Castle Sween
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Castle Sween is located on the eastern shore of Loch Sween, in Knapdale,[1] on the west coast of Argyll, Scotland. Castle Sween is thought to be one of the earliest stone castles built in Scotland, having been built sometime in the late twelfth century.[1] The castle's towers were later additions to wooden structures which have now since vanished.[1]
[edit] History
Castle Sween takes its name from Suibhne, (Anglicized as Sween), who is thought to have built the castle. Suibhne was thought to have been a grandson of Hugh the Splendid O'Neill who died in 1047.[2]
In the thirteenth century the Clan MacSween, or descendants Suibhne, governed lands extending as far north as Loch Awe and as far south as Skipness Castle on Loch Fyne.[2] In the later half of the thirteenth century the MacSween lands of Knapdale passed into the hands of the Stewart Earls of Menteith.[3]
By the time of the Wars of Scottish Independence the MacSweens took the wrong side, and when Robert the Bruce became King of Scotland he displaced the MacSweens from their lands.[2] After Robert the Bruce had defeated MacDougall Lord of Lorne in 1308, he then laid siege to Alasdair Og MacDonald in Castle Sween.[4] Alastair gave himself up and was disinherited by Robert Bruce who then granted Islay to Alasdair's younger brother, Angus Og.[4] The King granted Castle Sween to a loyal supporter of his, Angus of Islay.[2]
In 1310, Edward II of England granted John MacSween and his brothers their family's ancestral lands of Knapdale, (though by then Castle Sween was held by Sir John Menteith).[3] It is possible that this could be the "tryst of a fleet against Castle Sween", recorded in the Book of the Dean of Lismore,[3] which tells of the attack of John Mac Sween on Castle Sween.
In 1323, after the death of Sir John Menteith, the Lordship of Arran and Knapdale passed to his son and grandson.[3] In 1376 half of Knapdale, which included Castle Sween, passed into possession of the MacDonald Lords of the Isles, by grant of Robert II of Scotland to his son-in-law John I, Lord of the Isles.[3]
During the MacDonald's century and a half of holding the castle, the castellans were first MacNeills and later MacMillans.[5]
In 1490 Castle Sween was granted to Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll, by James IV of Scotland.[5]
In the 1640s, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, Castle Sween was attacked and burnt by Alasdair MacColla and his Irish Confederate followers.[5]
In 1933 the castle was put in the care of the Historic Building and Monuments Directorate (HBMD).[6] Currently Castle Sween is under the protection of Historic Scotland.[6]
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/properties_sites_detail.htm?propertyID=PL_061 Retrieved on June 19, 2007
- ^ a b c d http://www.knapdalepeople.com/SweenStory.html Retrieved on June 19, 2007
- ^ a b c d e http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_126/126_517_557.pdf Retrieved on July 04, 2007
- ^ a b http://www.ccsna.org/jsep60b.htm Retrieved on June 19, 2007
- ^ a b c http://www.ccsna.org/castles/sween.html Retrieved on June 19, 2007
- ^ a b http://www.darkisle.com/s/sween/sween.html Retrieved on June 19, 2007
[edit] External links
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