Toward Castle, Argyll, Scotland

Toward Castle

Toward

 
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This castle, near Dunoon, was built by the Lamont family in the fifteenth century. Although in ruins there are still some fairly substantial walls and an archway plus part of a turnpike stairway. The south wall of the tower is still pretty well intact and hints at the former size of the building.

It is known that the Lamont family were royalists (Scottish Crown) and that they indeed supported the MacDonalds in their frequent conflicts with the Campbells. In the spring of 1646 a particularly strong contingent of Campbells besieged the castle of Toward. Eventually Sir James Lamont negotiated a surrender whereby the Campbells would let the Lamonts go free. Unsurprisingly the Campbells did not honour their promise and put all the Lamonts (thought to be as many as 200) they caught to the sword. It is recorded that up to 36 were also hung from one tree in the nearby town of Dunoon.

Clan Lamont finally relinquished ownership of the castle in 1809. The ruins of the castle were consolidated in 1970 and is now a pleasant place to visit.

Mary Queen of Scots visited and stayed at Toward Castle in 1563

 

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The nearest Town  is of course Dunoon which is a few miles up the Cowal Penisula. The castle itself sits at the bottom of cowal with a commanding position guarding Loch Striven and the Kyles of Bute.