An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volumes 44--45, January 1949--December 1950

administrative headquarters, Dunoon with its
neig-hbourhood is the most populous district
in Argyll and has the highest valuation in the
county. At one time, however, it appeared
as if Kilmun would outstrip it. Until the
development of modern Dunoon the largest
population in Cowal was to be found in Kilmun
and beside the Holy Loch. In 1490 Colin,
Earl of Argyll, got a charter from the king
erecting the village of Kilmun into a free
burgh of . barony, the first burgh to be
established in Cowal, but Kilmun never
effectively functioned as a complete burgh.
The history of Dunoon and neighbourhood
begins early. Above Ardnadam (at Sandbank)
stands a “ cromlech ” (crom-leac), or pagan
altar—two standing-stones with a third on top
like a lintel. Until well on in the last century
it was a favourite spot for betrothals, and
marriage contracts made there were regarded
as sacred and binding, apparently a survival
of pre-historic betrothals.
Across the Holy Loch (Loch Seanta) is
Ardentinny (Aird an teine—the Height of the
fire—sacrificial fire or beacon-fire?) The Holy-
Loch itself is said to have derived its name
thus : many centuries ago a ship, laden with
consecrated earth from the Holy land, was
stranded in the loch and the cargo was dis¬
charged, and the Church of Kilmun was later
erected upon the sacred soil.
It is said that Agricola crossed the Clyde
in 82 A.D. and at Ardenslate there are traces
of what has been regarded as a Roman fort.
Dr. Colin M. Macdonald (in his History of
Argyll) is not disposed without proper ex¬
cavation to regard this as a Roman site, but
he thinks it may have been a temporary Roman
outpost.
THERE must have been a stronghold on
the Castle-hill from very early times, and
the castle itself existed as early as the 12th
century. For centuries it belonged to the kings
of Scotland who appointed Constables or
Governors over it—Bishop Turnbull of
Glasgow, founder of Glasgow University,
being one. From the 15th century onwards
the Earls of Argyll were hereditary Keepers
of the Castle. Robert Bruce and Edward
Baliol and the Royal Stewarts figure in the
story of the castle, and Mary Queen of Scots
spent two days there in 1563.
The possession of Dunoon Castle was the
key to control over the district of Cowal,
although there were twelve other castles in the
area, as, e.g., Carrick, Toward, Achnambreck,
Ascaig, Castle Lachlan, Dundarave, and Inver¬
aray (the latter being the only one still
inhabited). All that remains of Dunoon Castle
now is part of an ancient door-way, but the
Castle-hill perpetuates its memory, while Tom
a’ Mhbid (behind Castle-hill)—the ancient
moot-hill, where justice was dispensed— and
the Gallow-hill (covered by Royal Crescent)
are other links with ancient times. West Bay
Terrace stands on the site of the ancient
“ Cuspars ” or Butts, where archery was
practised. The ancient castle bowling-green
is now covered by Avenue House and buildings
at the junction of Agnes Street and Victoria
Road.
Most of Cowal belonged to the Lamonts from
time immemorial. Other long established
families were the MacNaughtans, the Mac-
Lachlans, and the MacEwans. The Lamonts
held Cowal till the middle of the 17th century,
but for over two centuries there had been a
bitter feud between them and the Campbells,
who were gradually gaining possession of the
whole district.
THE Campbells have been both cursed and
praised. Skene thought their policy was
“ characterised by perfidy and cunning,” while
Alexander MacBain declared that they nearly
always “ trod the path of level-headed common
sense.” There is, however, one very dark
page associated with Dunoon in the story of
the long and bitter feud between the Campbells
and the Lamonts. In June, 1646, after the
defeat of Montrose, the Marquis of Argyll
besieged the Lament Castles of Toward and
Ascaig, and, when the defenders surrendered,
200 of them were conveyed to Dunoon, where
thirty-six Lamont gentlemen were hanged on
an ash-tree near the kirkyard and the rest
were slaughtered and cast into pits in the
ground, some of them being buried alive. A
monument on “ Tom a’ Mhbid ” commemor¬
ates the Lamonts slain in this massacre.
The Lamorits of Knockdow were among the
few Lamont families that survived, and they
survived because an English officer carried
the infant son and heir of Knockdow to a
hiding-place in a cave near^Ormidale.
A more pleasant episode in the relations of
the Lamonts and Campbells is the granting by
the former to the latter of the right of burial in
Kilmun, which since 1453 has been the family
burying-ground of the House of Argyll.
In 1685 the Athoil men raided Cowal,
burning houses and driving away cattle. They
executed seventeen Campbell gentlemen, with¬
out trial, and burnt the Dunoon Castle, which
has been a ruin ever since until hardly a trace
now remains.
(Continued on p. 135)