isles". It is probable that Ewen built the three round towers onto the castle, and constructed and enlarged the hall inside.[7]

Following Alexander III's repulse of the Norse influence in Argyll, the MacDougalls backed the Scottish monarchy, and Ewen's son Alexander was made the first sherriff of Argyll in 1293. However, they supported the Balliol side during the Wars of Scottish Independence which broke out a few years later. Robert Bruce defeated the Clan MacDougall at the Battle of the Pass of Brander in 1308 or 1309, and after a brief siege, took control of Dunstaffnage Castle.

Royal fortress[edit]
Now a Crown property, Dunstaffnage was controlled by a series of keepers. James I seized the castle in 1431, following the Battle of Inverlochy, as his enemies were hiding inside. In 1455 James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas stayed at Dunstaffnage, on his way to treat with John MacDonald, Lord of the Isles.[8] This followed James II's attack on Douglas power, and led to the signing of the Treaty of Westminster-Ardtornish. A later keeper, John Stewart of Lorn, was a rival of Alan MacDougall, and was stabbed by his supporters on his way to his marriage at Dunstaffnage Chapel in 1463, although he survived long enough to make his vows. Although MacDougall took the castle, he was ousted by James III, who granted Dunstaffnage to Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll in 1470.[9]


Clan Campbell[edit]
The Earls of Argyll appointed Captains to oversee Dunstaffnage, and keep it in readiness, on their behalf. Changes were made to the buildings, particularly the gatehouse, which was rebuilt around this time. The Campbells were loyal allies of the royal house, and Dunstaffnage was used as a base for government expeditions against the MacDonald Lords of the Isles, among others, during the 15th and 16th centuries. James IV visited Dunstaffnage on two occasions.[8]

Dunstaffnage saw action during the Civil War, holding out against Montrose's army in 1644. The castle was burned by royalist troops, following the failure of the rising of the 9th Earl of Argyll in 1685, against the Catholic James VII.[10] During the Jacobite risings of 1715 and 1745, the castle was occupied by government troops. Flora MacDonald, who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie to escape from Scotland, was briefly imprisoned here while en route to imprisonment in London.[8]

Decline and restoration[edit]
The Campbells continued to add to the castle, building a new house over the old west range in 1725. However, the rest of the castle was already decaying. In 1810 an accidental fire gutted the castle, and the Captains ceased to live here, moving to Dunstaffnage House, some 2 km to the south-east, until this too burned down in 1940.[11] A tenant lived in the 1725 house within the castle until 1888.[12]

Restoration work was undertaken in 1903 by the Duke of Argyll, the castle's owner. This was followed in 1912 by a court case, in which the Court of Session ruled that Angus Campbell, the 20th hereditary Captain, had right of residence notwithstanding the Duke of Argyll's ownership. Works were delayed by World War I, and the planned total restoration was never completed.[13] In 1958, the 21st Captain and the Duke agreed to hand the castle into state care,[12] and it remains a Historic Scotland property. Both the castle and chapel are category A listed buildings and Scheduled Ancient Monuments.

Description[edit]
Walls[edit]
Dunstaffnage is an irregular quadrangular structure of great strength, with rounded towers at three of the angles. It measures approximately 35 by 30 metres (115 by 98 ft), and has a circumference of about 120 metres (390 ft). The walls are of coursed rubble, with sandstone dressings, and stand up to 18 m (60 ft) high, including the conglomerate bedrock platform. The walls are up to 3 m (10 ft) thick, affording strong defence to this highly strategic location, guarding the entrance to Loch Etive and the Pass of Brander beyond, and today commanding a splendid view. The parapet walk, which once followed the whole of the walls, has been partially restored with new stone flags. The original parapet is now also gone. Arrow slits, later converted into gunloops, are the only openings. Brass cannon recovered from wrecked vessels of the Spanish Armada were once mounted on the walls.[14]

