Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

CARRICK CASTLELB11815

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
A
Date Added
20/07/1971
Local Authority
Argyll And Bute
Planning Authority
Argyll And Bute
Parish
Lochgoilhead And Kilmorich
National Park
Loch Lomond And The Trossachs
NGR
NS 19416 94481
Coordinates
219416, 694481

Description

Carrick Castle, a tower of probable late 14th century date, with some 16th, 17th and 20th century additions and alterations, is built on a rocky outcrop beside Loch Goil. It is a well preserved medieval tower house, with strong historical connections to the Clan Campbell. It is built of gneiss and schist rubble, occasionally brought to courses; the quoins and opening surrounds are all of sandstone. The tower was probably built for the Campbells of Lochawe (later the Earls of Argyll) who were very powerful in the Lochgoilhead area from the second half of the 14th century; the castle occupies an important strategic point on the route between the Clyde and Loch Fyne. The castle was held by hereditary captains from around 1500 to 1685, when it was burnt by government forces during the rebellion of the 9th Earl of Argyll. Following this, no significant attempt was made to restore the castle, although in the first decade of the 20th century some debris was cleared, and some repointing, restoration and reconstruction, mainly using concrete, took place. In 1988, the castle was brought partly back into use as a dwelling by Ian Begg, including the installation of floors and the re-establishment of a garret.

DESCRIPTION

The main tower of Carrick Castle, a rectangular 3-storey tower with a bevelled NW angle, is late 14th century, although some of the windows are later insertions. Entrance is gained on the east side via a roofless near-triangular barmkin which is mainly of 16th century date.

The ground floor shows evidence, in the remains of springing masonry, of barrel vaulting, but it seems that this was never completed. Access to the 1st floor appears to have originally been gained by a timber forestair, but there are also foundations of a 17th century newel stair in the barmkin. The 2nd floor and garret are accessed by separate straight flights of stone stairs built into the thickness of the E wall.

At ground floor level the landward (W) wall is blank, but the other elevations have small squarish openings, and the N and S walls both have two pointed-arched garderobe outlets. The majority of 1st floor windows are ether pointed arched or triangular, with a variety of mouldings both inside and out. The 2nd floor openings are mostly rectangular, some of which are partially blocked at the bottom. The mural stairs are lit by small rectangular windows at the NE and SE angles, and by intermittent slit openings. The garderobe chamber windows in the end walls at 1st and 2nd floors are lit by trefoil-cusped lancets.

The wall-head was ruinous before 1900, but the parapet was repaired and levelled in the early 20th century; the arched weep holes are mostly original.

The Statistical Account of 1792 mentions that the castle was once surrounded by water, which would have made it even stronger defensively; the deep ditch on the west side had been infilled by the late 18th century.

In 1988, work was undertaken to make the castle partially habitable. A joisted 1st floor, which rests on existing scarcements, was installed; a new 2nd floor rests on angled struts projecting from socket holes in the E and W wall. At the wallhead, the existing S gable was repaired, and a new N gable was built; living accommodation has been formed under a steeply pitched slate roof, lit by several modern rooflights.

References

Bibliography

D MacGibbon and T Ross, The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland from the Twelfth to the Eighteenth Centuries, (1887-92), Vol. 3, 186-92. RCAHMS, An Inventory of The Monuments; Vol. 7; Mid Argyll and Cowal, (1992), 226-236. G Ewart and F Baker, 'Carrick Castle: symbol and source of Campbell power in south Argyll from the 14th to the 17th century', Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, 128, 2, (1996), 937-1016. F A Walker, The Buildings of Scotland: Argyll and Bute, (2000), 178-180.

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 29/03/2024 06:06