The Massacre of Dunoon

Dunoon Castle, which is so well know to Dunoon’s thousands of visitors, is seldom thought of as the scene of a tragedy, a massacre that vies in ferocity with the world-famous massacre of Glencoe. For a true understanding of the massacre a short summary of the history of Dunoon Castle is essential.

Dunoon Castle is believed to have been built between the tenth and twelfth centuries, and was the stronghold of the Lamonts, the chieftains, at that time, in the district of Cowal in Argyllshire.

Int 1333, John Baliol, who so traitorously endeavoured to put Scotland under the power of King Edward of England, made an attack on this castle. The attack was successful and the Lamonts were driven away, but on the succession of “King Robert the Stewart” the castle was retaken, King Robert being materially assisted by Campbell of Lachawe and his clansmen. As a reward for his services, Campbell of Lachawe was made hereditary keeper of Dunoon Castle and a grant of land in the district was given to him in support of this dignity.  So far as one can find this was the first footing of the Clan Campbell in the district of Cowal.

The placing of a Campbell as hereditary keeper of Dunoon Castle imbued in the hearts of the Lamonts, whom we might term the original owners, the feelings of bitter hatred, and may be said to be the date of commencement of one of the bitterest, but little known, feuds in the history of Scotland, that, between Clan Campbell and Clan Lamont.

This feud was carried on intermittently for a time of slightly over three hundred years, during which Clan Campbell harassed Clan Lamont and vice versa.

In 1646 the Marquis of Argyll, the chieftain of Clan Campbell determined once and for all to end this constant warfare by the extermination of Clan Lamont.

In the early summer of 1646 the Campbells simultaneously made and attack on the two remaining strongholds of the Lamonts, Toward Castle, and Ascog Castle, in Bute.  Their attacks were successful, ending in the capitulation of both castles. The terms of the capitulation which specified that the Lamonts should go free were ratified. Treachery, however was rampant, for not sooner had the doors of the two castles been opened to the besiegers than the Campbells made prisoners of the besieged and their adherents and in so doing killed and murdered several. An old account adds: “Yea, even suckling children barely a month old.”

Following on the capture of the Castles of Toward and Ascog and making prisoners of their garrisons, the Campbells ferried their prisoners to the village of Dunoon, Here 39 of the leading members of Clan Lamont were hanged from a tree beside the castle.  The tree, we are told, “was struck by Heaven in its wrath.” And was for ever blighted.  Many of the other members of the Clan Lamont were cruelly murdered in cold blood, and if we are to believe the old reports, some of the wounded were even buried alive. The Provost of Rothesay was wounded, but the murderers in their insatiable lust for blood proceeded to stab him with their dirks, but finding that there was till a spark of life remaining cut his throat with a long dirk, a truly ghoulish orgy.

A legend relates that the tree on which the Lamonts were hanged was cut down some time after the deed, and from the heart of it there bubbled forth a spring of a blood-like substance which at the time, was regarded as a miracle, and which many people visited. A further legend attributes curative properties to this spring. This living memory of this awful deed however was an eyesore to the Campbells, and they had the stump of the tree uprooted, found below it a substance likened to congealed blood. So ends the story of the massacre of Dunoon, but by coincidence it would appear it also ends the history of Dunoon Castle, for after that date it would seem that the castle was deserted, as if the Campbells themselves feared to live upon the scene of their awful deed.