Round towers[edit]
Soon after the construction of the castle walls, three round towers were built on the north, east, and west towers. The north tower, or donjon, is the largest, comprising three or four storeys originally, and probably housed the lord's private apartments.[15] The west tower is almost internal, barely projecting beyond the rounded corner of the curtain wall, and could only be entered via the parapet walk. The basement level contains a pit prison which was accessed from above. The east tower was almost completely rebuilt in the late 15th century as a gatehouse. Each tower was probably once topped by a conical roof.[16]


The gatehouse[edit]
The gatehouse was built by the Campbells in the late 15th century, replacing an earlier round tower in the east corner. It takes the form of a four-storey harled tower house, with the entrance passage running through half the vaulted basement, the other half forming guard rooms with arrow slits facing the gate. The present approach to the gate is by a stone stair, replacing an earlier drawbridge.[17] The tower was remodelled in the 18th century to provide reception rooms and a private suite. The dormer windows at the top are capped by the pediments from the 1725 house (see below), and bear the date, the Campbell arms, and the initials AEC and DLC, for Aeneas Campbell, 11th Captain, and his wife Dame Lilias. The pediments were moved here during the 1903 restoration works.[18]

Internal ranges[edit]

The north-west range of 1725, with the gatehouse on the right, seen from the parapet walk.
The east range was located between the north and east towers, although only foundations remain. This was the principal range of buildings and contained a large hall above vaulted cellars.[19] The hall had double-lancet windows, decorated with carved patterns, which were later blocked up; their outlines can be seen in the east curtain wall.

A second range stood along the north-west wall, and would have been connected to the hall range by the donjon tower. The ground floor housed a kitchen. In 1725 the range was remodelled into a two-storey house, accessed via a stone stair, and topped with the dormer windows which now form part of the gatehouse. The well in front is original, although the large stone surround is of 19th century date.[20]



Dunstaffnage Chapel[edit]
A ruined 13th century chapel lies around 150 metres (490 ft) to the south-west of the castle. This was also built by Duncan MacDougall of Lorn, as a private chapel, and features detailed stonework of outstanding quality. The chapel is 20 by 6 metres (66 by 20 ft), and formerly had a timber roof. The lancet windows carry dog-tooth carving, and have fine wide-splayed arches internally. The chapel was already ruinous in 1740, when a burial aisle was built on to the east end, to serve as a resting place for the Captains of Dunstaffnage and their families.[21]

Captain of Dunstaffnage[edit]
Traditionally, an officer called the Hereditary Captain of Dunstaffnage is responsible for the castle and its defence. The office still exists, and to retain the title (now rather a sinecure without military significance), the incumbent is required to spend three nights a year in the castle. No other responsibilities or privileges now attach to the post.

A ghost, known as the "Ell-maid of Dunstaffnage", is said to haunt the castle. A type of gruagach, the ghost's appearances are said to be associated with events in the lives of the hereditary keepers.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 3:23 pm

Duntrune Castle


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Duntrune Castle is located on the north side of Loch Crinan and across from the village of Crinan in Argyll, Scotland. It is thought to be the oldest continuously occupied castle on mainland Scotland.[1] The castle is a category B listed building.[2]

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 The Piper Of Duntrune
3 Popular culture
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
History[edit]
It was originally built by the MacDougall clan in the 12th century, along with several other castles in the area, including the MacDougall stronghold of Dunollie Castle near Oban. Duntrune Castle was eventually taken by the Clan Campbell. In 1644, the castle was besieged by the rival MacDonalds, under Alasdair Mac Colla. The Campbells sold Duntrune in 1792, to the Malcolms of Poltalloch.[2] The castle is now owned by Robin Neill Malcolm, current clan chief of the Clan Malcolm.[3]

The curtain wall of the castle dates from the 13th century, although the tower house which forms the main part of the castle is of the 17th century.[4] The castle was renovated in 1954.[2]

The Piper Of Duntrune[edit]

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The ghost of a handless piper is said to haunt the castle.[5] According to one story, the Macdonald piper was sent into the castle as a spy, but was found out. He was imprisoned, but played his pipes to warn the Macdonalds that their 'surprise' attack was now expected. Alasdair Mac Colla retreated, and the piper's hands were cut off by the Campbells.

