Oban in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
A Towering Outlook
Sealladh Àrd
A Towering Outlook
The superb strategic location of the castle within a network of coastal strongholds, gave it panoramic views in all directions. No vessel — or marching army — could approach Dunstaffnage without being seen.
Royal Arrivals
Dunstaffnage attracted the attention of Scottish kings keen to establish their authority. Alexander II came to capture the castle but died on the way. Alexander III, his son, won the support of its lord, Ewen MacDougall, without firing an arrow.
Under Attack
During the Wars of Independence, John, Ewen's grandson, sided with supporters of the exiled king, John Balliol, against Robert the Bruce. Bruce defeated the MacDougall army near here at the Pass of Brander in 1308 and laid siege to Dunstaffnage. The ancestral home of the MacDougalls passed into royal hands for the next 150 years.
The Jacobite Heroine
Fionnaghal NicDhòmhnaill (Flora MacDonald) saved the life of Bonnie Prince Charlie after the Battle of Culloden by disguising him as her maid when they sailed ‘over the sea to Skye’. She was captured and held prisoner here in 1746 but transported to London and later released.
‘The king yat stout wes stark and bauld
Till Dunstaffynch rycht sturdely
A sege set and besyly [busily]
Assaylit [attacked] ye castell it to get’
John Barbour describes Bruce's attack on Dunstaffnage in the 1300s.
( photo caption )
Right: Dunstaffnage was at the heart of the ‘kingdom of the isles’ that included Argyll. It was a key part of a network of strongholds controlled by powerful Gaelic-speaking families.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Forts and Castles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1308.
Location. 56° 27.288′ N, 5° 26.25′ W. Marker is in Oban, Scotland, in Argyll and Bute. Marker can be reached from Kirk Road, 1.6 kilometers Route A85, on the left when traveling north. Located at Dunstaffnage Castle. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Oban, Scotland PA37, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Justice and Joviality (a few steps from this marker); Behind the Walls (within shouting distance of this marker); Core of the Castle (within shouting distance of this marker); A Hidden Haven (within shouting distance of this marker); Watching, Waiting and Warning (within shouting distance of this marker); Dunstaffnage Castle (within shouting distance of this marker); Falls of Lora (approx. 2.7 kilometers away); McCaig’s Tower (approx. 4.8 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oban.
Also see . . .
1. Dunstaffnage Castle & Chapel. (Submitted on December 14, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
2. Dunstaffnage Castle on Wikipedia. (Submitted on December 14, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 14, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 90 times since then and 3 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 14, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.