Carnasserie Castle by munki-boy
Carnasserie Castle
Carnasserie Castle is located just over a mile north of Kilmartin, in Argyll, Scotland.
This magnificent ruined castle, is the former home of the first Protestant Bishop of the Isles. The castle was built as a single structure between 1565 and 1572 by John Carswell, and apart from some changes to the windows in the south wall made in 1681, it remained virtually unaltered. The result is a remarkable example of the architecture of the day. Although sited on raised ground close to a strategic pass at the head of Kilmartin Glen, it was designed more for domestic use rather than military purposes.
The castle was blown up in 1685 by Royalist Forces during the Monmouth Rebellion and the castle fell into disuse.
Carnasserie castle has a 5-storey tower house, with a longer three storey hall house. In the basement are the remains of cellars and a kitchen with a large fireplace and water inlet. Above this is the large hall, connected to a large drawing room in the tower house, which retains its stone floor and large fireplace with finely carved stone decoration. Stairs rise from the entrance to the hall, contained in a small tower to the north-west. A second smaller stair leads up from the hall to the parapet walk on three sides of the tower house. The exterior displays numerous double keyhole gunloops, as well as decorative string courses and corbelling.
John Carswell published the first ever book to be printed in Scottish Gaelic in 1567, a translation of John Knox’s book, the Book of Common Order. He was Rector of Kilmartin, where he also had a castle (Kilmartin Castle), then Chancellor of the Chapel-Royal at Stirling. He was made Bishop of the Isles in 1566 by Mary, Queen of Scots and had a substantial income.
Created: 27 November 2016 Edited: 29 November 2023
Carnasserie Castle
Carnasserie Castle LiDAR Map
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
Local History around Carnasserie Castle
There are some historic monuments around including:
Ford,cairn 60m E of Forestry Houses Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM5442Auchinellan,cupmarked rocks 1150m N of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM5516Poltalloch, cist 55m WNW of North Lodge Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cist SM221Dunadd,fort,boar carving,ogam inscription and cupmarkings Crosses and carved stones sculptured stone; Prehistoric domestic and defensive hill and promontory fort; Prehistoric ritual and funerary cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks SM90108Nether Largie Mid, cairn 305m NNE of Nether Largie Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM13298Kintraw,artificial hillside platform Prehistoric ritual and funerary: stone setting SM3690Ballymeanoch, standing stones 450m NW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: stone setting SM4301Torbhlaran,standing stone Prehistoric ritual and funerary: standing stone SM230Ford,cupmarked rock Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM5709Crinan Moss,cist,Barsloisnoch Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM195An Car,standing stone,Lechuary Prehistoric ritual and funerary: standing stone SM170Dun mac Samhainn, cairn Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM201Kilchoan Lodge,chambered cairn Prehistoric ritual and funerary: chambered cairn SM220Dunadd, standing stone 190m ESE of Dunadd Cottage Prehistoric ritual and funerary: standing stone SM197Dun Toiseach, dun 300m SE of Torran Farm Prehistoric domestic and defensive: dun SM10872Glenmoine,cup and ring marked rock 200m NNW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM5491Ballymeanoch,kerb cairn 430m NW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM3749Caol Chaorann,tower Secular: tower SM5384Dun Chonallaich,fort Prehistoric domestic and defensive: fort (includes hill and promontory fort); Secular: shieling SM5473Kintraw,cairns and standing stone 200m SSE of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM210Barsloisnach, two cists 230m ESE of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cist SM181Rhudil Mill,cairn 225m NW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM226Temple Wood,stone circles and cairns 330m SW of Nether Largie Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM90300Rhudil Mill, cairn 410m ENE of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM227Ballymeanoch,cairn 300m NW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM3342Carnasserie Castle,castle,garden,enclosure and cup-marked stone Prehistoric domestic and defensive: dun; Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art; Secular: castle SM90061Ford,cist 35m ENE of Ford Hotel Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cist SM5439Torran,cup-marked rock 290m SSE of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM5636St Bride's Chapel Ecclesiastical: chapel SM2640Baroile,chambered cairn 180m SSW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: chambered cairn SM179Poltalloch,cup & ring marked rock SW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM223Carnasserie Castle, cairn 550m WSW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM186Creag Madaidh Mor,mine 1050m WNW of Glenmoine Industrial: mines, quarries SM5490Kilmichael Glassary,prehistoric rock carvings Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM90184Auchinellan,cupmarked rocks and enclosure Prehistoric domestic and defensive: enclosure (domestic or defensive); Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM5669Ballymeanoch, henge, 390m WNW of Ballmeanoch Cottage Prehistoric ritual and funerary: henge SM176Nether Largie,standing stones 400m S of Fork Roads Prehistoric ritual and funerary: standing stone SM218Poltalloch, three cists 320m S of Cnoc-an-teallaidh Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cist SM225Glebe Cairn,Kilmartin Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM90183Kilmartin Churchyard, crosses, tombstones, & Neil Campbell Tomb Crosses and carved stones: sculptured stone (not ascribed to a more specific type); Ecclesiastical: burial ground, cemetery, graveyard SM13316Stroneskar,cupmarkings 1750m WSW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM5624Duntroon, fort 140m N of Duntroon Lodge Prehistoric domestic and defensive: fort (includes hill and promontory fort) SM240Nether Largie,cup marked rock 440m N of Fork Roads Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM217Stroneskar,cupmarked rock and cairns W of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM5710Crinan Canal,Crinan to Cairnbaan Industrial: inland water SM6500Ballygowan,prehistoric rock carvings 100m N of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM90025Poltalloch,cup & ring marked rock 225m N of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM222Carnasserie,two standing stones 500m SW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: standing stone SM187Dun Mac Samhainn,dun Prehistoric domestic and defensive: dun SM5474Nether Largie South, chambered cairn 120m S of Nether Largie Prehistoric ritual and funerary: chambered cairn SM13299Ormaig,cupmarked rocks 320m S of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM5488Ri Cruin,cairn 210m S of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM90247Dunchragaig,cairn 280m NW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM90111Poltalloch,standing stone 500m WSW of East Lodge Prehistoric ritual and funerary: standing stone SM224Torran,cross-incised stone 40m E of Crosses and carved stones: cross-incised stone; Prehistoric ritual and funerary: standing stone SM5857Baluachraig,prehistoric rock carvings 100m SW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM90026Ederline,crannog 600m W of Prehistoric domestic and defensive: crannog SM5443Rowanfield Cottage,cist 275m SW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cist SM228Clach an t'Sagairt,chambered cairn,Ardfern Prehistoric ritual and funerary: chambered cairn SM3376Creagantairbh Beag,standing stone at S end of Loch Ederline Prehistoric ritual and funerary: standing stone SM194Barr a Chuirn,fort 430m ENE of Prehistoric domestic and defensive: fort (includes hill and promontory fort) SM3360Barbreck's Well Secular: well SM3398Old Glennan, standing stone 60m N of, and cairns 50m & 125m NW of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM5514Carnasserie Farm,cup-marked rock 360m ENE of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM3349Lady's Seat,cairn 420m WNW of Ballygowan Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM211Nether Largie North, cairn 480m NNE of Nether Largie Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain) SM13294Ford,stone setting 270m SW of Ford Hotel Prehistoric ritual and funerary: stone setting SM202Barmolloch Mhor, cup and ring marked rock 250m W of Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cupmarks or cup-and-ring marks and similar rock art SM13286.
