Scottish Blog

Doune Castle is said to be one of the finest examples of 14th century castle building and modern-day castle preservation.

Doune Castle is located thirteen kilometres north-west of Stirling, in the Stirling region of Scotland. Specifically, Doune Castle is situated on the banks of the River Forth and one of its tributaries. This location made it ideal for defence, as the two waterways stretch in such a way as to cover three sides of the castle.

Doune Castle was constructed at the end of the 14th century, under the command of Robert Stewart. Although there are no records confirming the fact, it is believed that the location was home to previous fortifications. Beyond the ideal location for fortifications, the name Doune is also evidence to such a claim. Doune is a derivation of the Gaelic word “dùn”, which translates to “fort”.

Records show that Doune castle has stayed in possession of the Stewart Clan since its construction. As such it has always enjoyed a certain amount of respect and use amongst Scottish nobles, with even Mary, Queen of the Scots, using it as a retreat. Although during the Jacobite Uprising it took a more sombre tome, as it was being used as a prison by the Jacobites to hold government supporters.

Yet today Doune Castle is run by Historic Scotland, and as such is open to the public.