History - Dark history of Dunstaffnage Castle Photo by PaulT Gunther Tschuch CC BY-SA 4.0 Dunstaffnage Castle
Dark history of Dunstaffnage Castle
by Paul Watson
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ituated around three miles outside of Oban lies the remains of one of Scotland’s oldest and most formidable stone castles, dating back to the 13th century. Dunstaffnage Castle and Chapel, on the outskirts of the village of Dunbeg, sits on a raised rocky outcrop at the mouth of Loch Etive. It is surrounded on three sides by the sea and provides commanding views across the Firth of Lorn, the Sound of Mull
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and the approach to the Great Glen. It has always been a major strategic location for anyone looking to control a key route from Argyll into the heart of Scotland - and that’s precisely why the McDougalls built it. For most of the 13th century they were the most powerful clan in Argyll. Initially constructed as a simple quadrangular structure, with thick high walls and few openings to provide ideal security
and defence, the castle has been altered and expanded considerably over the centuries. Throughout the ages Dunstaffnage and surrounding area has played an important role in Scottish history. Even before foundations of the current castle were laid there is believed to have been a fort on the site. It was here that the Stone of Destiny, carried to Scotland by Scota - a daughter of an Egyptian Pharaoh, is to have been kept until it was moved to Scone by King Kenneth MacAlpin in the 9th century.
