page_title: Dalmoak House
section_title: Early history
hierarchical_section_title: Dalmoak House / Early history
caption_attribution_description: English: The grave of John Aiken of Dalmoak, Glasgow Necropolis (detail)
context_page_description: Dalmoak Castle, interchangeably referred to as Dalmoak House, is a Category A listed building off the A812 Renton Road in the ancient Parish of Cardross. It sits between the village of Renton and the town of Dumbarton on the North side the Firth of Clyde in Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It was built in a Scottish baronial style by the architect Alexander Watt in 1866–69, or 1866-1869 according to some sources, for John Aiken of Glasgow. Aiken's involvement in the wine and spirits mercantile trade was the basis for the castle's nickname, 'Brandy Castle', which has been in use ever since.
context_section_description: Some sources indicated that the land was actually owned by Robert the Bruce at one time. The oldest document as to ownership is from 18 October 1533, a charter granting the property to John Palmer. The charter in 1569, after the Palmer family gave up ownership, granted the property to "John Sempill/Semple of Fulwood".
  The current house was built on the foundations of an earlier building, the blocked up windows of which can be seen in one of the wine cellars. Dalmoak was one of the royal manors in the district, and was used chiefly as a hunting seat. The Dalmoak Estate included the remains of the Palace of Cardross where King Robert the Bruce died.
  John Aiken, the castle's original owner, is buried in the grand and elaborate Aiken Mausoleum on the north slopes of the Glasgow Necropolis, as to reflect his vast wealth.
caption: Aiken Mausoleum (detail)
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