According to another story, one more well known, the Macdonalds captured the castle. Mac Colla needed to return home and left a small garrison to defend the castle, with his personal piper among them. While he was away, the castle was recaptured by the Campbells and all the MacDonalds were killed, except the piper, who was spared because of his status. After retaking their castle the Campbells laid a trap for the Macdonalds.

As Mac Colla sailed returning to the castle he and his crew heard, as expected the piper playing a tune of welcome from the castle ramparts. As the MacDonald boat grew closer, the Macdonalds were able to discern the tune and recognised it as a warning. The small boat turned away and the trap failed. To punish the piper, his hands were cut off so that he may never play again. [6] The piper bled out and died of his injuries.

During a set of renovations at the castle, workers unearthed a handless human skeleton under a stone path, whose hands had been removed by clean cuts to the wrist. It is believed that this skeleton is that of the Piper Of Duntrune. There was evidence of an Episcopalian burial; many of the Highlanders serving the Royalist cause were Episcopalian at the time. The Campbells fought for the Covenanters, who were Presbyterian.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 3:26 pm

Dunyvaig Castle,


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Dunyvaig Castle, (Scottish Gaelic: Dun Naomhaig, Anglicised Fort of the galleys, also known as Dunnyveg)[1] is located on the south side of Islay, in Argyll, Scotland, on the shore of Lagavulin Bay, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Port Ellen.[1] The castle was once a naval base of the Lord of the Isles, chiefs of Clan Donald. It was held by the chiefs of the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg.

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 12th century
1.2 15th century
1.3 17th century
2 Ruins
3 References
4 External links
History[edit]
12th century[edit]
A castle was built on top of a fort or dun. Somerled used the castle as a base for his galleys.

15th century[edit]
Forfeited in 1493, the castle passed to the MacIans of Ardnamurchan.[2] Afterwards the castle was leased to the MacDonalds, then the Campbells and back to the MacDonalds.[2]

17th century[edit]
Surrendered to Andrew Stuart, 3rd Lord Ochiltree and a royal force in 1608 by Angus MacDonald, 8th of Dunnyveg and garrisoned with royal troops with the constable Andrew Knox. In 1614, the castle was taken by Ranald Og MacDonald, however was retaken by Angus Og MacDonald, who attempted to bargain the castle's surrender. Knox attempted to retake the castle and was defeated and compelled to retreat. Knox left his son Thomas and his nephew John Knox of Ranfurly as hostages for his good faith. The hostages were freed by John Graham and on 6 January 1615, Sir John Campbell of Calder, with the assistance of Sir Oliver Lambart, retook the castle.

The castle was seized in 1647 by the Covenanters and passed into the hands of the Campbells of Cawdor, who held it until 1677, when Sir Hugh Campbell pulled down the castle and moved to Islay House.[2]

Ruins[edit]
Today all that remains of the castle are mainly the ruins of the sixteenth-century castle, although the site includes a thirteenth-century courtyard, and a fifteenth-century keep
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 3:30 pm

Fincharn Castle,

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Fincharn Castle, also known as Fionchairn Castle and Glassery Castle, is a ruined 13th-century castle near Ford on the southwest shore of Loch Awe, Scotland. The castle was built in 1240 by the Lord of Glassary.

Fincharn Castle, Loch Awe, Argyll
The castle was built around 1240, after the land here was granted to Gillascop MacGilchrist by Alexander II. It was captured in 1297 from the Stewarts in the interest of Edward I and held by John MacDougall of Lorn into the 14thC. The castle passed to Alexander Scrymgeour, Constable of Dundee in 1374 and was held by his descendants until 1688. It was then occupied by tenants before falling into ruins in the early 18thC (information provided by Matthew Hatton).
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 3:33 pm

Glengorm Castle,

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Glengorm Castle, also known as Castle Sorn, is a 19th-century country house on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. Located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north-west of Tobermory, the house is protected as a Category B listed building.[1]

The Mishnish estate was purchased in 1856 by James Forsyth of Quinish.[1] He cleared the existing township of Sorne to make way for the new house, which was completed in 1860. The house was designed by Kinnear and Peddie in a Scots Baronial style.[1] It is now operated as a guest house and wedding venue, with a cafe and shop in the former stables. The castle is located on a headland and overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. On a clear day the Outer Hebrides and Islands of Uist, Rùm and Canna can be viewed from the castle.

