Ardencaple Castle

] and remained in possession of the Campbells well into the 19th century. It was during the Campbell's tenure as lairds of Ardencaple in the 18th century that extensive development was done on the estate by Robert Adam - Scotland's foremost architect of the time. In 1764, while the house was in possession of Lord Frederick Campbell, Robert Adam was first consulted about work on the castle. The house was then irregularly shaped, and Adam came up with a plan for the addition of castle-style additions on the western side of the house which faced the Gare Loch. However, nothing came of this scheme and it wasn't until 1774 the Adam came up with a set of drawings for an addition to the southern half of the west front of the house. This addition was made up of three-bay-windowed, D-shaped tower set in between two smaller turrets ("pictured left"). Later photographs of Ardincaple Castle show that Adam's extension had been altered or that some features present in his sketch were omitted from being implemented. For instance, the conical roofs, the crow-stepped gable in the sketch do not appear in photographs of the castle. Photographs of Ardincaple Castle show that the tower and southern turret had one more storey than appear in Adam's sketch. According to David King, it is possible that Adam was responsible for the added extra floor to the tower, but that is it very unlikely Adam altered the turret because the altered turret broke the symmetry of the addition. Also, Adam had planned that the tower would contain a D-shaped dressing room on its main floor (upper floor). However, it was later decided to make the room oval shaped. David King remarks that Adam had planned a pleasant ceiling for this room, but that there is no sign of it in photographs of 1957.cite book|last=King|first=David|title=The Complete Works of Robert & James Adam and Unbuilt Adam|date=2001|publisher=Architectural Press|isbn=0750644680|pages=pp. 220–222] George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll was born at Ardencaple Castle on April 30

Modern era and destruction of the castle

In 1923, Sir Iain Colquhoun sold the castle to Mrs. H. Macaulay-Stromberg,cite web|url=http://www.clanmacaulay.org.uk/Heritage/Ardencapel/Ardencaple.html|title=Ardencaple|accessdate=2008-05-09|work=Clan MacAulay Association in Scotland (clanmacaulay.org.uk)|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070806064449/http://www.clanmacaulay.org.uk/Heritage/Ardencapel/Ardencaple.html|archivedate=2007-08-06] a wealthy American, who restored the castle and lived there until her death, in 1931.cite web|url=http://www.macaulay.org/Ardencaple.htm|title=Ardencaple Castle|accessdate=2007-08-19|work=Clan Macaulay USA (macaulay.org)] The castle then passed to Adelaide Parker Voorheis until 1935, when it passed to a consortium of developers who had constructed, in 1936-1937 a housing estate on what used to be the Tower Lawn. The castle then was requisitioned by the Royal Navy with the outbreak of World War II.

In 1957 most of the castle was demolished by the government in order to build naval housing for the nearby HMNB Clyde (Faslane Naval Base), though one tower was left to be used as a mount for navigational beacons and transit lights for the Royal Navy.cite web|url=http://www.stayatlochlomond.com/article/helensburgh-history/|title=The History of Helensburgh|accessdate=2008-05-09|work=Loch Lomond B&B and Loch Lomond Self-Catering Accommodation (stayatlochlomond.com)] From then on, the convert|45|ft|m|1|adj=on high tower was known as "Ardencaple Castle Range Rear Light", and had two green lights mounted on its south-west corner.cite web|url=http://www.lighthousedepot.com/database/uniquelighthouse.cfm?value=4211|title=Ardencaple Castle Light|accessdate=2007-08-02|work=Lighthouse Depot (lighthousedepot.com)] Ardencaple Castle has been considered a Category B listed building since May 14 1971. Today, all that remains of the grand turreted mansion is one solitary tower.

ee also

*Clan MacAulay
*Rhu
*Helensburgh

References

Location map
Scotland
label=Ardencaple Castle | marksize=9
mark=Blue_pog.svg
lat_dir=N | lat_deg=56 | lat_min=01
lat_sec=
lon_dir=W | lon_deg=4 | lon_min=45
lon_sec=
position=right
width=150
float=right
caption=Location in Scotland.