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Building or ruin · Medieval · Argyll and Bute

Skipness Castle

Easy going

Photo: chdphd / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Castle walls above Kilbrannan Sound mark Skipness as a medieval stronghold on the east side of Kintyre. Skipness Castle is a 13th-century castle, protected together with nearby Kilbrannan Chapel as a scheduled monument.

Built by Clan MacSween and later expanded, the castle entered royal, Campbell and civil-war histories. It was garrisoned for James IV in 1494 and besieged by Alasdair Mac Colla’s forces in 1646.

What follows is drawn from published sources, with each claim labelled by how firmly it is established.

History

Skipness Castle stands near the village of Skipness on the east side of the Kintyre peninsula. The castle and nearby Kilbrannan Chapel are together a scheduled monument.

The main castle structure was built in the early 13th century by Clan MacSween. Later fortifications and additions were made in the 13th, 14th and 16th centuries.

The castle was garrisoned with royal troops in 1494 during James IV's suppression of the Isles. James IV appointed Duncan Forestar as keeper of the castle.

Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll, granted Skipness to his younger son Archibald Campbell in 1511. In 1646, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, forces under Alasdair Mac Colla besieged the castle.

Gilleasbuig Mac Colla, Alasdair's brother, was killed during the siege in August 1646. The castle was abandoned in the 17th century.

People

  • Portrait — James IV
    Portrait: Unknown authorUnknown author / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain

    James IV

    Garrisoned Skipness Castle with royal troops in 1494.

  • Duncan Forestar

    Appointed keeper of the castle by James IV.

  • Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll

    Granted Skipness to his younger son in 1511.

  • Alasdair Mac Colla

    Commander whose forces besieged the castle in 1646.

  • Gilleasbuig Mac Colla

    Killed during the 1646 siege.

Connections

  • Skipness

    Nearby village.

  • Kintyre

    Peninsula setting of the castle.

  • Kilbrannan Chapel

    Nearby chapel scheduled with the castle.

  • Clan MacSween

    Built the main early-13th-century structure.

What to look for

  • Medieval castle fabric

    The main structure is early 13th century, with later additions.

  • Chapel pairing

    The castle is protected together with nearby Kilbrannan Chapel.

  • Sound outlook

    The wider Skipness setting overlooks Kilbrannan Sound and Arran.

Plan your visit

Location
55.7680°N · 5.3364°W
Terrain
Easy going

Opening & admission

Check Historic Environment Scotland information before travelling

  • Skipness Castle and nearby Kilbrannan Chapel are scheduled together.
  • The source does not give current opening or admission terms.

Nearby places

Questions people ask

What is Skipness Castle?
It is a medieval castle near Skipness on the east side of Kintyre.
Who built Skipness Castle?
Clan MacSween built the main structure in the early 13th century.
What is it scheduled with?
It is scheduled together with nearby Kilbrannan Chapel.
What happened in 1646?
Forces under Alasdair Mac Colla besieged the castle, and his brother Gilleasbuig was killed.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia article

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