Dunoon Castle
Dunoon (Dùn Omhain in Gaelic) is a resort town situated on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll, Scotland. It sits on the Firth of Clyde to the south of Holy Loch and to the west of Gourock.
William Miller after W. Brown
Overlooking the pier is a large statue to Robert Burns' love, Highland Mary, also known as Bonny Mary O' Argyll, which is located on Castle Hill, just below the remains of the 12th-Century Dunoon Castle. Very little remains of the castle, which would originally have belonged to the Lamont family but became a royal castle with the Earls of Argyll (Campbells) as hereditary keepers, paying a nominal rent of a single red rose to the sovereign. In earlier times, Mary, Queen of Scots stayed at the castle circa 1563 and granted several charters during her visit. The castle was destroyed during the rebellion in 1685.
Castle Toward, built in 1820 and formerly owned by the Lamont clan, is 6.5 miles (10.5 km) south of Dunoon. It is now used as an outdoor education centre.
