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Clan MacDougall had an enormous impact on their territory, founding numerous grand buildings. We’ve had a great time exploring a few of their most impressive strongholds and can’t wait to share them with you!
Discover the Castles of Clan MacDougall
Dunollie Castle
As usual, we’d like to start with the clan’s ancestral seat, in this case, the striking Dunollie Castle.
Dunollie Castle sits on a hill north of Oban overlooking the sea, with stunning views of the town, harbour, and the island of Kerrera. It is thought that there was some form of stronghold on the site as early as the Middle Ages, when Dunollie was a royal hub in the kingdom of Dal Riata. Archaeological digs that took place in the 1970s suggest that this early fortification had been abandoned by the 10th century and left alone until it was rebuilt in the 13th century.
It was likely rebuilt by either Dougall or his son Duncan, the Lords of Lorne, and descendants of the great Somerled.
Over the following centuries, Dunollie saw much turmoil and instability, but the MacDougalls proved determined to hang onto their ancestral home, managing to claim it back from enemy hands multiple times.
In the 14th century, Chief John MacDougall fought with the Balliols against Robert the Bruce, defeating him at the Battle of Dalrigh in 1306. Robert, however, did not forget about this slight, and returned in 1308, crushing Clan MacDougall at the Battle of the Pass of Brander.
He took over the MacDougall lands, including Dunollie Castle, but luckily, the MacDougalls succeeded in regaining their stronghold later on in the 14th century.
Similarly, in 1644, the Marquis of Argyll seized Dunollie, but did not mange to maintain it for long, and the MacDougalls reclaimed it once again in 1661.
The family finally moved away from the castle in 1746, when they relocated to Dunollie House, just a short distance away.
Today, the site is cared for by the MacDougall of Dunollie Preservation Trust (DPT), which was founded in 1998 when the current Chief of Clan MacDougall, Morag MacDougall, entrusted part of the estate to a carefully selected board of trustees.
The DPT maintain the castle, as well as housing significant archives and a collection of more than 10,000 historical objects! The trust is a charitable organisation, so any money raised with ticket, shop, or café sales is invested directly back into the care of the site.
Paying them a visit would be the perfect way to support this important work, as well as honouring your clan ancestors!
Dunstaffnage Castle
Our next MacDougall site for today is equally as impressive.
Stood majestically on a huge rock above the Firth of Lorn, Dunstaffnage Castle is one of the oldest stone castles in Scotland and is thought to have been built by some of the earliest members of Clan MacDougall!
It is believed that the first iteration of Dunstaffnage was in place by 1240, having been built by Duncan MacDougall, the grandson of the great Somerled. These were turbulent times, as Scotland and Norway were fighting for control of the Hebrides, and Dunstaffnage’s architecture reflects this.
The stronghold lay behind an impenetrable stone wall, which concealed the residential buildings within. The only openings were a few narrow vertical arrow slits, put in place so that the MacDougalls could defend themselves if necessary.
Duncan’s son, Ewen, later added 3 projecting round towers, both to demonstrate his wealth and status, and to improve the castle’s fortifications.
The King of Scots beat Norway and won control of the Hebrides in 1266, but Dunstaffnage’s violent history was not yet over.
In around 1308, during the Wars of Independence, the infamous Robert Bruce besieged the castle, defeating the MacDougalls and claiming Dunstaffnage for his own. It stayed in royal possession until 1469, when it was granted by James III to Colin Campbell, the 1st Earl of Argyll.
When the Jacobite Rebellion came around in 1745, the castle once again became a military hotspot, as it was garrisoned by government forces. This time period saw Dunstaffnage ‘welcome’ one of its most famous guests, when Flora MacDonald was briefly held prisoner in the ‘new house.’
The story goes that the gentle and well-meaning Flora was on a trip to visit her brother when she was shocked to encounter Bonnie Prince Charlie fleeing from the Redcoats after his defeat at Culloden. Flora, feeling sorry for the Prince, agreed to help him, dressing him up as her serving girl. The two managed to cross over to Skye, where the Prince successfully made his escape. Flora, however, was not so lucky, and was arrested and taken to Dunstaffnage.
She stayed there only a few days before being moved to the treacherous Tower of London. Fortunately, she was released the next year!
Over the following centuries, the castle began to deteriorate, and in 1958, it was handed into state care to ensure that its fascinating history would be preserved.
It is now a Historic Environment Scotland property, and open to the public. Why not plan a visit to admire the classic architecture, take in the stunning scenery, and imagine the fearsome battles this old MacDougall stronghold has witnessed.
Ardchattan Priory
Our final MacDougall site for today is not a castle but is no less fascinating!
It is thought that Duncan MacDougall, Lord of Lorne, set up Ardchattan Priory in around 1230 to house an order of Valliscaulian monks, a group who strictly followed monastic rule.
MacDougall may have been motivated by political reasons, thinking that inviting Valliscaulians to Ardchattan would help him gain favour with the Scottish King, who had also recently founded a monastery for the order.
Ardchattan thrived over the following centuries, and was expanded over the 1400s and 1500s, to extend the monks’ choir and include a new refectory.
Clan MacDougall successfully ran the priory for the vast majority of the time it was open, only relinquishing control in 1506, when the last MacDougall prior, Eugenius, was deposed.
After this, the priory rapidly slowed down. By 1538, there were only 6 monks, and by the time of the Reformation in 1560, there were only 3.
In 1602, Archibald Campbell acquired Ardchattan and began the process of turning it into a private house. It is still a private residence today, but the ruins of the chapel and graveyard, as well as the thriving garden, are now cared for by Historic Environment Scotland and are open to the public.
There are several amazing MacDougall relics on display, including the MacDougall Cross, which was commissioned by Prior Eugenius MacDougall in 1500. It is one of the very few examples of West Highland carvings that includes the sculptor’s name: John Ó Brolchán.
If you find yourself in the area, it would be a fascinating place to visit!
We hope you have enjoyed exploring the lands of Clan MacDougall as much as we have! Let us know if you feel inspired to plan a trip to Dunollie Castle, Dunstaffnage, or Ardchattan Priory.
In the meantime, if you’d like to learn more about the fascinating Clan MacDougall, why not head over to our Clan MacDougall page, and make sure to keep an eye out for the rest of our content over this month.
Image Sources:
Dunollie Castle By Timo Newton-Syms from Helsinki, Finland & Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK - Dunollie Castle, CC BY-SA 2.0
Dunstaffnage Castle By Gunther Tschuch - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ardchattan Priory By Otter - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
