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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
Campbells of Dunstaffnage.
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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.
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A ruined 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. Experts believe that the chapel was built in the second quarter of the 13th century. The
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in August 1308. After a brief siege, King Robert took control of the MacDougall castle of
Dunstaffnage. He did not destroy it, as he did others, but appointed a constable and provisioned it, thinking to use it to guard the countryside and seaways. With the land he gave his friend, Angus Og Macdonald,
670:
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
592:
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
597:
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
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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. In 1958, the 21st Captain and the Duke agreed to hand the castle into state care,
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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. The west tower is almost internal, barely
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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 gatehouse, and the Captains ceased to live here, moving to Dunstaffnage House some 2 km to the
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inherited his father's title in the 1240s, and expanded the MacDougall influence, styling himself "King of the Isles" though that title belonged to the MacDonalds. It is probable that Ewen built the three round towers onto the castle, and constructed and enlarged the hall inside.
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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.
461:. 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
900:
Grove, p.23. Tabraham, p. 36, mentions excavations which show that the north tower, at least, was an early addition to the structure, and suggests that Ewen MacDougall may have made these changes to suit his increased
638:, 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
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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
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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. The hall had double-
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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
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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.
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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
384:, Lord of Lorn and grandson of Somerled in the second quarter of the 13th century. He had also travelled to Rome in 1237 and was the founder of nearby
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Lord of the Isles, that included much of the MacDougall lands, including nearby Mull, the castle could be well used for that purpose by the
Isleman.
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268:, and is surrounded on three sides by the sea. The castle and the nearby chapel ruin have been a Historic Scotland property since 1958. Both are
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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
550:, which although not naming Dunstaffnage, presents "a fair picture of life in the castle in the third quarter of the eighteenth century".
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291:. To this day there is a hereditary Captain of Dunstaffnage, although they no longer reside at the castle. Dunstaffnage is maintained by
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is now also gone. Arrow slits, later converted into gunloops, are the only openings. Brass cannon recovered from wrecked vessels of the
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Coventry, p.195, and Grove, p.19. Grove notes that there is no firm archaeological evidence for 7th century occupation of the site.
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The castle dates back to the 13th century, making it one of Scotland's oldest stone castles, in a local group which includes
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were loyal allies of the royal house, and Dunstaffnage was used as a base for government expeditions against the MacDonald
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stronghold, known as Dun Monaidh, as early as the 7th century. It was recorded, by John Monipennie in 1612, that the
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gatehouse. The well in front is original, although the large stone surround is of 19th century date.
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are considered more likely, given their known connections with Dál Riatan and Strathclyde kings.
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East end of Dunstaffnage Chapel, showing the lancet windows and the Campbell burial aisle beyond
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One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
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360:", which has traditionally been identified with Dunstaffnage, although in 2010 the writer
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A ghost, known as the "Ell-maid of Dunstaffnage", is said to haunt the castle. A type of
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The north-west range of 1725, with the gatehouse on the right, seen from the parapet walk
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backed the Scottish monarchy, and Ewen's son Alexander was made the first sheriff of
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was kept here after being brought from Ireland, and before it was moved to
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south-east. Tenants lived in the 1725 house within the castle until 1888.
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Now a Crown property, Dunstaffnage was controlled by a series of keepers.
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Dunstaffnage Castle – site information from Historic Environment Scotland
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The gatehouse, with the remains of the north-east hall range to the left
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Dunstaffnage Castle seen from the east, with the gatehouse in the centre
772:. Vol. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 684.
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of 1715 and 1745, the castle was occupied by government troops.
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Kathleen MacPhee, Somerled: Hammer of the Norse, 2004 at p. 63.
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lords of Lorn, and has been held since the 15th century by the
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been partially restored with new stone flags. The original
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to escape from Scotland, was briefly imprisoned here while
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rock on a promontory at the south-west of the entrance to
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Take a 360° Virtual Tour of Dunstaffnage Castle grounds
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stand up to 18 m (60 ft) high, including the
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attack on Douglas power, and led to the signing of the
283:. Guarding a strategic location, it was built by the
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855:"Stone of Destiny 'from Ayrshire, not Perthshire'"
445:stayed at Dunstaffnage, on his way to treat with
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1229:Historic Scotland properties in Argyll and Bute
1224:Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Argyll and Bute
400:repulse of the Norse influence in Argyll, the
441:, as his enemies were hiding inside. In 1455
1120:Dunstaffnage Castle and the Stone of Destiny
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305:, while the rest of the name derives from
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783:Castles of Scotland - Dunstaffnage Castle
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724:Dunstaffnage Castle, 1836 engraving by
498:visited Dunstaffnage on two occasions.
476:The south facade of Dunstaffnage Castle
376:There was a castle here in the time of
16:Castle in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK
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1105:"Dunstaffnage Castle Chapel (SM90121)"
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408:in 1293. However, they supported the
256:. It lies 3 miles (5 km) NNE of
420:defeated the Clan MacDougall at the
356:records that the stone was kept at "
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501:Dunstaffnage saw action during the
416:which broke out a few years later.
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443:James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas
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1103:Historic Environment Scotland.
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946:Coventry, p.195, Grove, p.27
583:Plans of Dunstaffnage Castle
301:in the name means "fort" in
260:, situated on a platform of
223:13th century to 19th century
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533:to imprisonment in London.
312:, "headland of the staff".
270:Scheduled Ancient Monuments
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1080:, Constable & Co. 1986
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692:Captain of Dunstaffnage
554:Decline and restoration
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117:56.454653°N 5.436936°W
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179:Open to
18:
1110:25 February
1094:25 February
1030:Grove, p.13
985:Grove, p.11
967:Grove, p.29
937:Grove, p.26
636:tower house
575:Description
402:MacDougalls
220:In use
120: /
96:Coordinates
1208:Categories
1171:19 January
1151:19 January
1057:References
843:Grove,p.19
640:drawbridge
571:property.
455:James II's
396:Following
334:Dál Riatan
285:MacDougall
266:Loch Etive
252:, western
105:56°27′17″N
515:James VII
503:Civil War
488:Campbells
469:in 1470.
463:James III
310:stafr-nis
228:Materials
189:Condition
108:5°26′13″W
1195:Archived
710:gruagach
698:sinecure
531:en route
507:Montrose
496:James IV
378:Somerled
254:Scotland
205:c. 1220s
45:NM882344
40:Scotland
1165:Canmore
1145:Canmore
901:status.
757::
600:parapet
435:James I
410:Balliol
358:Evonium
323:History
751:
728:after
644:dormer
633:harled
406:Argyll
366:Irvine
350:Dunadd
303:Gaelic
32:Dunbeg
716:Notes
588:Walls
307:Norse
202:Built
148:Owner
30:Near
1173:2018
1153:2018
1112:2019
1096:2019
348:and
346:Iona
279:and
258:Oban
133:Type
766:".
544:'s
298:dun
184:Yes
1210::
1163:.
1143:.
1087:.
960:^
915:^
857:.
805:^
789:^
738:^
449:,
272:.
244::
38:,
34:,
1175:.
1155:.
1114:.
1098:.
863:.
816:)
812:(
800:)
796:(
240:(
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