Scotland/Scots > Black's picturesque tourist of Scotland

BUTE—ROTHESAY CASTLE.
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it has been compared to that of Devonshire. In consequence
of this, the island is resorted to by consumptive invalids, as
well as for summer quarters.
The Marquis of Bute is the chief proprietor of the island.
His seat is Mountstuart, beautifully situated on the east side
of the island, about four miles from Rothesay, the capital of the
county of Bute. Rothesay is situated at the head of a deep
bay, on the north-east side of the island, where there is safe
anchorage ground for vessels of any size and any wind, and
room enough to contain a very large fleet.
Rothesay Castle, once the residence of the kings of Scotland,
is situated in the middle of the town. It originally consisted
of a circular court, 138 feet in diameter, surrounded by a wall
eight feet thick and seventeen feet high, with battlements.
It had four towers, and was surrounded by a wet ditch. It is
supposed to have been built about the year 1100, though the
particular date is not known. It is first mentioned in history
in 1228, and Heulbec, king of the Isles, was killed in besieging
it in 1263. It was taken possession of by the English during
the reign of John Baliol, but surrendered to Robert the Bruce
in 1311. King Robert the Second built a palace adjoining the
castle, and frequently took up his residence in it betwixt 1376
and 1398, when he created his eldest son Prince David Duke
of Rothesay, a title which the Prince of Wales still bears.
This was the first dukedom conferred in Scotland. On the
12th January 1400 Robert granted the charter of erection of
the burgh of Rothesay. He died in the castle of Rothesay on
4th April 1406, and was buried in the Abbey of Paisley. This
castle was burned by a brother of the Earl of Argyle in 1685,
and has since remained in ruins.
There are several remains of druidical monuments on the
island, but the chief or most entire is at Laugalchorid, in the
parish of Kingarth.
There are three small villages—Port Bannatyne, situated
at the head of Karnes Bay, about two and a half miles from
Rothesay ; Kerrycroy, near Mountstuart, the seat of the Mar¬
quis of Bute; and Kilcattan Bay, situated on the south side
of the island. The natives formerly spoke the English and
Gaelic languages indifferently, but now English chiefly
prevails.