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Arran, Lochranza Castle

Castle (Medieval)

Site Name Arran, Lochranza Castle

Classification Castle (Medieval)

Canmore ID 39807

Site Number NR95SW 1

NGR NR 93314 50675

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/39807

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Bluesky International Limited 2025. Public Sector Viewing Terms

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Digital Images

Page 2/6. View of Loch Ranza Castle from South.
Titled'Loch Ranza.'
PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM NO 146: THE ANNAN ALBUM
Page 2/6. View of Loch Ranza Castle from South.
Titled'Loch Ranza.'
PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM NO 146: THE ANNAN ALBUMOblique aerial view of Lochranza Castle and fish trap, looking to the ESE.General oblique aerial view of Lochranza centred on Lochranza Golf Course, looking to the NNE.General oblique aerial view of Lochranza centred on Lochranza Golf Course with Lochranza castle adjacent, looking to the WSW.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza Castle with adjacent fish trap, looking to the WNW.Longitudinal section and transverse section of Lochranza Castle.
Titled. 'Longitudinal Section Looking West. & Longitudinal Section Looking North.'Oblique aerial view.Oblique aerial view.General oblique aerial view centred on Loch Ranza, the village and the remains of the castle, taken from the NW.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza centred on the remains of the castle, taken from the SW.Lochranza Castle Arran General ViewsLochranza Castle Arran General ViewsLochranza Castle Arran General ViewsLochranza Castle General ViewsView from West.General oblique aerial view centred on Loch Ranza, the village and the remains of the castle, taken from the NW.General oblique aerial view centred on the village with the castle adjacent, taken from the NW.General oblique aerial view centred on the village with the castle adjacent, taken from the NW.Oblique aerial view centred on the castle with the village adjacent, taken from the ENE.Oblique aerial view centred on the castle with the village adjacent, taken from the SW.Lochranza, general view, showing Lochranza Castle and Torr Nead an Eoin, Isle of Arran.  Oblique aerial photograph taken facing south-east.  This image has been produced from a print.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza castle and fish trap, looking to the E.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza Castle with adjacent fish trap, looking to the NE.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza Fish Trap and Lochranza Castle, looking to the NW.Oblique aerial view centred on Lochranza Castle, Arran.Oblique aerial view centred on Lochranza Castle, Arran.Oblique aerial view.Oblique aerial view.Oblique aerial view.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza centred on the remains of the castle, taken from the NW.Oblique aerial view.Lochranza Castle Arran General ViewsLochranza Castle General ViewsView from South-West.View of Lochranza Castle, Isle of Arran from SWEngraving showing general view.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza centred on the remains of the castle, taken from the ENE.General oblique aerial view centred on the village with the castle adjacent, taken from the NE.Oblique aerial view centred on the castle with the village adjacent, taken from the NNW.Oblique aerial view centred on the castle with the village adjacent, taken from the NW.Oblique aerial view centred on the castle with the village adjacent, taken from the WSW.Lochranza, general view, showing Lochranza Castle and Torr Nead an Eoin, Isle of Arran.  Oblique aerial photograph taken facing south-east.  This image has been produced from a print.Oblique aerial view centred on Lochranza Castle, Arran.General viewGeneral viewArran, Lochranza Castle.
View from South.Lochranza Castle General ViewsLochranza Castle General ViewsLochranza Castle General ViewsArran, Lochranza Castle, NR95SW 1, Ordnance Survey index card, page number 2, VersoArran, Lochranza Castle.
Modern copy of historic photograph from the Annan Album showing a general view from South.General oblique aerial view centred on Loch Ranza with the village and castle adjacent, taken from the WNW.Oblique aerial view centred on the castle with the village adjacent, taken from the SE.Oblique aerial view centred on the castle with the village adjacent, taken from the WSW.Lochranza, general view, showing Coillemore Point and Lochranza Castle, Isle of Arran.  Oblique aerial photograph taken facing south-east.  This image has been produced from a print.North and South elevations of Lochranza Castle. 
Oblique aerial view centred on Lochranza Castle, Arran.Lochranza Castle Arran General ViewsLochranza Castle Bute General ViewsLochranza Castle General ViewsArran, Lochranza Castle, NR95SW 1, Ordnance Survey index card, RectoView from South-West.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza Castle and fish trap, looking to the ENE.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza Castle and fish trap, looking to the N.General oblique aerial view of Lochranza centred on Lochranza Golf Course, looking to the ESE.General oblique aerial view of Lochranza centred on Lochranza Castle, looking to the NNE.Oblique aerial view centred on Lochranza Castle, Arran.
Lochranza Castle Arran General ViewsLochranza Castle Arran General ViewsLochranza Castle Arran General ViewsLochranza Castle Bute General ViewsLochranza Castle Bute General ViewsLochranza Castle Bute General ViewsLochranza Castle Bute General ViewsView from South.General oblique aerial view centred on Loch Ranza with the village and castle adjacent, taken from the NW.Oblique aerial view centred on the castle with the village adjacent, taken from the N.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza Castle and fish trap, looking to the NNW.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza Castle and fish trap, looking to the NW.General oblique aerial view of Lochranza centred on the Isle of Arran Distillery and Golf Course, looking to the NNE.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza Castle, looking to the SE.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza Fish Trap and Lochranza Castle, looking to the NNW.Longitudinal section and transverse section of Lochranza Castle. 
Titled. 'Longitudinal Section Looking East. & Longitudinal Section Thru Cellars Looking North.'Lochranza Castle Arran General ViewsLochranza Castle General ViewsLochranza Castle General ViewsLochranza Castle General ViewsHistoric photograph showing view of Lochranza Castle, Arran,from South-West.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza Fish Trap and Lochranza Castle, looking to the NW.East elevation of Lochranza Castle. West elevation of Lochranza Castle.Oblique aerial view.General oblique aerial view centred on Loch Ranza, the village and the remains of the castle, taken from the NW.Oblique aerial view of Lochranza centred on the remains of the castle, taken from the ENE.Lochranza Castle Arran General ViewsLochranza Castle Arran General ViewsLochranza Castle Arran General ViewsLochranza Castle Bute General ViewsLochranza Castle Bute General ViewsLochranza Castle Bute General Views

