Dumbarton Castle

Dumbarton Castle, the ancient Dun of the Britons, was fortified from the early medieval period and was continually occupied to the 19th century. The site is a prominent double-summited volcanic plug that sits at the junction of the Rivers Leven and Clyde, and is maintained by Historic Environment Scotland, so is accessible to the public for a fee.

The medieval castle was entered from what is now the rear of the site which faces the scrubby ground near the football ground, but this is completely blocked up with no visible medieval masonry. A steep access led up to the gateway, defended by a tower whose foundations have been exposed. The castle buildings mostly lay in the low ground between the two summits, and a postern gate, the arch of which is passed through by the access stairs today, lay to the rear. It is possible that the summits contained watchtowers of sorts, but later use has made this impossible to assess. The castle remained a royal property throughout its history and as such was targeted during the many civil wars that took place in Scotland, particularly when the earls of Lennox opposed the king. Despite repeated upgrades and redesigns to allow for the rapidly changing requirements of artillery warfare, by the 17th century it had fallen into disrepair and had damage from the Bishops Wars, but repairs were only carried out after the 1715 Jacobite Rising. Although works were then carried out, it became obsolete quickly and was abandoned by 1865.

Official Historic Scotland page

HES Canmore database entry