Kilchurn Castle
| Kilchurn Castle | ||
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| Creation time : | around 1450 | |
| Castle type : | Niederungsburg | |
| Conservation status: | ruin | |
| Geographical location | 56 ° 24 '13.4 " N , 5 ° 1' 38.6" W | |
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Kilchurn Castle is a ruined castle on the northeastern shore of Loch Awe in the region Argyll and Bute in Scotland . Originally built as a five-storey tower house, the castle, which is still almost completely intact, has undergone a series of renovations from almost 250 years of history.
History and architecture
Colin Campbell of Glenorchy built the first residential tower around 1420. In contrast to many castles of the 15th century, Kilchurn Castle had an entrance on the ground floor. The Great Hall was located on the first floor above the entrance area , followed by two floors with differently used living rooms, work rooms and bedrooms. On the top floor was the attic, through which access to the roof and the battlement there was made. The entire complex was surrounded by a curtain wall, the remains of which have been preserved in the southern part to this day.
At the beginning of the 16th century, Kilchurn Castle was expanded by Duncan Campbell with a single-story dining room on the south wall. In the second half of the 16th century, Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll , added a few bedrooms in a separate building on the north side of the residential tower and redesigned the battlement on the curtain wall.
Towards the end of the 16th century, the MacGregors of Glenstrae took over the castle. Originally owned by the lands of Glen Orchy, they were named custodians of Kilchurn Castle after marrying Clan Campbell. This agreement lasted until a violent feud broke out between the two families at the beginning of the 17th century.
In 1616, Duncan, 6th Laird of Campbell , had a second floor built on the dining room, the entire building was extended to the east and connected to the residential tower. This created additional storage space on the ground floor, and a chapel was set up on the upper floor.
In 1681 John Campbell of Glenorchy was appointed first Earl of Breadalbane. He had the last renovations carried out around 1693: A number of military accommodations were built along the north wall and the three corner towers (two of which are still standing today).
Kilchurn Castle had an unusually quiet history for Scottish castles, apart from a brief siege in 1685. John, 1st Earl of Breadalbane, faced Archibald, 10th Earl of Argyll . It is believed, however, that this confrontation was due to disagreements within the Campbell clan.
Government forces were stationed at Kilchurn Castle during the Jacobite Risings of 1715 and 1745. The Campbells tried unsuccessfully to sell the castle to the Crown during this time after moving to Taymouth Castle in Perthshire in 1740 .
In 1760 Kilchurn Castle was badly damaged by lightning and the ensuing fire and then finally abandoned.
On the night of December 28, 1879 , the remaining tower of the castle ruins collapsed during the storm that had also brought the railway bridge over the Firth of Tay to collapse.
The castle today
Kilchurn Castle is now managed by Historic Scotland and is open for tours during the summer months. The castle can be reached by water from the departure point at Lochawe Pier on the A85 . Alternatively, there is a 700 meter long footpath that starts at a small, unmarked car park on the northeast bank of Loch Awe on the A85.
literature
- Plantagenet Somerset Fry: Castles of Britain and Ireland: The Ultimate Reference Book: A Region-By-Region Guide to over 1,350 Castles . Abbeville Press, New York, 1997
- Geoffrey Stell: Dunstaffnage and the castles of Argyll . Historic Scotland, Edinburgh, 1994, reprinted 1996. ISBN 0-7480-0481-5 .
Web links
- Historical map of Kilchurn Castle on the National Library of Scotland website
- Kilchurn Castle on the site of The Heritage Trail
- Kilchurn Castle on the website of Undiscovered Scotland: The Ultimate Online Guide
- Kilchurn Castle on the Clan Campbell Society of North America website