Coeffin Castle, Argyll, Scotland

 
Home Argyll Clyde Argyll Islands Argyll West Argyll North
All Castles Achadun Castle Ardtornish Castle Aros Castle Barcaldine Castle Breachacha Castle Carnasserie Cstle Carrick Castle Claig Castle Coeffin Castle Cove Castle Craignish Castle Dunadd Fort Duart Castle Dunollie Castle Dunstaffnage Duntrune Castle Dunyvaig Castle Glengorm Castle Gylen Castle Inveraray Castle Kames Castle Kilberry Castle Kilchurn Castle Kilmartin Castle Kilmory Castle Kinlochaline Lochleven Castle Rothesay Castle Skipness Castle Stalker Castle Stonefield Castle Sween Castle Tarbert Castle Torosay Castle Toward Castle
Accommodation
Advertising
 

Coeffin castle is situated on Lismore Island which is accessible by boat from Either Oban or Appin. The castle lies on the North West coast of Lismore about 3 miles from the Appin Ferry landing slip.

Thought to have been built on the site of a Viking fortress on the Northwest coast of the Island of Lismore, Coeffinn castle as it is now was built in the 12th Century. Some recent Archives suggest that Coeffin and Lismore itself may have been a place of refuge for the Knights Templar after the 14th Century Papal purge. Now a ruin, the castle was abandoned in the 1600s.

As with so many other Argyll castles, it later passed into Campbell ownership but its name may well demonstrate its original Viking roots. Caifin was a Viking Prince whose sister was reputed to haunt the castle until her remains were taken to lie with her lover in Norway!

It may also have been known as Castle Rachal – in the 1700s, the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland lists a castle of this name at the same location. It describes “a very ancient Scandinavian fortalice in Lismore...2.5 miles from the Northeastern extremity, now a dilapidated ruin”

 

  

Coeffin Castle Lismore
photograph is viewed from isleoflismore.com
 (not embedded on this site)

The nearest village is N/a

 

Please use this map to orientate yourself to the general area and vicinity of the castle.