Houses of Interest: Dumfries and Galloway

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 The briefest entry for the current rash of Scottish entries.

Brodick Castle was seized by Argyll in 1639; it would be reclaimed by James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton, only to lose it to the Campbells in 1646. Hamilton would be captured at Preston, and be beheaded the 9th March 1649. 

Brodick Castle

The Castle would again be garrisoned for the King in 1650. The garrison resisted repeated half hearted attempts to take the Castle, before it eventually fell to soldiers from the Ayr garrison in April 1652.

The Roman fort atop Burnswick Hill was reutilised as a defensive earthwork with two demi-bastions added. Access to the site is along the Axeltree/Relief road. Park where the decent road runs out, a footpath takes you to the hill summit. OS grid NY185786

Dunaverty Castle

Dunaverty Castle was garrisoned for the King by the MacDonalds, but fell to Leslie in 1647 who slaughtered the 300 strong garrison, and camp followers. This incident became known as the "Dunaverty Massacre". The castle is nothing more than a ruin now, known as Blood Rock for the massacre which took place there.

Battle of Rhunahaorine Moss took place between Covenanters and Royalist forces led by Alasdair Mac Colla Chiotaich on 24 May 1647. Mac Colla was soundly defeated. The remaining Royalists fled to Kinlochkilkerran, where a fleet of birlinns transported many of the troops to Ireland, while others fled to Dunaverty. The battlefield is partially covered by Point Sands Holiday Park Tayinloan.



Postcodes for SatNavs
Brodick Castle, Brodick, Isle of Arran KA27 8HY
Burnswick Hill, Ecclefechan DG11 3JJ
Dunaverty Castle, Southend, Campbeltown PA28 6RW
Battle of Rhunahaorine Moss, Rhunahaorine Point, Kintyre PA29 6XG


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