First 100 images shown. See the Collections panel (below) for a link to all digital images.

Administrative Areas

  • Council North Ayrshire
  • Parish Kilmory
  • Former Region Strathclyde
  • Former District Cunninghame
  • Former County Buteshire

Archaeology Notes

NR95SW 1 93314 50675

NR 9332 5066. Castle (NR) (In Ruins)

OS 6" map (1924)

Lochranza Castle is now ruinous; in the main it is three storeys and an attic in height, with the S wing two storeys higher. The original castle was a late 13th-early 14th c oblong hall-house of two main storeys having a small square tower projecting from its SW corner. Much of this early work remains, but its present appearance derives mainly from a thorough reconstruction carried out in the late 16th c when the upper works were renewed and heightened and the interior remodelled.

It was possibly erected by a member of the Stewart family of Menteith (J Dunbar 1973); it was occupied in 1614 by troops of James VI, and later that century by Cromwell's forces.

D MacGibbon and T Ross 1889; S Cruden 1960; N Tranter 1970.

Lochranza Castle (DoE nameplate) is as described in the previous information.

Visited by OS (BS) 6 December 1977

Activities

Aerial Photography (1970)

Oblique aerial photographs of Lochranza Castle, Arran, taken by John Dewar in 1970.

Publication Account (1985)

This outwardly simple and gaunt-looking ruined 'tower-house hides, within its walls, a surprise which gives added interest to what would otherwise be a comparatively nm-of-the-mill tower. Until recently it was thought to be a 16th century tower-house of typical L-shaped plan, but more detailed analysis of the fabric by Stewart Cruden suggested that incorporated within the 16th century work there was a much earlier and more interesting building. Subsequent restoration of the castle confirmed Cruden's interpretation, and it is now clear that Lochranza Castle began life as a hall-house of the late 13th to mid 14th century.

Hall-houses are comparatively rare, the majority having been destroyed or, as in the case of Lochranza, incorporated into later buildings. They comprise small, compact buildings characteristically used by the lesser nobility whose finances could not extend to the construction of larger castles. In many ways they are the forerunner of tower-houses but they were never designed to reach the height of towers, and the principal accommodation was normally arranged on two floors, the lower being used for storage, while the upper floor contained the lord's hall. They are commonly equated with the English fortified manor house, and in a Scottish context they should be compared with early tower-houses such as Dundonald Castle, no. 40. The early features at Lochranza which led Cruden to propose the existence of the hall-house are a blocked doorway on the north-east wall, which gave direct access to the lord's hall, a number of long arrow-slits and several narrow windows with widesplayed jambs and wide internal openings.

In the 16th century the hall-house was heightened to turn it into a conventional tower-house and crenellations were added. The internal arrangements were also considerably modified, with the principal entrance being moved to the middle of the south-west wall so that it would be overlooked by the wing that formed the foot on the L-plan.

Information from ‘Exploring Scotland’s Heritage: The Clyde Estuary and Central Region’, (1985).

Watching Brief (14 April 1997 - 17 April 1997)

NR 9332 5066 In April 1997 a watching brief was maintained by Kirkdale Archaeology during the excavation of a trench on the strip of land connecting Lochranza Castle to the S shore of the loch, providing a new water main along the coast road. The castle lies some 200m offshore in the loch at the end of a sand and gravel spur.

The spit comprised tidal sands and gravels, and the trench, 23cm wide and 30cm deep, was excavated across c 190m of its length. The only structural elements comprised two discrete areas of flat schist slabs buried to a depth of 20?25cm. These slabs appeared to be loosely laid, and of a single layer, buried in the beach gravels; their function is not clear.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

G Ewart and P Sharman 1997.

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