Tour Scotland

Tour Scotland video of Dunnollie Castle near Oban, Scotland. These are the remains of a strong but ruinous tower and other buildings that are overgrown. The site has actually been fortified since the days of the kings of Dál Riata in the sixth and seventh centuries The present castle was built by the MacDougalls of Lorn. The Brooch of Lorn, which is said to have been captured from Robert the Bruce by the MacDougalls was kept at Dunollie Castle. The castle was attacked by Argyll, chief of Clan Campbell in 1644 and in 1647 it was besieged by a Covenanter army under General David Leslie, in which in the castle was sacked and burnt. During the Jacobite rising of 1715 the castle was attacked again when the MacDougalls supported the Stewarts and as a result the lands were forfeited. However the lands were restored in 1745 and in 1746 the MacDougalls built nearby Dunollie House, although there was an earlier house there dating from about 1600, and the old castle was abandoned. The castle is now in a dangerous condition but is still owned by the MacDougalls.

The Clan MacDougall is a Scottish clan traditionally associated with the lands of Argyll and Lorn in Scotland. Like the Clan Donald or MacDonald and all of its MacDonald branches, the MacDougalls are also descended from the King Somerled. The clan takes its name from Dougall, a son of Somerled, who, after his father's death in 1164, held most of Argyll and also islands such as the Isle of Mull, Lismore, Jura, Tiree, Coll and many others. The Celtic Christian name Dougall, or Dugald, is derived from the Gaelic dubh-gall, meaning black stranger. Dougall's royal descent was acknowledged by the king of Norway, and he styled himself King of the South Isles and Lord of Lorne. His son, Duncan, and his grandson, Ewan, built castles to defend their dominions, including Dunstaffnage, Dunollie and Duntrune on the mainland, and Aros, Cairnburgh, Dunchonnel and Coeffin on the islands. Dunollie, a craig rising up over seventy feet, was most likely fortified as early as the sixth century and was to become the chief seat. Duncan also built Ardchattan Priory, where the MacDougall chiefs were buried until 1737. After Haakon IV of Norway had been defeated by the Scottish army at the Battle of Largs in 1263 the Clan MacDougall attacked his fleet. The Norsemen were defeated by the MacDougalls in the sea battle. The Battle of Red Ford in 1296, between Clan Campbell and Clan MacDougall took place due to the feud over coastal lands between the two clans. In the late 13th century the rising force on Scotland's Western Seaboard was the MacDougalls. Controlling the Western mainland was MacDougall's Dunollie Castle and Dunstaffnage Castle, near Oban in Argyll while their huge fleet of galleys commanded the seas. Many lives were lost on both sides at the Battle of Red Ford which takes its name from the Ford which ran red with blood where the battle took place. The Campbell Chief Cailean Mor Campbell was killed at the battle. His body was carried to the church of St. Peter the Deacon at Kilchrenan on Loch Awe side and buried there. Although the exact burial place is unknown, in 1816 the Duke of Argyll inserted in the gable of the present church, a 14th century gravestone in memory of his ancestor. The MacDougalls were supporters of William Wallace and King John I of Scotland but were later driven out by supporters of King Robert I of Scotland during the civil wars in Scotland which formed part of the Wars of Scottish Independence. Two years later and Bruce led an army of three thousand men against the MacDougalls. John MacDougall of Lorne set an ambush for them but after a savage engagement the MacDougalls were broken and forced to flee. The MacDougalls lost most of their lands in Argyll which were then passed to the Clan Campbell for their loyalty to the King. However Clan MacDougall fought against Robert the Bruce and the Earl of Atholl at the Battle of Dalry in 1306 where the MacDougalls were victorious. However the victorious MacDougalls were later defeated when they fought against Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Pass of Brander in 1308. Alistair MacDougall married the sister of John Comyn of the Comyn, Scotland's most powerful man. John's son, the Red Comyn, was next in line as King of Scotland after the Balliols. However this was the time when Bruce made his bid for the Crown. Bruce slew the Red Comyn at the altar rails in Dumfries and the MacDougalls entered into the feud which ended in the utter destruction of the Clan Comyn and the loss of the MacDougalls' islands to Bruce. In 1463 Sir John Stewart was murdered outside of a church just as he was about to marry his MacLaren wife. He was murdered by Alan MacCoul, an ally of the Clan MacDougall. However his murder was avenged in 1468 when the Clan Stuart and Clan MacLaren together defeated the Clan MacDougall at the Battle of Stalc, which took place opposite Castle Stalker. In the 17th century during the Civil War the Clan MacDougall were generally Royalist and in 1645 chief Alexander MacDougall led five hundred of his men into battle. After the defeat of James Graham the 1st Marquess of Montrose a Covenanting army under David Leslie was sent to Argyll to deal with the royalist sympathisers. When the Stuart monarchy was restored so were the MacDougall lands. In the 18th century during the Jacobite Risings the Clan MacDougall supported the Jacobite cause in 1715 and fought at the Battle of Sheriffmuir which the Jacobites lost. The MacDougall chief was forced into exile but later returned to Scotland to live as a fugitive. He was pardoned in 1727. His son and next chief, Alexander MacDougall did not take part in the Jacobite Uprisings of 1745 to 1746. Although his brother and some of the clansmen did indeed fight as Jacobites at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Septs of Clan MacDougall Carmichael Conacher Coull Cowan Cowie Dowall Livingston MacConacher MacCoull MacCowan MacCulloch MacDole MacDowell MacDulothe MacEachan MacEachem MacHowell Kichan MacLucas MacLugash MacLulich MacNamell Macoul Macowl

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Tour Scotland video of the church and harbour by the sea on ancestry visit to St Monans, East Neuk of Fife, Scotland. This area is part of the Fife Coastal Walking Path. This Scottish church is situated within its graveyard just to the west of the village on the very edge of the sea. It has a very dramatic setting, perched on a low rock, reached over a small valley with a burn. The church and harbour are on the Fife Coastal Path which runs from the Forth Estuary in the south, to the Tay Estuary in the north. This is a fairly flat part of the path which links three of the celebrated East Neuk fishing villages of St Monans, Pittenweem and Anstruther, and can be very beautiful.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.

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