Oban in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
Justice and Joviality
Ceartas is Cuirmean
Justice and Joviality
The great hall occupied the whole floor above you. It was the hub of the castle, where the Lord of Lorn sat in banquets in the evening.
Gone is the Grandeur
The great hall was part of the original castle. So little remains, however, that its layout is no longer clear. There may have been a large window where the donjon now stands. By the 1700s, the hall must have been remodelled because you can see a fireplace built into the doorway on this wall. The remaining windows are more easily seen from outside.
'Is a sin do Dhun-Stainnis
Far nach fhaigh mi nis' aoibhneas
Mar bha aig na Righrean
Tha nan sineadh 'san rei'lan:
Bho Òrain Ghaelach le Iain MacGhrigair
‘And from there to Dunstaffnage
Where I will now not find joy
As the Kings had
That lie in the plain’.
From Gaelic Songs by John MacGregor
Living in the Round
The donjon tower — next to the great hall — was a fortified keep and not a prison dungeon. It was of three towers added to the castle in about 1250 to provide the lord with comfortable private rooms. It also gave defending archers a good view along the adjacent walls.
The lord's bedchamber was on the top floor and his ‘hall’ — his living and working room — was below it. The spiral stair linking the two gave access to a latrine that sat above an open chute — you can see it better from outside.
( photo captions )
- Above: This lead stamp was found on the beach near Dunstaffnage. It would have been used on the wax seals, like a signature, that were fixed to documents to signify agreement to the hand-written decisions or contracts.
- Left: The great hall was used as a courtroom, a place for meetings and negotiations, a rent-collector's office, a hospitality suite for visitors, a family dining room and a theatre for enjoying musicians and storytellers.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Forts and Castles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1250.
Location. 56° 27.287′ N, 5° 26.259′ W. Marker is in Oban, Scotland, in Argyll and Bute. Marker can be reached from Kirk Road, 1.6 kilometers north of 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. A Towering Outlook (a few steps from this marker); Core of the Castle (a few steps from this marker); Behind the Walls (a few steps from this marker); Watching, Waiting and Warning (within shouting distance of this marker); A Hidden Haven (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. 4.7 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 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 14, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.