Castle Campbell

Formerly part of the Stewarts landholdings, the castle and estate in Dollar Glen, came to the powerful Campbell clan through marriage in the second half of the 15th century. It was probably the 1st Earl of Argyll (the 2nd Lord Campbell) who built the mighty four-storey rectangular tower house, on the site of an earlier motte castle. Gloom Castle, as it was known at that time (derived from the Gaelic word 'Glom' meaning chasm), must have presented a daunting spectacle for approaching visitors looking up to its lofty position of solitude on a spur of the Ochil Hills.

The Campbells had an uncanny knack of choosing the right allies during the turbulent years of Scottish rule, and made the most of exercising their influence when needing favours. In 1489, the Earl persuaded James IV to give approval for changing the castle's name, and since that time it was called Castle Campbell. Providing a convenient seat in the Lowlands, Castle Campbell remained the principal residence of the Argyll Campbells for nearly 200 years. Inevitably, as luck tends to do, the Campbells' luck ran out when they were faced with the choice of King or Cromwell. Choosing the King initially, the Marquis (8th Earl) of Argyll switched his allegiance to Cromwell, and the Castle Campbell was subsequently burned in 1654. Just seven years later he was executed, and the Campbells abandoned Castle Stalker in favour of more spacious accommodation in Stirling.

What remains today is a remarkably well preserved tower, with a complex of more ruinous 16th/17th century buildings arranged around the courtyard. Virtually unchanged since it was first built, the tower has massively thick walls with few windows and now only one of its original two entrances. The south range was added to Castle Campbell, providing a spacious hall for grand receptions and, about one hundred years later, the castle was further extended with an east range. Other alterations and improvements to the original tower block, such as a stair turret incorporating a spiral staircase, were carried out at the same time. Gradually evolving from a mere fortress to a comfortable fortified mansion with substantial accommodation ensured that the Earls could entertain visitors from all walks of life. Two most worthy of a mention are John Knox, a leading Protestant of his time who used to preach from within the castle's confines, and Mary Queen of Scots who was a guest at the wedding of the 5th Earl's sister in 1563.

Since the 19th century, a time when many ruined historic buildings were thought of more as romantic visions, Castle Campbell has arguably become one of Britain's most evocative sights. Once thought of as a depressing place, standing like an invincible guard on a hilltop above the rugged glen, and having a name that brought a shudder to those who dared to utter it aloud, Castle Campbell's image has now radically changed. It has become a stunning ruin in picturesque surroundings, with less emphasis on it's grisly secret of a pit prison, and more proclaim for its breathtaking views from the top of the tower.