Castles & Towers of Scotland

CASTLE SWEEN

Castle Sween is a magnificent building standing on a low headland that projects into Loch Sween. The irregular court is entered through a gateway in the south wall and remnants of buildings and a well can be seen inside. Three towers stand at corners of the yard, the Southeast being the smallest, with a watch-chamber. The Northwest contains the prison, and the Northeast, or Macmillan’s Tower, contains a fine kitchen range with an oven, millstone and querns. The oldest part of the castle was erected in the 12^th century, but in the late 1400s it was improved and extended.

Tradition states that the castle was built by Sweyn, or Sueno, Prince of Denmark, in the 11^th century, but certainly nothing of the present structure is as old. The MacSweens, or MacSuibhnes, held the fortress until after the Wars of Independence (1296-1314), having opposed Bruce. John MacSween tried unsuccessfully to recover the lands in 1311. The Lords of the Isles then obtained the castle, which for some years was held by Hector MacNeill on their behalf. In 1481 the castle returned to royal hands and James III placed it in the keepership of Colin Campbell, Earl of Argyll. The building was destroyed in 1647 when MacDonald of Colkitto attacked it.