Tour Part 1 Dunbartonshire Area
Old Kilpatrick
Dunglass Castle
Kilpatrick Hills
Dumbarton Castle
West side along Loch Lomond
1st
site
Town of Old Kilpatrick site of Western end of Antonine Wall
As you cross over the Erskine Bridge and come down to the other side look off to the left and you will be looking at town of Old Kirkpatrick and where The Antonine Wall to the West ended. "Between 25 and 50% of the male Colquhouns and Kirkpatricks belong to the genetic haplogroup E1b, while only about 3% of all Scottish males are members of this group. This haplogroup seems to stem from the Balkans, an area known to the Romans as Thrace. It is known that the 2nd Thracian Cohorts were stationed along the Antonine Wall. From this we deduce that a Thracian soldier in the Roman Army brought this gene pool to Scotland where he undoubtedly interbred with a local female, leaving behind a son." Thus the Colquhoun interest in The Antonine Wall.
"The Antonine Wall was a turf fortification on stone foundations, built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. Representing the northernmost frontier barrier of the Roman Empire, it spanned approximately 39 miles and was about 10 feet high and 16 feet wide. Security was bolstered by a deep ditch on the northern side about 15 feet deep."
"The barrier was the second of two "great walls" created by the Romans in Northern Britain. Its ruins are less evident than the better-known Hadrian's Wall to the south, primarily because the turf and wood wall has largely weathered away, unlike its stone-built southern wall. Construction began in AD 142 (20 years after the Hadrian Wall) at the order of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, and took about 12 years to complete. The Antonine Wall was protected by 16 forts with smaller forts set between them; troop movement was facilitated by a road linking all the sites known as the Military Way. One of the largest forts was found down there in Old Kirkpatrick at the end of the wall and was over 4 acres in size. Most of the wall and its associated fortifications have been destroyed over time, but some remains are still visible. The wall was abandoned only eight years after completion, when the Roman legions withdrew to Hadrian's Wall in AD 162."
Old Kilpatrick Town
While the Antonine Wall may not be related to the Clan Colquhoun, the town of Old Kilpatrick is linked to the Clan as well as St. Patrick. The town of Old Kilpatrick is also the reputed birthplace of St. Patrick.
St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, was born in the year 387 at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton. Which, as we all know, is in Scotland. Making Ireland's patron saint ... Scottish!
Before we get too excited, Scotland’s first patron saint, St. Kessog, was a monk who came from Ireland and founded the original Luss Parish Church in 510 A.D. Also, some Scots may disagree with St. Kessog as the patron Saint of Scotland - choosing St Andrew instead. Kessog came before Andrew and he was somebody who I feel was more of an inspiration and felt more real, more Celtic, than say St Andrew. That and the fact that Robert the Bruce urged on his troops in the name of "blessed Kessog".
As a teenager, Patrick was kidnapped by Irish raiders and enslaved as a shepherd for several years. He attributed his ability to persevere to his faith in God. His birth name was Maewyn Succat — it wasn’t until he was in the Church that it was changed to Patricius, or Patrick. There are a number of historians who believe that St Patrick was the son of a paymaster attached to the Roman Legions who are also connected with this area through the Antonine Wall.
It could well be that St Patrick, who around 450 AD sent a letter condemning slavery to Coroticus, who is believed to have been a king ruling from Alt Clut (an ancient name for Dumbarton Rock), was born here and taken into captivity here and sold into slavery in Ireland. It is also thought that he was baptized here. There is a monument in the village called St Patrick's Well. It can be found half a block west and across the street from the present day church. The legend states that on that spot a spring gushed out of the ground at his baptism.
Also, if on that day you have an aversion to wearing green, just know that early depictions of St. Patrick show him wearing blue. You can celebrate this day by wearing blue. the Order of St. Patrick knighthood also wore blue. After it was established in 1783, the organization’s color had to stand out from those around it and since dark green was already taken, the Order of St. Patrick went with blue.
Even today, the national color of Ireland is blue. In fact, it’s called Patrick’s Blue.
