Dunyvaig Castle, ( gd, Dùn Naomhaig,
Anglicised ''Fort of the galleys'', also known as ''Dunnyveg'')
is located on the south side of
Islay, in
Argyll
Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland.
Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
, on the shore of
Lagavulin Bay, from
Port Ellen.
The castle was once a naval base of the
Lord of the Isles, chiefs of
Clan Donald. It was held by the chiefs of the
Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg
Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg, also known as Clan Donald South, ''Clan Iain Mor, Clan MacDonald of Islay and Kintyre, MacDonalds of the Glens (Antrim)'' and sometimes referred to as ''MacDonnells'', is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald. ...
.
History
12th century
A castle was built by Somerled, King of the Isles, on top of a fort or dun on a rocky promontory jutting into Lagavulin Bay.
13th and 14th centuries
The castle was held by the Macdonalds, Lords of the Isles, Somerled's descendants, specifically, Angus Mor Macdonald and his sons, Alexander Og and Angus Og. They used Lagavulin Bay as an anchorage for their fleet of galleys.
15th and 16th centuries
Forfeited in 1493, the castle passed to the
MacIans of Ardnamurchan.
The MacIans were descended from John Macdonald, younger brother of Angus Og Macdonald, Lord of the Isles and friend of Robert the Bruce, and suffered when that clan was punished for the 1501-1506 insurrection of
Black Donald Black Donald (Scottish Gaelic: ''Domhnall Dubh'' or ''Domnuill-dhu'') is a Highland colloquialism for the Devil in Scottish mythology. The defining characteristic of Black Donald is his cloven feet, which betray whatever disguise he assumes.
In h ...
; the castle was transferred to a branch of the Campbells. In 1545, however, the MacDonald holdings in Islay and Jura were restored to them.
Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567.
The only surviving legitimate child of James V of S ...
planned a visit to Argyll in June 1563.
Agnes Campbell
Lady Agnes Campbell (1526–1601) was the daughter of The 3rd Earl of Argyll and his wife, Lady Jean Gordon, daughter of The 3rd Earl of Huntly. She was likely born at Inveraray Castle. Her sister, Elizabeth, married The 1st Earl of Moray, an ...
, the wife of
James MacDonald of Dunyvaig, gave the queen a "marvellous fair" costume of "
Hyeland apparell". In 1598 the castle was kept by John Stewart of Arskok who was given £3000 Scots yearly for the expenses.
17th century
Angus Macdonald, 8th of Dunnyveg
Angus MacDonald, 8th of Dunnyveg (Scottish Gaelic: ''Aonghus Mac Dòmhnuill'', died 21 October 1614) was the Chief of Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg.
Life
MacDonald was the son of James MacDonald, 6th of Dunnyveg (died 1565) and Agnes Campbell, da ...
surrendered the castle by negotiation to the king's lieutenant
Andrew Stuart, 3rd Lord Ochiltree and the Bishop of the Isles
Andrew Knox who brought a royal naval force with 1000 men on 2 August 1608. On 5 August Angus MacDonald and others came aboard the ''Advantage'' to celebrate Gowrie day, the anniversary of the rescue of
James VI of Scotland at Perth in 1600. A garrison loyal to the king was installed.
In 1614, the castle was taken by
Ranald Og Macdonald, however it was retaken by
Angus Og MacDonald, who attempted to bargain the castle's surrender. Knox attempted to retake the castle in September 1614 and was defeated and compelled to retreat. Knox left his son Thomas and his nephew John Knox of Ranfurly as hostages for his good faith.
Knox wrote to the lawyer
Thomas Hamilton explaining these events and his actions after accusations that his inaction and sloth had led to the capture of the castle by the MacDonalds. He said his negotiation for the castle's surrender had stalled, and he had found it difficult to hire boats to take him from Arran to Dunyvaig during the harvest time. The MacLeans and McLeods of Harris refused to serve with him, and he could raise no more than seventy men, of whom fifty were waged soldiers and twenty followers of the lairds of
Ardincaple
Ardencaple Castle, also known as Ardincaple Castle, and sometimes referred to as Ardencaple Castle Light, is a listed building, situated about from Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Today, all that remains of the castle is a tower, perch ...
and Ranfurly. When he landed on Islay, lacking any further armed support, the Clan Donald of Islay, outmanoeuvred him and cut him off from his boats, which they looted and destroyed. The next day Knox was told he should surrender the two hostages or all his men would be executed. Knox noted that the MacDonalds had built a new fort in the loch. Some of his men had heard Angus Og MacDonald say he was working for the
Earl of Argyll
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form '' jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particula ...
, who would give him the castle and the whole lands of Islay. Thomas Hamilton wrote to Knox, who was at
Brodick Castle offering the services of the
Earl of Caithness
Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and it has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to have ...
and his cannon, but noting it was too late in the year.
George Graham negotiated the freedom of the two hostages or "gentlemen prisoners" although he lacked official support except a verbal promise from the Chancellor,
Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline
Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline (1555–1622) was a Scottish lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord President of the Court of Session from 1598 to 1604, Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1604 to 1622 and as a Lord High Commiss ...
of a cash reward. On 6 January 1615,
Sir John Campbell of Calder, with the assistance of
Sir Oliver Lambart who brought artillery and men in the ''
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
'' and retook the castle. Lambert captured 22 men while 22 others including
Coll Ciotach
Coll Ciotach Mac Domhnaill ( en, Left-handed Coll MacDonald) (1570–1647) was a Scottish adventurer and mercenary of the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg branch of Clan Donald, who became Laird of Colonsay in 1623, by treachery. His name, which means "C ...
escaped from a postern gate into a longboat.
In June 1615 Sir James MacDonald and Coll Ciotach captured the castle again, killing the captain and some of the garrison. The
Privy Council of Scotland
The Privy Council of Scotland ( — 1 May 1708) was a body that advised the Scottish monarch. In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of m ...
asked for a pinnace with cannon to batter the castle. Sir James MacDonald fled, and on 13 October 1615 before the guns were landed from the
''Charles'' and a barque Coll Ciotach surrendered to Argyll.
The castle was seized in 1647 by the
Covenanters and passed into the hands of the Campbells of Cawdor, who held it until 1677, when Sir Hugh Campbell pulled down the castle and moved to Islay House.
Ruins
Today all that remains of the castle are mainly the ruins of the sixteenth-century castle, although the site includes a thirteenth-century courtyard, and a fifteenth-century
keep.
The site was designated as a
scheduled monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change.
The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage and d ...
in 1989.
References
External links
https://web.archive.org/web/20070622063122/http://www.highlandconnection.org/castles/dunnyvegcastle.html
{{Islay
Ruined castles in Argyll and Bute
Islay
Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg
Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Argyll and Bute