Forsyth was a hated figure on the island. He cleared the crofters from the area by bullying and concerted pressure. One old woman had a title to her land which Forsyth took from her and throwing it into the fire told her she had a week to leave. Upon his return he was meet by the woman and the local minister who had kept the original. Forsyth incadescent with rage decided to fence her in so that she could not leave to get provisions. However the woman managed very well it was said that men climb the cliffs near by to bring provisions. When Forsyth was building the castle he was told by an old woman he would never live in the place. He died just before it was opened. Forsyth when building asked an elderly woman what he should call his splendid new house, she said call it Glengorm, he did not understand that it means blue smoke a comment on the peat smoke that would no longer be seen from the houses of the people he had made homeless. Many of the folk moved into Tobermory to find work
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 3:36 pm

Gylen Castle,

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Gylen Castle, on the southern part of the island of Kerrera in Argyll and Bute, juts dramatically into the sky on the tip of a promontory overlooking the Firth of Lorne.

History[edit]
Built in 1582 by the Clan MacDougall.[1] Gylen was only occupied for a relatively short period of time. The castle was besieged then burned by the Covenanters under General Leslie in 1647 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

In May 2006 a restoration of the castle was completed with a £300,000 grant by Historic Scotland and £200,000 raised by worldwide members of Clan MacDougall.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 3:40 pm

Innes Chonnel Castle

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Innes Chonnel Castle is a ruined 13th-century castle on an island on Loch Awe near Dalavich, Scotland. It was once a stronghold of Clan Campbell.
Castle[edit]
The castle that stands on the wooded island of Innis Chonnell has thick outer walls.[1] It was the original stronghold of the Clan Campbell from possibly the eleventh century or earlier.[1] It was the seat of Cailean Mór (Sir Colin Campbell) who was killed fighting the Clan MacDougall at the Battle of Red Ford in 1296.[1] Later John MacDougall held the castle against Robert the Bruce in 1308.[1] Sir Colin Campbell's son, Sir Neil Campbell, married Bruce's sister, Mary, and Sir Neil fought for the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.[1] Innis Chonnel Castle was abandoned by the Campbells as their residence in the fifteenth century, but it was still used as a prison.[1] The young Domhnall Dubh (Donald), son of Aonghas Óg (Angus) and heir to the Lordship of the Isles, was imprisoned in the castle after the Battle of Bloody Bay, which took place off the coast of the Isle of Mull in 1484.[1] He escaped but after invading Badenoch in 1503 he was recaptured and imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle for forty years.[1] Innis Chonnell Castle was ruinous by the nineteenth century.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 3:43 pm

Inveraray Castle

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Inveraray Castle (Gaelic Caisteal Inbhir Aora, pronounced [ˈkʰaʃtʲal iɲɪɾʲˈɯːɾə]) is a country house near Inveraray in the county of Argyll, in western Scotland, on the shore of Loch Fyne, Scotland’s longest sea loch.[1] It has been the seat of the Duke of Argyll, chief of Clan Campbell since the 17th century.

The house is a mostly mid-18th-century neo-Gothic design. Designers who worked on the house include William Adam and Roger Morris; the interior includes a number of neoclassical rooms created for the 5th Duke by Robert Mylne.[1] These are among the rooms open to the public. The 13th Duke and his family live in private apartments occupying two floors and set between two of the castle's crenellated circular towers. Recent renovations included the installation of the house's first central heating.[1]


Inveraray Castle

In 1975, a devastating fire struck Inveraray and for some time the 12th Duke and his family lived in the castle basement while restorations requiring a worldwide fundraising drive were carried out.[2]

Inveraray Castle is a Category A listed building. It is surrounded by a 16-acre garden and estate of 60,000 acres.[1]

In 2012, the Christmas episode of Downton Abbey was partly filmed here; the castle stood in for the fictional "Duneagle Castle
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 10:03 pm

Kames Castle

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Kames Castle is a castellated mansion house on the Isle of Bute, Scotland.