The original 12th century Kilpatrick church was replaced with the current church in 1812 and is now linked with neighboring Bowling Parish Church. In the church graveyard is the resting place of many Colquhouns dating as early as 1699, although, most physical evidence is gone. There is in the churchyard a carved effigy of a knight from one of the tombs in the early church and is believed to be one of the 14th century Colquhoun lords.
Dunglass Castle Site
2nd
Site
"The original lands of the family of Colquhoun were along the river Clyde at the village of Kilpatrick. This was where “Unfridus de Kilpatrick” had his holding when granted the lands of Colquhoun. On the banks of the river stood the castle of Dunglass. There is very little of the original castle remaining now, just some baseline stones along the wall that remains from later buildings. They had abandoned their castle in the hills just north. (see Kilpatrick Hills below) The old castle dates back to 1380, when it was the important strategic stronghold of the barony of Colquhoun. It was used as a residence by Sir. John Colquhoun, Chamberlain of Scotland, during the period from 1439-1478." In 1489 James IV is said to have refortified Dunglass Castle during his siege of Dumbarton Castle.
Dunglass mansion, built around 1800, stands on the site of the 14th century Castle of Dunglass, a stronghold of the Earls of Home. It was destroyed by Somerset in 1548. Sir Humphrey Colquhoun built a new fortified house in the north-west corner of the site in 1590. Consisting of a three story house arranged approximately north to south, it had a small overhanging corner turret projecting from the NW corner. Below the corbels under this turret are carvings of the Colquhoun arms and a face in the shape of a shield, between which is the letter C. A wall extending from the north-east corner of the house, containing an arched entrance, and a relatively thin eastern wall and incorporated dovecot are also thought to date to a similar period, although the conical-roofed dovecot may be 17th century. Colquhoun was beaten in a skirmish with the MacFarlanes of Arrochar in 1592.
In 1889 the Dunglass Castle was described by D. MacGibbon and T. Ross, "is now fragmentary having been despoiled upon an order by the Commissioners of Supply in 1735 to use it as a quarry for repairing the quay. The castle, of the period 1400-1542 and courtyard plan now consists of the remains of a high wall enclosing the top of the cliff and mixed in parts with modern work. Of this wall the major portions are in the south and west walls against which buildings were formerly erected. Near the west end of, and outside the south wall is a small landing place appearing to have been protected by a hoarding - some corbels for which still remain. At the NW corner of the enclosure is a dwelling house, partly old, possibly circa 1590, but mostly modern - the interior is wholly so."
"In the early 18th century it fell into neglect and was partly dismantled and used for the restoration of the Bowling quay as mentioned above. In 1738 it passed to the Edmonstone of Duntreath family in 1738. This dismantlement was halted by Andrew Buchanan of Auchentorlie, who bought the property in 1812. He remodeled and extended the house in the 1830s with the addition of an east wing, and in the 1850s a circular turret was added to the SW corner of the house. It now stands as a fragmentary castle situated on a rocky cliff by the River Clyde. The north-west turret has checkered corbelling and bears the Colquhoun arms along with other symbols, while the round SE turret is probably 17th century in date and may have been a pigeon roost (doocot). "A dwelling house (now demolished) sat in the NW corner of the enclosure, incorporating older elements but mostly post-1812 in date. A dovecot, or doocot in Scotland, sits adjacent." At the NE corner of the courtyard, the rocky highest point on the site and now occupied by a 19th century monument to the steamship pioneer Henry Bell, there is thought to have been a tower. Probably built in the 14th or 15th centuries, no trace of it now remains. It may have been replaced or superseded by the south range.
From 1893 until 1899 the designer Talwin Morris owned and lived at Dunglass Castle, and carried out some work on the interiors. In 1899 he sold the property to his best friend Charles Macdonald, the lawyer brother of the artist Margaret Macdonald who would later marry Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Margaret and her mother moved in with Charles at this time. The same year Charles Macdonald commissioned Charles Rennie Mackintosh to redesign the interiors, in particular the drawing room and dining room. Rennie Mackintosh’s work here led to his commission to design the Hill House in Helensburgh.
