Dunstaffnage Castle

Argyll and Bute, United Kingdom

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

Find out more

Dunstaffnage Castle is a partially ruined 13th-century fortress in Argyll and Bute, western Scotland, situated three miles northeast of Oban on a rocky promontory at the southwest entrance to Loch Etive, surrounded by sea on three sides. Among Scotland's oldest stone castles, it was built by the MacDougall lords of Lorn and has been held by Clan Campbell since the 15th century. The castle's name derives from Gaelic *dun* ("fort") and Norse *stafa nes* ("headland of the staves"). Now maintained by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled ancient monument and open to the public, the castle retains a 16th-century gatehouse as the private property of its hereditary Captain, a title that persists despite the Captain's modern residence elsewhere.

Built: 1220
Type: castle
Heritage: scheduled monument
Place: Argyll and Bute, United Kingdom

This building on

Architecturally similar

Location

56.45465, -5.43694