Clan Rising
Dunoon Castle today

Scotland · Ruin

Dunoon Castle

Dunoon Castle sits on a cone-shaped hill above the town of Dunoon on the Firth of Clyde in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Very little of the structure remains today; it was a royal residence in the later medieval period and had fallen into ruin by the 17th century. The site and its surrounding area are a scheduled monument.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1563

Today

Ruin

As it stood in 1563

What Dunoon Castle looked like in its prime.

Perched on a steep, cone-shaped hill about 80 feet (24 m) high, the castle occupies the summit as a compact masonry stronghold with a surrounding curtain and a central stone keep rising above the tree line. From the water it reads as a fortified mound directly above the shoreline, with complete rooflines and battlements at prime, and the town of Dunoon spread below along the Firth of Clyde. The hill gives the castle a commanding seaward silhouette.

Its story

The story of Dunoon Castle.

Dunoon Castle sat on a cone-shaped hill some eighty feet high above the Firth of Clyde, and was a royal residence in the 14th century. 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 its keeper in 1472.

In 1544 the castle was besieged by Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, and Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll, was driven out, sustaining great loss. Mary, Queen of Scots stayed here from 27 to 29 July 1563, visiting her half-sister Jean Stewart, Countess of Argyll, and granted several charters during her visit.

In 1646 came 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 for a time the residence of the bishops of Argyll; the castle fell into ruins in the 17th century, and very little of the structure remains, with Castle House of 1822 standing a few yards north of the ruins.

Step inside

5 places to explore in 1563.

The record describes 5 distinct spots at Dunoon Castle, including 1 interior: summit courtyard and central keep. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach from the Gantock Rocks (seaward view)Shore at the base of the hillMid-slope ascent toward the gateSummit courtyard and central keepFrom the battlements looking inland over Dunoon

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Whose castle

Clans who held Dunoon Castle.

The families that held Dunoon Castle for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Campbell

    The Campbell Earls of Argyll were keepers of the royal castle from 1472, when James III appointed Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll.

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Dunoon Castle.

Overtoun Bridge, ScotlandBridgeOvertoun Bridge25 km awayInveraray Castle, ScotlandMuseumInveraray Castle34 km awayScotstoun Stadium, ScotlandStadiumScotstoun Stadium37 km away

Questions about Dunoon Castle

What is the history of Dunoon Castle?

Dunoon Castle’s history reaches back to the thirteenth century, when it was first recorded. It became a royal residence in the 14th century and was retaken from Edward Balliol after his 1333 capture. James III appointed Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll, keeper in 1472. Mary, Queen of Scots stayed there in 1563, and the castle fell into ruins in the 17th century.

What is inside Dunoon Castle?

Dunoon Castle’s documented interior spaces are the summit courtyard and central keep. Very little of the structure remains today, so these are surviving or identified parts of the ruin rather than a complete set of rooms. The central keep rose above the surrounding curtain on the summit.

When was Dunoon Castle built?

Dunoon Castle’s first construction date is not recorded, although it is first recorded in the thirteenth century. It was a royal residence in the 14th century, showing that the castle was established by that period. The available material does not give a precise year for when it was built.

Was Dunoon Castle ever attacked or besieged?

Dunoon Castle was attacked in 1333 and 1544. Edward Balliol besieged and took it in 1333, before Robert the Steward and Colin Campbell retook it. Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, captured it in 1544 with forces supplied by Henry VIII of England, driving out Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll.

Which family or clan held Dunoon Castle?

The Campbell Earls of Argyll held Dunoon Castle as keepers from 1472. James III appointed Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll, keeper of the royal castle that year. By the 15th century, the Campbells were its hereditary keepers.

What did Dunoon Castle look like in its prime?

In its prime, Dunoon Castle was a compact masonry stronghold on the summit of a steep, cone-shaped hill about 80 feet (24 m) high. A surrounding curtain enclosed a central stone keep rising above the tree line. Seen from the water, it formed a fortified mound directly above the shoreline, with complete rooflines and battlements.

Is Dunoon Castle still standing or is it a ruin?

Dunoon Castle is a ruin, with very little of its structure remaining today. It fell into ruins in the 17th century. Castle House, built in 1822, stands a few yards north of the castle ruins, while the remains and surrounding area are a scheduled monument.

Where is Dunoon Castle?

Dunoon Castle is on a cone-shaped hill above the town of Dunoon, on the Firth of Clyde in Argyll and Bute. The castle stands directly above the shoreline, with Dunoon spread below it. Its surrounding area is a scheduled monument.

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