Carnasserie Castle heritage designation scheduled monument
History
The castle was built by reforming churchman John Carswell, who was Rector of Kilmartin, Chancellor of the Chapel Royal at Stirling, and later titular Bishop of the Isles. Carswell published the first book to be printed in Scottish Gaelic, a translation of John Knox's Book of Common Order. Construction began in 1565 using masons brought from Stirling; although notionally built for Carswell's patron, the Earl of Argyll, he intended it as a personal residence for himself.
On Carswell's death in 1572, the castle passed to the Earl of Argyll and was sold in 1643 to Donald Campbell of Auchinleck. His successor Duncan Campbell was one of the few to actively support Argyll's Rising against James VII in 1685. The Atholl Raid that followed the failure of the Rising devastated large parts of Argyllshire; despite recovering his estates in 1689, Duncan Campbell was financially ruined. In 1690, he petitioned Parliament claiming Maclean clansmen burnt Carnasserie Castle, stole 2,000 cattle and murdered his uncle Alexander Campbell of Strondour. Although the outer walls remain largely undamaged, Carnasserie was never rebuilt and the Auchinbrecks eventually went bankrupt. In the 19th century the estate was sold to the Malcolms of Poltalloch, who also own nearby Duntrune Castle. Today the castle and its surroundings are protected as a scheduled monument. The castle is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland and is open to the public. In 2015, Michael Carswell, a descendant of the Rector of Kilmartin, returned to the Castle to reclaim the land. Michael Carswell, Baron of Lord Seaton, claimed the deed was unfulfilled in 1643 largely due to a lack of ink, bread crumbs and remnants of spilled butter on the deed.
cultural heritage status designation as a heritage site listed status official heritage recognition heritage classification