Archaeology Notes

Event ID 676486

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/676486

NN10NW 1 NN 14323 09648.

Also See

NN10NW 11 NN 1439 0969 Summerhouse

(NN 1432 0966) Castle (NR) (Ruins of)

OS 6" map, Argyllshire, 2nd ed., (1900)

Dunderave Castle, built in 1596 and the chief seat of the Clan MacNachtan, until it was acquired by the Campbells about 1689. It has been an L-plan, crow-stepped tower house with a large round tower at the exterior angle.

The castle lay in ruins until the beginning of the 20th century when it was restored, with the addition of wings to the E and S gables. It is now occupied by Hon Mrs John Weir.

Charters dating from the 15th century suggest that the 16th century castle may have had a predecessor, which may possibly have stood on a rocky mound which has the appearance of a fortified site and lies between the tower and the loch into which it projects. The meaning of the name "Dunderave" is obscure, but Millar suggests that it could mean "the mound (or fort) with water on either side" - an apt description of the mound.

D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887-92; H B Millar 1964.

Dunderave Castle is as described. Although the rocky mound to the S is an ideal site for an earlier castle, it bears no evidence of having been used for such a purpose.

Visited by OS (R D) 7 May 1970.