On the shore of Kames Bay near Port Bannatyne, the castle consists of a 14th-century tower, with a house built on it in the 18th Century. The Castle is set in 20 acres (81,000 m2) of planted grounds, including a two-acre 18th Century walled garden.

Originally the seat of the Bannatyne family, Kames is one of the oldest continuously inhabited houses in Scotland.[1]

Owners[edit]
Sir William Macleod Bannatyne (Lord Bannatyne) (1743–1833) was a distinguished lawyer and judge in Edinburgh. He lost his fortune and was forced to sell Kames in 1812.[2][3]

James Hamilton bought Kames Castle in 1812.[citation needed]

Kames was the birthplace, and early home of the critic and essayist John Sterling. Thomas Carlyle in his biography refers to the castle as 'a kind of dilapidated baronial residence to which a small farm was then attached'.[citation needed]

In the mid to late 20th century, Kames was a local authority children's home.[4]

Today the castle is privately occupied with a number of cottages available as holiday lets
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 10:06 pm

Kilchurn Castle


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Kilchurn Castle is a ruined 15th and 17th century structure on a rocky peninsula at the northeastern end of Loch Awe, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Access to the Castle is sometimes restricted by higher-than-usual levels of water in the Loch, at which times the site effectively becomes a temporary island.

It was the ancestral home of the Campbells of Glen Orchy, who later became the Earls of Breadalbane also known as the Breadalbane family branch, of the Clan Campbell. The earliest construction on the castle was the towerhouse and Laich Hall (looks onto Loch Awe).

History[edit]
Kilchurn Castle was built in about 1450 by Sir Colin Campbell, first Lord of Glenorchy, as a five storey tower house with a courtyard defended by an outer wall. By about 1500 an additional range and a hall had been added to the south side of the castle. Further buildings went up during the 16th and 17th centuries. Kilchurn was on a small island in Loch Awe scarcely larger than the castle itself, although it is now connected to the mainland as the water level was altered in 1817. The castle would have been accessed via an underwater or low lying causeway.[1][2]

At the turn of the 16th century Kilchurn Castle was extended by Sir Duncan Campbell with the addition of a single storey dining hall built along the inside of the south curtain. During the second half of the century, another Sir Colin Campbell, the 6th Laird, continued to improve the castle's accommodation by adding some chambers to the north of the tower house, and remodelling the parapet. This included the introduction of the circular corner turrets adorned by corbels, most of which have survived remarkably well.

Towards the end of the 16th century the Clan MacGregor of Glenstrae were occupying the castle. Once owning the lands of Glenorchy during the 14th century, until they passed through marriage to the Campbells, the MacGregors were appointed keepers to Kilchurn Castle as the Campbells spent much of their time at Fincharn. This arrangement lasted until the very early part of the 17th century, when a violent feud between the two families brought it to an end and the Campbells retook possession.

In 1681, Sir John Campbell of Glenorchy was made 1st Earl of Breadalbane. To take advantage of the turbulence of the times, he converted Kilchurn into a modern barracks, capable of housing 200 troops. His main addition was the three storey L-shaped block along the north side.


Kilchurn was then used as a Government garrison during the 1715 and 1745 Jacobite risings. The Campbells attempted, unsuccessfully, to sell Kilchurn to the government, after they moved in 1740 to Taymouth Castle in Perthshire.

In 1760, the castle was badly damaged by lightning and was completely abandoned; the remains of a turret of a tower, still resting upside-down in the centre of the courtyard, attest to the violence of the storm.

William Turner's watercolour Midday depicts the castle amidst the weather conditions and the geology of Scotland. It was created in 1802.

