Castle Sween

Castle Sween is a substantial four-sided walled courtyard on a rocky knoll on the east side of Loch Sween, with extensions on two sides of later date. It is one of several sites put forward as the “oldest stone castle in Scotland” with questionable veracity.

The courtyard is irregular in plan in order to occupy the knoll summit, and has solid buttresses at both the corners and midway along three sides – the fourth containing a thicker section of wall and the arched gateway. This courtyard contained ranges of buildings to each side. On the western side was a rectangular building of slightly later date than the courtyard, and this was augmented by a round tower to the rear (solid at ground level) a rectangular tower keep was added to the north-eastern corner, probably in the 15th century.

The courtyard and west wing probably date to the first quarter of the 13th century and were probably erected by Dugald MacSuibhne or his predecessor. The subsequent history of ownership is complex, involving the dispute between the Stewart kings of Scots and the Macdonald Lords of the Isles. In 1481 Knapdale and castle Sween were granted to the Campbells, who remodelled the castle significantly. In 1647 the castle was attacked and burned out, and never returned to use.

Official Historic Scotland page

HES Canmore database entry