# Castle Sween > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Castle_Sween > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Castle_Sween.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Sween > Source revision: 1333576982 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Castle Sween**, also known as **Caisteal Suibhne**,[1] and **Caistéal Suibhne**,[2] is located on the eastern shore of [Loch Sween](/source/Loch_Sween), in [Knapdale](/source/Knapdale),[3] south of the forestry village of [Achnamara](/source/Achnamara) on the west coast of [Argyll](/source/Argyll), [Scotland](/source/Scotland). Castle Sween is thought to be one of the earliest stone castles built in Scotland, having been built in the late 11th century.[4][3] The castle's towers were later additions to wooden structures which have since vanished.[3] ## History Castle Sween is the oldest stone castle in Scotland, built in the late 11th century by Suibhne, son of Hugh Anrahan, brother of the king of Ulster and High King of Ireland, from whom it takes its name [Suibhne](/source/Suibhne_mac_Duinnshl%C3%A9ibhe).[5] As late as the thirteenth century, the [MacSweens](/source/Clan_MacSween) possessed the surrounding lands of [Knapdale](/source/Knapdale). However, by the second half of the century, these territories passed into the hands of the Stewart/Menteith family.[5] In 1310, [Edward II, King of England](/source/Edward_II,_King_of_England), granted [John MacSween](/source/John_MacSween), and his brothers, the MacSweens' ancestral lands of Knapdale, provided that they oust [John Menteith](/source/John_Menteith). It is possible that MacSween, and his claim to his family's lost Scottish homeland, may be the subject of the Gaelic poem *Dál chabhlaigh ar Chaistéal Suibhne*. If so, this poem may well refer to an expedition by MacSween to retake Castle Sween in about 1310.[5] In 1323, after the death of John Menteith, the Lordship of Arran and Knapdale passed to his son and grandson. In 1376, half of Knapdale, which included the castle, passed into the possession of [John MacDonald I, Lord of the Isles](/source/John_MacDonald_I,_Lord_of_the_Isles), by a grant from his father-in-law, [Robert II, King of Scotland](/source/Robert_II,_King_of_Scotland).[5] During the MacDonalds' century and a half of holding the castle, the castellans were first [MacNeils](/source/Clan_MacNeil) and later [MacMillans](/source/Clan_MacMillan).[6] The [16th century](/source/16th_century) manuscript known as *[The Book of the Dean of Lismore](/source/The_Book_of_the_Dean_of_Lismore)* includes the lament of [Aithbhreac Inghean Coirceadal](/source/Aithbhreac_Inghean_Coirceadal) (f. 1460), which remains a highly important poem in [Scottish Gaelic literature](/source/Scottish_Gaelic_literature). Aithbhreac, after being widowed, composed a lament addressed to the [rosary](/source/Rosary) of her late husband, a [Tacksman](/source/Tacksman) of [Clan MacNeil](/source/Clan_MacNeil) and former constable of Castle Sween.[7] In 1490, Castle Sween was granted to [Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll](/source/Colin_Campbell,_1st_Earl_of_Argyll), by [James IV, King of Scotland](/source/James_IV,_King_of_Scotland).[6] In 1647, during the [Wars of the Three Kingdoms](/source/Wars_of_the_Three_Kingdoms), Castle Sween was attacked and burnt by [Alasdair MacColla](/source/Alasdair_MacColla) and his Irish Confederate followers.[6] In 1933, the castle was put in the care of the [Historic Building and Monuments Directorate](/source/Historic_Building_and_Monuments_Directorate) (HBMD).[8] Currently Castle Sween is under the protection of [Historic Environment Scotland](/source/Historic_Environment_Scotland).[8] ## Conservation A 2018 report from [Historic Environment Scotland](/source/Historic_Environment_Scotland) noted that Castle Sween is at "very high risk" of [coastal erosion](/source/Coastal_erosion) due to [climate change](/source/Climate_change).[9] ## In popular culture Castle Sween was featured in the 2021 [Starz](/source/Starz) TV series *[Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip With Sam and Graham](/source/Men_in_Kilts:_A_Roadtrip_With_Sam_and_Graham)* (from *[Outlander](/source/Outlander_(TV_series))*) episode 7 "Clans and Tartans".[10] ## Citations 1. [Raven (2005)](#R1) p. 59. 1. [*Argyll: An Inventory of the Monuments* (1992)](#A1) p. 258 § 119. 1. ["Historic Environment Scotland"](https://www.historicenvironment.scot/). *www.historicenvironment.scot*. Retrieved 2021-07-30. 1. MacPhee, Somerled, Hammer of the Norse, 2004, p. 67 1. [Ewart; Triscott; Holmes et al. (1996)](#E1) p. 518; MacPhee, Kathleen, *Somerled, Hammer of the Norse* (2004), p. 67. 1. [http://www.ccsna.org/castles/sween.html](http://www.ccsna.org/castles/sween.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070712190626/http://www.ccsna.org/castles/sween.html) 2007-07-12 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on June 19, 2007 1. J. T. Koch and A. Minard, *The Celts: History, Life, and Culture* (ABC-CLIO, 2012), ISBN 1-59884-964-6, pp. 33–4. 1. ["Castle Sween"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110708233021/http://www.darkisle.com/s/sween/sween.html). *www.darkisle.com*. Archived from [the original](http://www.darkisle.com/s/sween/sween.html) on 8 July 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2007. 1. ["Climate change risk to 28 historic sites in Scotland"](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-42687874). *BBC News*. 2018-01-15. Retrieved 2021-11-19. 1. ["STARZ"](https://www.starz.com/us/en/series/men-in-kilts-a-roadtrip-with-sam-and-graham/60275). *Starz.com*. Retrieved 2021-07-30. ## References - [*Argyll: An Inventory of the Monuments*](https://scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/digital-volumes/rcahms-archives/inventories/argyll-volume-7-1992). Vol. 7, Mid Argyll & Cowal. [The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland](/source/The_Royal_Commission_on_the_Ancient_and_Historical_Monuments_of_Scotland). 1992. ISBN 0-11-494094-0. – via ScotlandsPlaces. - Ewart, G; Triscott, J; Holmes, NM McQ; Caldwell, D; Stewart, H; McCormick, F; Holden, T; Mills, C (1997). ["Archaeological excavations at Castle Sween, Knapdale, Argyll & Bute, 1989-90"](http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_126/126_517_557.pdf). *[Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland](/source/Proceedings_of_the_Society_of_Antiquaries_of_Scotland)*. **126**: 517–557. [doi:10.9750/PSAS.126.517.557](https://doi.org/10.9750/PSAS.126.517.557). [ISSN 0081-1564](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0081-1564). [S2CID 222132464](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:222132464). – via [Archaeology Data Service](/source/Archaeology_Data_Service) - Raven, JA (2005). [*Medieval Landscapes and Lordship in South Uist*](http://theses.gla.ac.uk/1116/) (PhD). Vol. 1. [University of Glasgow](/source/University_of_Glasgow). – via [Glasgow Theses Service](/source/Glasgow_Theses_Service) ## External links - [Castle Sween Visitor Page – Historic Environment Scotland](https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/castle-sween/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Castle Sween](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Sween) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Sween?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.