The ruin is currently in the care of Historic Scotland, and is open to the public during the summer. Access, during summer only, is by either by boat from Lochawe pier, or on foot from Dalmally. Both points are on the A85 road. During 2006 and 2007 there was an access problem to the castle. Network Rail, in accordance with their policy of blocking foot crossings on railway lines, closed the crossing to Kilchurn, effectively removing land access. However in 2007 access under the nearby viaduct[3] was created, restoring landward access once more. As of April 2014 the gates giving access by this route from the car park were open and in use.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 10:09 pm

Kilmahew Castle

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Kilmahew Castle is a ruined castle located just north of Cardross, in the council area of Argyll and Bute. Kilmahew is named for its patron saint, Mochta (Mahew).

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Design
3 References
4 External links
History[edit]
Kilmahew castle was built upon the lands granted to the Napiers by Malcolm, the Earl of Lennox around the year 1290. The castle itself was built sometime in the 16th century by the Napier family, who owned it for 18 generations. The Napiers who owned Kilmahew are notable for being the progenitors of most of the Napiers in North America, as well as some of their members who had notable contributions in the field of engineering, such as Robert Napier, the "Father of Clyde Shipbuilding," and David, James and Montague Napier, who owned the engineering company of Napier & Son.

The estate was inherited by George Maxwell of Newark and Tealing (1678–1744) in 1694, when he assumed the name of his maternal grandfather, John Napier of Kilmahew, but having no legitimate children he was the last of the name, although the Napier of Kilmahew coat of arms survives as a quartering of those of Noble of Ardmore, who therefore now represent the family in heraldry.[1] Following his death the estate was successfully claimed by an illegitimate daughter, Jean Smith, who married David Brydie, and was finally sold to Alexander Sharp in 1820 in repayment of gambling debts. In 1839, the estate was acquired by James Burns of Bloomhill (a neighbouring estate), the son of Rev. Dr. John Burns,[2] eventually dying in the Castle in 1871.

The ruins were acquired by the Archdiocese of Glasgow, along with the surrounding estate, in 1948.[3]

Design[edit]
The castle was originally a four-storey 16th century tower house. Modifications made in 1744 are attributed to the architect John Douglas. Some obvious gothic modifications were done during the 19th century by Alexander Sharp, who owned the castle at the time.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 10:15 pm

Kilmartin Castle

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Kilmartin Castle is a 16th-century Z-plan tower house castle at Kilmartin, Scotland. Built by the Rector of Kilmartin and later owned by Clan Campbell.
Kilmartin Castle's history
The south-west tower contains the main turn-pike stair, with a small recess for guarding the door at its foot. The first floor, as usual, contains the Hall, with a retiring room off it to the north. There is a large Hall fireplace in the west wall, the chimney for which can be seen almost above the door, and there is a commodious wall chamber in the thickness of the south wall. The secondary stair-tower is something of a luxury in a fortalice as small as this. There are small chambers in the north-east round tower and sleeping accomodation on the higher floors.

The parish of Kilmartin has always been a wealthy and important one in the Highland ecclesiastical polity, perhaps because it is surrounded by some of the best farm land in these parts, and this castle was once the home of the rector. It later became the property of the acquisitive house of Campbell. Surprise surprise!
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 10:18 pm

Kilmory Castle,

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Kilmory Castle, also known as Kilmory House, is a large 19th-century house located just to the south of Lochgilphead, in Argyll, Argyll and Bute, on the west coast of Scotland. It is currently occupied by the headquarters of Argyll and Bute Council. The gardens are open to the public and form part of a country park on the former estate. The house is protected as a category B listed building.[1]

There was a church at Kilmory in ancient times, and in the 1550s the church and lands of Kilmory were held by the Abbot of Paisley. In 1575 the estate was owned by Donald Campbell of Kilmory, and remained in the Campbell family for over 250 years. A house may have stood here as early as the 14th century.[2] The Campbells built a house, or extended the existing one, in 1816-20.[3] Eliza Campbell, the eldest daughter and co-heir of Peter Campbell, married Sir John Orde, 2nd Baronet in 1824. He purchased the estates following the death of his father in law in 1828 and of his wife in 1829. Orde demolished the modest old Campbell house and replaced it with a grand Gothic style mansion designed by architect Joseph Gordon Davis. The core of the older house was retained, but was extended into an L-plan, with new exterior and interior decoration, and a large octagonal tower at the south-west corner. Orde also greatly expanded and improved the grounds and estate, engaging William Hooker to extend the gardens in 1830. Further extensions were carried out in the 1860s.

