Castles

In medieval times, castles were established at Rosneath, Faslane and Shandon, but none of these remain. Later, in the nineteenth century, castles featured in the flourish of fine building carried out for wealthy captains of industry seeking to establish summer family residences away from the fetid smog of Glasgow. They chose the Rosneath Peninsula because the air was clean, it was a pleasant water-side location, and the area was accessible from the city by steamer. See more under The coming of the steamer and Housing and development.

Ancient castles

Rosneath Castle and William Wallace

According to the 15th century poet, Blind Harry, Rosneath Castle was stormed and taken by William Wallace. Another legend has it that on a different occasion, Wallace was being closely pursued by his enemies, when he jumped on horseback from the small cliff (beside the current Rosneath Bistro) known as Wallace's Leap. The horse was killed, but uninjured, Wallace made it on foot to the Gareloch, where he jumped in and swam to the other side to elude his pursuers.

A later castle on the site was burned down in 1800: it was replaced by a grand structure by the architect Bonomi in 1803, and was built close to where the Bistro now stands.

At that time, the estate belonged to the Dukes of Argyll: the last Duke to own it was married to Princess Louise, a daughter of Queen Victoria. After the Princess died in 1939, the castle was used as an HQ for American troops based there during the latter part of World War II. It was finally demolished in 1961: the grounds are now occupied by Rosneath Holiday Park.

Faslane Castle and St. Michael's Chapel

The castle at Faslane is said to have finally disappeared when the West Highland Railway was built over the site in 1891-1894, but the nearby St. Michael's Chapel, which probably served as a place of worship for the owners, is still extant, though ruinous. It could be as old as the 13th Century. The grounds of the chapel serve as the local cemetery, and are noteworthy as the burial place of the K13 submarine disaster, which took place in the Gareloch in 1917. Thirty-one men perished in the accident.