Dunans Castle
| Dunans Castle | |
|
Argyllshire | |
|---|---|
 Dunans Castle and Dunans House | |
| Type: | Mock castle |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NS041911 |
| Location: | 56°4’21"N, 5°8’59"W |
| Village: | Clachan of Glendaruel |
| History | |
| Information | |
| Owned by: | Charles & Sadie Dixon-Spain |
Dunans Castle is a ruined castle standing in Glendaruel on the Cowal peninsula of Argyllshire.
A property at Dounens was shown on maps in 1590; Dunans House was elaborated into its present mock castle form in 1864. Once part of a much larger estate the property presently includes 16 acres of ground.
In 2001, the casgtle was ruined when fire ripped through it.[1][2][3]
The property is owned by Charles and Sadie Dixon-Spain
History
For over two centuries Dunans was home to the Fletcher Clan who moved to the site between 1715 and 1745 carrying with them the door of their previous home at Achallader Castle (the door was used for the private chapel and was reported missing in 1999). The original mansion-style house was extended into its present dramatic Franco-baronial "castle" form by the architect Andrew Kerr with the additions consisting of four main apartments and 6 bedrooms. The building passed out of Fletcher hands in 1997 when the entire 3,000 acre Dunans estate was sold off by Colonel Archibald Fletcher's heirs and subsequently split up.[4]
Following a number of financial problems,[5] the castle was gutted by fire on 14 January 2001 while being run as a hotel and the building was left as a ruin.[6] The fire began in the attic space of the castle section and destroyed three floors with only the pre Victorian west wing surviving undamaged.[2] The owner Ewa Lucas-Gardener had ignored fire safety experts' warnings that the building's fireplaces were unsafe and abandoned the building after the insurers refused to pay out.[7] Now under new ownership,[8] the site, including a Victorian path network, has undergone some restoration supported by the Dunans Charitable Trust.[9]
Bridge and mausoleum
Leading to the castle is Dunans Bridge, an A-listed structure, designed by Thomas Telford for John Fletcher in 1815 and built to commemorate the battle of Waterloo.[10]
Once part of the Dunans estate, but still in the ownership of the Fletchers is the Fletcher of Dunans Mausoleum, a grade C listed structure located in the gardens of the neighbouring Stronardron house.
Further buildings once part of the estate but now privately owned include Dunans Lodge, the original gate house to the estate and Dunans Cottage, two workers' cottages combined into one dwelling.
Pictures
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Dunans Castle) |
References
- ↑ "Police probe castle fire". BBC News. 2001-01-14. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1116929.stm. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rebecca McQuillan (2001-01-15). "Highland hideaway destroyed by fire Forensic teams and firefighters search ruins for cause". Herald Scotland. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/highland-hideaway-destroyed-by-fire-forensic-teams-and-firefighters-search-ruins-for-cause-1.202416. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- ↑ "Lord and lady of manor hailed from Hull". Herald Scotland. 2001-01-15. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/lord-and-lady-of-manor-hailed-from-hull-1.202417. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- ↑ "Slice of family history changes hands". Herald Scotland. 1999-09-09. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/slice-of-family-history-changes-hands-1.273008. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- ↑ Hughes, Lorna (2000-10-01). "Fake Lord and Lady Owe Us All a Pile; Taxman and Customs chasing cash from couple in the castle. - Free Online Library". Thefreelibrary.com. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/FAKE+LORD+AND+LADY+OWE+US+ALL+A+PILE%3b+Taxman+and+Customs+chasing+cash...-a065625477. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- ↑ "In Depth | Photo Gallery | Your Pictures: 25 Oct-31 Oct". BBC News. 2003-10-31. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/photo_gallery/3230425.stm. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- ↑ Gutted castle's future bleak as couple flee - The Scotsman | HighBeam Research
- ↑ Sue Tranter (2002-05-11). "In a class of their own Home front Designs on a dream retreat? Here are four that were built as one-offs and guarantee exclusivity, says Sue Tranter". Herald Scotland. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/in-a-class-of-their-own-home-front-designs-on-a-dream-retreat-here-are-four-that-were-built-as-one-offs-and-guarantee-exclusivity-says-sue-tranter-1.150594. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- ↑ "Dunans Heritage Project". Dunanscastle.org. 2011-04-26. http://dunanscastle.org. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
- ↑ "News Archive". Dunoon-observer.com. http://www.dunoon-observer.com/archive/arcmay2017.html. Retrieved 2012-01-10.