Orde was buried in the private burial ground adjacent to the house in 1878. His son succeeded to the baronetcy, and changed his name to Campbell-Orde in 1880. The Campbell-Orde baronets retained the estate until 1938. It passed through several owners thereafter, and served variously as a hotel, hostel and conference centre.

In 1974, Argyll County Council purchased the house to serve as a headquarters for Argyll and Bute District Council, which was formed in 1975. In 1995 local government was reorganised again, although Kilmory remained in use as the headquarters of the new Argyll and Bute unitary authority. An office block extension was built onto the house in 1980-82, to increase the provision of space. Fire damaged the main house the following year, and many interiors had to be refurbished.

The castle is said[by whom?] to be haunted by the ghost of a 'Green Lady'.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 10:27 pm

Castle Lachlan,
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Castle Lachlan, or New Castle Lachlan, is an 18th-century baronial mansion or country house located at Strathlachlan, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.[1][2] It was built in 1790 by Donald Maclachlan, 19th laird, to replace the 15th century Old Castle Lachlan, which stands nearby on the shores of Loch Fyne. The building is protected as a category C(S) listed building
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 10:31 pm

Old Castle Lachlan,

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Old Castle Lachlan, is a ruined 15th-century castle on Loch Fyne, Scotland. It was the stronghold of Clan MacLachlan until 1746 when it was attacked by British Government forces. New Castle Lachlan was built as a replacement in 1790, around 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) to the north-east.

It is protected as a category A listed building,[1] and as a scheduled monument
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 10:37 pm

Minard Castle

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Minard Castle is a 19th-century casellated mansion on the north-western shore of Loch Fyne, Scotland.

The current structure is the enlargement of an older house carried out around 1848 by the architect John Thomas Rochead.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 10:40 pm

Moy Castle

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Moy Castle is an extant, but badly damaged castle near Lochbuie, Mull.

History[edit]
Moy Castle was built in the 15th century by Hector Reaganach Maclean, 1st Laird of Lochbuie, brother of Lachlan Lubanach Maclean of Duart. It has a three level tower with a garret. The ground floor contains a well. It was captured from the Macleans of Lochbuie by Clan Campbell, but later returned to the Maclaines. It was abandoned in 1752 when a new house was built.[1]

It was used for scenes in Powell and Pressburger's 1945 film I Know Where I'm Going!, and a group of 40 fans visited to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the film's release in 2005.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Argyll & Bute

PostFri Feb 13, 2015 10:43 pm

Rothesay Castle



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Rothesay Castle is a ruined castle in Rothesay, the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in western Scotland. Located at NS086646, the castle has been described as "one of the most remarkable in Scotland",[1] for its long history dating back to the beginning of the 13th century, and its unusual circular plan.

The castle comprises a huge curtain wall, strengthened by four round towers, together with a 16th-century forework, the whole surrounded by a broad moat. Built by the Stewart family, it survived Norse attacks to become a royal residence. Though falling into ruin after the 17th century, the castle was repaired by the Marquess of Bute before passing into state care in the 20th century.

Contents [hide]
1 The early castle
2 Wars of independence and the rise of the Stewarts
3 16th and 17th centuries
4 Repair and restoration
5 Notes
6 References
7 External links
The early castle[edit]
The castle was built either by Alan, High Steward of Scotland (d.1204), or by his son Walter Stewart (d.1246). During Alan's tenure, the family added the Isle of Bute to their lordship.[2] A wooden castle was constructed first, but the stone circular curtain wall was in place by the 1230s, when the castle was attacked and taken by Norsemen under Uspak, possibly a grandson of Somerled. According to The Saga of Haakon Haakonsson, the Norsemen fought for three days to take the castle, breaking down part of the eastern wall by hewing the stone with their axes. This saga is the earliest recorded account of an assault on a Scottish castle.[3] In 1263, Rothesay was taken again by the Norse under Haakon IV before the Battle of Largs. Although the Battle of Largs was indecisive, Haakon's campaign was unsuccessful, and effectively ended Norse influence in western Scotland.

