Castles of Clan MacDonald (Main Line – Lords of the Isles)
Finlaggan
Located on the Isle of Islay, Finlaggan was the political and ceremonial center of the Lords of the Isles, the ruling branch of Clan MacDonald. From the 13th to 15th centuries, the MacDonald chiefs held council, inaugurated new leaders, and issued charters at this sacred lochside site. Ruins of a chapel, great hall, and council chambers remain on two small islands in Loch Finlaggan. It was abandoned after the forfeiture of the Lordship in 1493. Today, Finlaggan stands as a powerful symbol of the clan’s former sovereignty.
Dunyvaig Castle
Perched above Lagavulin Bay on Islay, Dunyvaig Castle served as the naval stronghold of the Lords of the Isles. It housed their fleet of birlinns and helped secure control over vital maritime routes. Originally built in the 12th or 13th century, the castle was central to MacDonald military power during their peak. The ruins include defensive walls and a gatehouse overlooking the harbor. Though later lost in clan feuds, it remains a key part of MacDonald heritage.
Claig Castle
Located on Am Fraoch Eilean in the Sound of Islay, Claig Castle was a sea fortress used by the Lords of the Isles to control shipping through the Hebrides. Built in the 13th century, it served as both a toll point and prison, projecting Clan Donald’s dominance at sea. Its isolated location made it strategically powerful and hard to assault. The remaining stone tower hints at its former strength. It was abandoned in the 17th century after the clan’s decline.
Ardtornish Castle
Situated on a headland in Morvern overlooking the Sound of Mull, Ardtornish Castle was a favored residence of the Lords of the Isles. John of Islay died here, and the 1461 Treaty of Ardtornish–Westminster was negotiated at this site in a bid to divide Scotland with England. The castle’s coastal position offered commanding views of western sea routes. Its remains include hall walls and defensive earthworks. It was abandoned following the Lordship’s fall.
Aros Castle
Aros Castle, located near Salen on the Isle of Mull, was once held by the MacDougalls but passed to the MacDonalds by the 14th century. Used as an administrative and military base by the Lords of the Isles, it helped secure their power on Mull. The structure included a hall-house and surrounding bawn wall. It gradually fell into ruin after the Lordship’s forfeiture. The site retains its commanding view of the Sound of Mull.
Castle Sween
Castle Sween, on the shores of Loch Sween in Knapdale, is one of Scotland’s oldest stone castles and was granted to the Lords of the Isles in the 14th century. It gave the MacDonalds a foothold in mainland Argyll during their expansion. The castle includes early Norman-style curtain walls and corner towers. It was lost to the Campbells in the 15th century and later burned in 1647. Its ruins today reflect centuries of clan rivalry.
Tarbert Castle
Tarbert Castle sits at the narrow isthmus of Tarbert in Kintyre and was taken by the Lords of the Isles during their 15th-century expansion. Originally a royal castle enhanced by Robert the Bruce, it was used by John MacDonald, last Lord of the Isles, during his final years of power. The castle controlled a strategic portage site between east and west Kintyre. It was seized by James IV in 1494 during his suppression of the Lordship. The stone tower and curtain walls still stand above the harbor.
Dunaverty Castle
Dunaverty Castle, located on a coastal rock at Southend in Kintyre, gave refuge to Robert the Bruce in 1306 thanks to Angus Óg MacDonald. It became an important southern fortress of the Lords of the Isles, with views across to Ireland. Though little remains of the structure, the site is historically significant. It was the location of the 1647 Dunaverty Massacre, when MacDonald Royalists were slaughtered after surrendering. The headland, known as “Blood Rock,” is now a place of remembrance.
Dingwall Castle
Dingwall Castle in Ross-shire became associated with the Lords of the Isles when Donald MacDonald captured it in 1411 during his campaign to claim the Earldom of Ross. His son, Alexander, later governed the region from the castle as both Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles. Its location in the northern Highlands extended Clan Donald’s mainland influence. The castle fell to the Crown after the Lordship’s downfall. Only fragments remain today.
Castles Loosely Associated with Clan MacDonald
Dunscaith Castle
Also known as Tokavaig, Dunscaith Castle on the Isle of Skye originally belonged to Clan MacLeod but came under the control of the MacDonalds of Sleat in the 15th century. It served as a key coastal stronghold for this cadet branch of Clan Donald. Perched on a rocky promontory, it is accessible only by a stone bridge. The ruins include remnants of curtain walls, towers, and stairways carved into the cliffside. It remains one of the most picturesque castle ruins in the Hebrides.
Oronsay Priory
Located on Oronsay, a tidal island off the southwest coast of Colonsay, Oronsay Priory was founded by the MacDonalds of Islay in the 14th century. While not a military fortress, it served as a religious and cultural center tied to the main line of Clan Donald. Many clan members, including prominent Lords of the Isles, are believed to be buried there. The ruins include a church, cloister, and carved gravestones. It underscores the clan’s patronage of religious life in the Isles.
Loch Finlaggan Island Fort
A lesser-known fortification on Eilean na Comhairle, one of the two islands at Loch Finlaggan, served as the meeting place of the council of the Isles. Though overshadowed by the more prominent structures on Eilean Mòr, this smaller site helped facilitate the governance of the Lordship. Archaeological evidence suggests it was fortified and occupied during key ceremonial periods. It worked in tandem with Finlaggan’s main complex to administer clan affairs. Today, its remains are part of the broader Finlaggan historic site.
Knock Castle (Isle of Skye)
Knock Castle, near Sleat on the Isle of Skye, was occupied by the MacDonalds of Sleat, a cadet branch descended from the Lords of the Isles. Though not used by the main line, it played a role in maintaining Clan Donald’s authority in southern Skye. The castle changed hands between the MacDonalds and MacLeods during regional feuding. Its ruins are situated on a cliff overlooking the Sound of Sleat. Today, it stands as a reminder of the clan’s territorial disputes.
References
Caldwell, D. H. (2001). Islay: The land of the Lordship. Edinburgh: Birlinn.
Finlaggan Trust. (n.d.). Finlaggan: Centre of the Lordship of the Isles. Retrieved from https://www.finlaggan.org
MacDonald, R. A. (2000). The Kingdom of the Isles: Scotland’s Western Seaboard, c.1100–c.1336. East Linton: Tuckwell Press.
Oram, R. D. (2000). The Lordship of the Isles, 1336–1493. In E. J. Cowan (Ed.), The Argyll Book (pp. 123–137). Edinburgh: Birlinn.
RCAHMS. (n.d.). Canmore National Record of the Historic Environment. Retrieved from https://canmore.org.uk