Castle Stalker

Castle Stalker with the Lynn of Lorne and Lismore beyond

Castle Stalker is a four-storey tower house or keep picturesquely set on a tidal islet on Loch Laich, an inlet off Loch Linnhe. It is about a mile and half northeast of Port Appin, in the very north of Argyllshire. The name "Stalker" comes from the Gaelic Stalcaire, meaning "hunter" or "falconer" (and the "L" should be pronounced, not silent).

The castle is visible from the A828 road about mid-way between Oban and Glen Coe. The islet is accessible (with difficulty) from the shore at low tide.

This is a most picturesque castle, its setting conjuring romance. It is also a famous castle, from its appearance in the Monty Python film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Setting

The island castle's picturesque appearance, with its bewitching island setting against a dramatic backdrop of mountains, has made it a favourite subject for postcards and calendars, and something of a cliché image of Highland scenery. Castle Stalker is entirely authentic; it is one of the best-preserved mediæval tower-houses surviving in western Scotland. It forms part of the Lynn of Lorn National Scenic Area.

History

The original castle was a small fort, built around 1320 by Clan MacDougall who were then Lords of Lorne. Around 1388 the Stewarts took over the Lordship of Lorn, and it is believed that they built the castle in its present form around the 1440s. The Stewart's relative, King James IV visited the castle, and a drunken bet around 1620 resulted in the castle passing to Clan Campbell. After changing hands between these clans a couple of times the Campbells finally abandoned the castle in about 1840, when it lost its roof.

In 1908 the castle was bought by Charles Stewart of Achara, who carried out basic conservation work. In 1965 Lt Col D R Stewart Allward acquired the castle and over about ten years fully restored it. Castle Stalker remains in private ownership and is open to the public at selected times during the summer.

For the 2011 census the island on which the castle stands was classified by the National Records of Scotland as an inhabited island that "had no usual residents at the time of either the 2001 or 2011 censuses."

Castle of Aaaaarrrrrrggghhh

In popular culture

While most castle scenes in the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) were filmed in and around Doune Castle, Castle Stalker appears in the final scene as "The Castle of Aaaaarrrrrrggghhh". First the castle is seen from a distance, next John Cleese as a French knight taunts Arthur in a ludicrous French accent from its battlements, then finally a massive attack is launched at the castle. At that point police cars streak onto the strand and arrest Arthur and his knights for the murder of a historian.

The castle also makes a brief appearance in the film Highlander: Endgame.

Castle Stalker is the inspiration for "Castle Keep" in the children's book, The Boggart.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Castle Stalker)

• Castle Stalker