Skipness Castle

Skipness Castle Details

Skipness Castle, a ruined C13 courtyard castle of the MacSweens altered C15-C16 by the Campbells, and abandoned C17.

  • Closest To: Skipness
  • Access: Chargeable Public Access
  • Grid Reference: NR908578

Skipness Castle occupies low lying land on the east coast of Kintyre, and controls access to the Sound of Bute. It dates to the 13th century, and today is maintained by Historic Environment Scotland, who allow free access, although the tower is kept locked seasonally. It is signposted from the main road, but there does not appear to be a formal parking area.

Originally built as a walled courtyard with a hall and chapel in the mid 13th century by the MacSween family, there are similarities with their main base at Castle Sween, but the castle was then strengthened by the Stewart earls of Menteith a few decades later, and it remained Stewart property until the late 15th century, when the Lord of the Isles took over. The castle was then converted into a tower-house and courtyard, and was besieged during the mid 17th century. Soon afterwards the castle was abandoned as a defensive structure and became the seat of a farm up to 1898.

Official Historic Scotland page

HES Canmore database entry

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