The early castle comprised only the roughly circular curtain wall, 3m thick and around 43m across, built on a low mound, with a battlement on top accessed by open stairs. The moat was connected to the sea, the shoreline then being closer to the north-east of the Castle than it is today. The broad crenellations can be made out within the walls, which were later raised. Holes in the upper wall would have supported a timber bretasche, a projecting structure serving as an extended battlement. This curtain wall was built of coursed ashlar, and had only two openings in its length. The main gate was an arched opening with a simple timber door. The second opening was a small postern gate in the west wall, later blocked.

In the later part of the 13th century, the castle was strengthened by the addition of four round towers, of which only the north-west survives intact. These three-storey towers had strong splayed bases, with arrow slits below the crenellated parapet. A portcullis was added to the main gate.

Wars of independence and the rise of the Stewarts[edit]
During the Wars of Scottish Independence, Rothesay was held by the English, but was taken by Robert the Bruce in 1311. It then returned to English hands in 1334, before being taken again by the Scots. Following the accession of the Stewarts to the throne of Scotland in 1371, the castle became a favourite residence of kings Robert II and Robert III, who died here in 1406. Robert II granted the hereditary keepership of the castle to his son John, ancestor of the Earls and Marquesses of Bute. Robert III made his eldest son David Duke of Rothesay in 1401, beginning a tradition of honouring the heir to the throne of Scotland with this title. In 1462 the castle survived a siege by the forces of John of Islay, Earl of Ross and the last Lord of the Isles.

16th and 17th centuries[edit]
In the early 16th century Rothesay Castle was strengthened again. Construction of a gatehouse keep, extending from the north of the curtain wall, began around the turn of the century, to provide more modern accommodation for James IV. The curtain wall itself was raised up to ten metres in height, the works continuing into the reign of James V. In 1527 the castle withstood another siege by the Master of Ruthven, which destroyed much of the burgh of Rothesay. In 1544, the castle fell to the Earl of Lennox, acting for the English during the so-called "Rough Wooing".

The forework is an L-plan structure, which jutted into the moat and was accessed by a drawbridge. The lower floor comprised a vaulted entrance tunnel running into the older castle courtyard. Above, the four storey tower contained royal lodgings, and still bears the royal coat of arms above the door. Also in the early 16th century, a chapel was constructed inside the old castle. Simple in form, the chapel measured around 6m by 9m, and is now the only surviving structure within the curtain wall. The north-west tower was converted into a doocot, and is known as the "Pigeon Tower", due to the nest boxes built into the outside wall.

Rothesay was garrisoned for the Royalists during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, then for the occupying forces of Oliver Cromwell, who invaded Scotland with his New Model Army in the early 1650s. On their departure in 1660, the troops partially dismantled the structure. What was left was burned by the supporters of Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll during his rising of 1685, in support of the Monmouth Rebellion against James VII.

Repair and restoration[edit]

The vaulted entrance tunnel.
Following a long period of neglect, the 2nd Marquess of Bute employed 70 men to excavate the ruins, clearing large amounts of rubbish from the castle in 1816-17. But it was not until the 1870s that the ruins were stabilised. The 3rd Marquess, a keen restorer of historic buildings, embarked upon a series of repairs and restorations, following surveys and advice from his regular architect William Burges. His "restorations" continued until 1900, and include the clearing and shaping of the moat, as well as the red sandstone additions to the forework, which reinstated the hall roof while significantly altering the character of the building.

In 1961 Rothesay Castle was given to the state, and is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument, in the care of Historic Scotland.

The castle is open to visitors year round. Fine views can be seen from the top of the walls over the town and back towards the mainland.
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