Dunoon Castle

 ( Clan Campbell ) 

Dunoon Castle is a ruined castle in Dunoon, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The castle sat upon a cone-shaped hill about high. Very little remains of the castle's structure today. Castle House, built in 1822, stands a few yards north of the castle ruins.

The remains of the castle, and a surrounding area, are a scheduled monument.

The castle was a royal residence in the 14th century, and in the 17th century fell into ruins.

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13th–15th century The castle is first recorded in the thirteenth century.. It may have been constructed in the context of the Clan Stewart increasing authority in Cowal., page 90.

In 1333 Dunoon Castle was besieged and taken by Edward Balliol, who surrendered it to Edward III of England. An insurrection ensued, driving Baliol out of Scotland. Robert the Steward, later King Robert II of Scotland, arrived in Cowal and, with the help of Colin Campbell of Loch Awe, retook the castle.

James III undertook to repay his Master of Household, Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll for repairs to the castle in 1468, and made him keeper of the castle in 1472. HMC 4th Report: Duke of Argyll (London, 1874), p. 477. By the 15th century it was a royal castle with the Clan Campbell as hereditary keepers.

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16th century In 1544 Dunoon Castle was besieged by Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox. Having eighteen ships and 800 soldiers provided by Henry VIII of England, Lennox succeeded in taking the Castles of Dunoon and Rothesay Castle. Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll, was driven out, sustaining great loss.

In 1563, Mary, Queen of Scots, stayed at the castle while visiting her half-sister, Jean Stewart, Countess of Argyll, and granted several charters during her visit. Mary's rebels met up at Dunoon during the Chaseabout Raid. Her brother the Regent Moray faction in Argyll included the Regent Arran, and the Earls of Argyll and Rothes. They left for Ayrshire on 18 August 1565.Joseph Bain, Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1900), pp. 190, 193.

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17th century In 1646 occurred the Dunoon massacre in which the Campbells slaughtered men, women, children, and infants of Clan Lamont. After the restoration of the episcopacy under Charles II, Dunoon became the residence of the bishops of Argyll for a time.

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20th century During World War I and II, military fortifications were established at Dunoon Castle for the defense of the River Clyde and the shipbuilding industry.

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External links

• Visit Scotland webpage for Dunoon Castle

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