Sometime around 1910 to 1920 the SE section of the courtyard wall extending from the dovecot fell into the river, but was later rebuilt. The house was occupied until the 1920s and subsequently was used as a stationary store.
Early in the 1920s land was reclaimed from the river to the west of the castle, and an oil terminal was built upon it by the then British Mexican Petroleum Co. Ltd. In the 1930s the oil terminal expanded onto partially reclaimed land to the east of the castle, leaving it surrounded by a massive industrial site.
The site was later bought by Esso but operations were closed down in 1997 and the process of decommissioning the plant began. Esso employed Simpson and Brown Architects to compile a report on the condition of the castle, and in 2000 they re-roofed the house and carried out consolidation work on the castle walls. The Rennie Mackintosh interiors, including a valuable fireplace and mantelpiece and a bookcase now in the Royal National Museum in Edinburgh, and all other interior fittings have been removed. Historic Scotland granted Listed Building Consent in 2013 to repair the castle walls and make the house watertight.
Currently, the land is fenced with a guard service checking on it regularly. The current owner is Imperial Oil Limited (French: L'Impériale), a Canadian petroleum company. However, when I requested access to the site I was sent to Exxon Mobil Corporation who has a 70 percent ownership stake in the company. Exxon Mobile did not respond any of my requests or calls. The last time I was there (2017) the guard service was outside the gate. I asked if he would let me in to take some photos and he said he did not have a key. I have heard of other visitors who have requested and were granted access by the guard. At a visit in August 2017, we found that if you pull up to the gates in your car (which is on a slight incline) and try to backup with a standard transmission and don't have it in gear the car rolls into the big green gates and presto - an alarm goes off and the gates open. After our return from the 2017 trip I was able to communicate with Mark McIlfatrick the UK EMES Project Manager for ExxonMobile. He explained what we already knew, that public access is not allowed "for all types of visits to the Henry Bell monument or Dunglass House as the site is a working site for our contractors and West Dunbartonshire Council contractors. We have had to take this decision in the interests of safety, please accept my apologies." He continued, "Our work is anticipated to last another 2-3 years, then it will become a vast building site (hopefully) with new roads etc when the Council buy the land from Esso in 2-3 years’ time. The Council will be developing the land into industrial units, car parking and cycle tracks and I think they intend opening the whole site up to visitors but it could take some time." I will update this site as I gather more information.
3rd
Site
Kilpatrick Hills where the first Colquhoun Castle was built and where the remains of a Colquhoun Chapel once stood.
The Colquhoun's first castle (wood-construction) was what is now Middleton farm in the hills above Milton (which itself was the Colquhoun's mill town). The site also included an old chapel.
This detail is not shown on the first edition plans of the OS 25 map (1861-1939) but is shown on the second and subsequent editions as a north wall about 40 feet long to which is conjoined an east wall 15 feet long.
J. Bruce writes in 1893"To the north-west of the old castle and below the Muir of Colquhoun is a knoll or mound called Chapel Knowe. In the centre of this knoll there is the appearance of the foundations of a small building, and the state of the surrounding ground indicates that in early times it had been used as a place of sepulture. A tradition is preserved among the old people that on this knoll a chapel formerly stood and it is said that part of the walls about 100 years ago remained. Within this century, tombstones have been excavated from the ground on the Chapel Knowe."
"It is not possible to resolve whether the published position of Bruce is correct or not. Neither Chapel Knowe nor Muir of Colquhoun has been found as a name on any plan."
"The remains of this supposed chapel, situated on top of a natural rocky mound, consist of only part of the turf-covered north and east walls, including the northeast angle and nowhere more than 0.2m high and 0.8m wide."
By around 1380, the Colquhoun castle in this area had been abandoned and they had built another on the banks of the Clyde called Dunglass. (see above)
How to get there: Old Colquhoun Chapel – Located near Middleton Farm about two thirds of a mile north of Milton on the A82. Go north on Milton Brae and look for a turn on the right with Green Sign that says "Public Access to Loch Humphrey" and follow it up and around the corner. Off to the left is where the Chapel remains were. See "Maps of Sites" at top of this page.
