Kilchurn Castle by René Roos

About "Kilchurn Castle"

by René Roos

About the artwork

The castle was built in the mid-15th century by Colin Campbell, first Lord of Glenorchy.

During the period of the Jacobite rebellions, the castle was used as a shelter for a garrison of government soldiers.

Around 1740, the castle lost significance as the owner moved to Taymouth Castle. At that time, the castle was still owned by the Campbell clan. In 1760, a fire raged in the castle, presumably caused by lightning. The castle was then permanently abandoned. In 1951, it became state property.
Construction

The castle was built on a small island in Loch Awe. However, the water level was lowered in the 19th century, turning the island into a peninsula, attached to the mainland on the east side. The entire complex has a spacious courtyard and is almost shaped like a rectangle. The long side is oriented east-west. Because the castle was on an island and therefore could not be built everywhere, only in the south-west is the figure of the rectangle disturbed; this corner is cut at an oblique angle.

The castle was initially built as a residential tower with a ground floor and four floors. This residential tower stands in the south-east corner of the complex. The gate of the castle is on the east side of this tower. A few years later, a separate hall, called the Laich Hall, was built to the west of the residential tower. This hall stood along the "cut-off" southwest corner. The Laich Hall was later demolished, but the southwest wall remained, as it was part of the walling of the overall complex.