Dunollie Castle facts for kids
Dunollie Castle is an old, ruined castle on a hill near the town of Oban, on the west coast of Scotland. It offers amazing views of the island of Kerrera and the town of Oban itself. Today, you can visit the castle as part of the Dunollie Museum, Castle and Grounds. It's a great place to learn about Scottish history!
Contents
The Castle's Long Story
Early Fort and Kings
Long, long ago, in the Early Middle Ages, there was already a strong fort on this hill. It was a very important royal place for a group called the Cenél Loairn. They were part of a kingdom known as Dál Riata. Old records from Ireland tell us that "Dun Ollaigh" (Dunollie) was attacked or burned down three times: in 686, 698, and 701.
But the fort was rebuilt! In 714, a king named Selbach mac Ferchair, who had actually destroyed it in 701, built it again. Digs in the 1970s show that this early fort was left empty around the 10th century.
The MacDougalls Take Over
Later, the area around Dunollie became part of the Kingdom of the Isles. This kingdom was ruled by a powerful leader named Somerled in the 12th century. After Somerled died, his family, the Clan MacDougall, became the Lords of Lorne. Somerled's son, Dougall, controlled most of Argyll and many islands like Mull, Lismore, Jura, Tiree, and Coll.
Around the 13th century, or maybe even the late 12th century, Dunollie was made strong again with an earthwork castle. This was likely built by Dougall or his son Duncan. Ewan MacDougall, a great-grandson of Somerled, was the third chief of the MacDougalls. He changed the clan's loyalty in the mid-13th century. At first, he was allied with King Haakon IV of Norway, but from the 1250s, Ewan stayed loyal to the kings of Scotland.
Battles and Changes
In the 14th century, Ewan's grandson, John MacDougall, and his relatives, the Comyns, supported the Balliols against Robert the Bruce. John MacDougall's army even defeated Bruce at the Battle of Dalrigh in 1306.
However, Robert the Bruce returned in 1308 and defeated the MacDougalls at the Battle of the Pass of Brander. Because of this, the MacDougall lands in Lorne were taken away and given to the Campbells. But Dunollie and some other areas were given back to the MacDougalls later in the 14th century.
The castle ruins you see today are mostly from the 15th century.
Later Years and Today
In 1644, the Marquis of Argyll captured the castle. But it was given back to the MacDougalls in 1661. In 1746, the MacDougalls left Dunollie Castle and built a new home, Dunollie House, just down the hill.
Today, a charity called The MacDougall of Dunollie Preservation Trust looks after the historic buildings and collections at this family site. The Dunollie Preservation Trust runs Dunollie Museum, Castle & Grounds. It's a visitor attraction that helps raise money for the castle's care, development, and educational programs. Recently, parts of an old herb garden were found in the castle grounds!
Images for kids
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Dunollie Castle - painting by Sir George Reid