Kilpatrick Hills
Kilpatrick Hills
Kilpatrick Hills - Lands of Colquhoun
4th
site
Dunbarton Castle
"As far back as the Iron Age, this has been the site of a strategically important settlement. Its early residents were known to have traded with the Romans. The presence of a settlement is first recorded in a letter Saint Patrick wrote to King Ceretic of Alt Clut in the late 5th century."
"From the fifth century until the ninth, the castle was the center of the independent British Kingdom of Strathclyde. Alt Clut or Alcluith, literally "Clyde Rock", the Brythonic name for Dumbarton Rock, became a metonym for kingdom. The king of the Britons of Dumbarton in about AD 570 was Riderch Hael, who features in Welsh and Latin works."
"During his reign Merlin was said to have stayed at Alt Clut. The medieval Scalacronica of Sir Thomas Grey records the legend that "Arthur left Hoël of Little Britain his nephew sick at Alcluit in Scotland." Hoël made a full recovery, but was besieged in the castle by the Scots and Picts."
"In 756, the first (and second) losses of Dumbarton Rock were recorded. A joint force of Picts and Northumbrians captured Alcluith after a siege, only to lose it again a few days later. By 870, Dumbarton Rock was home to a tightly packed British settlement, which served as a fortress and as the capital of Alt Clut. The Vikings laid siege to Dumbarton for four months, eventually defeating the inhabitants when they cut off their water supply. The Norse king Olaf returned to the Viking city of Dublin in 871, with two hundred ships full of slaves and looted treasures. Olaf came to an agreement with Constantine I of Scotland, and Artgal of Alt Clut. Strathclyde's independence may have come to an end with the death of Owen the Bald, when the dynasty of Kenneth mac Alpin began to rule the region."
"Dumbarton was the center of the ancient kingdom of Strathclyde from the 5th century until 1018. Impressively situated on a volcanic rock overlooking the Firth of Clyde, it was an important royal refuge. For a time, Chiefs of Clan Colquhoun were appointed governors and keepers of Dumbarton Castle. It was known as the "fortress of the Britons." The medieval castle was built by Alexander II of Scotland around 1220 as a bulwark against the threat from Norway, whose kings ruled the Hebrides and the islands in the Clyde. In 1305, during the Wars of Independence with England, William Wallace may have been held prisoner here for a short time, before being taken to London for execution. The Wallace Tower is thought to be named in his honor. The castle’s geographical position, distanced from the political heartland of the country, reduced its importance somewhat, but it also made it a good postern, or back gate, through which her rulers could come and go with comparative ease. It sheltered David II and his young wife, Joan of The Tower after the Scottish defeat at Halidon Hill in 1333."
"In 1424 King James I of Scotland commanded Sir John Colquhoun, the Laird of Luss, Loch Lomond, to seize possession of the formidable and well-fortified Dumbarton Castle from the Earl of Lennox, who had become too powerful for the King's comfort. Sir John replied to the King's command in French (the accepted universal language of the time) "Si Je Puis - I will if I can". He carefully laid his plans. The Highland chieftain gathered a group of his men and, under cover of darkness, hid them in the woods outside the castle's gates. When morning came he set loose near the entrance a large stag which he had previously captured, chased by hunting dogs. The starving garrison in the castle saw the hunt and, unsuspecting, opened the gates to join in. The Chief's clansmen then stole into the castle, successfully securing it and returning it to the King, without a drop of blood being spilled on either side. In gratitude, the king bestowed on the Chief of Colquhoun a coat of arms with a crest showing a stag's head and two deer-hounds as supporters bearing the motto 'Si Je Puis'." As a result of their loyalty the lands of the Colquhouns were erected into the free Barony of Luss in 1457, a status which gave the chiefs the power of life and death over the tenants. This lasted until 1747. (see Tour part 2 - GallowsHill)
"In 1548, after the Battle of Pinkie, east of Edinburgh, the infant Mary, Queen of Scots was kept at the castle for several months before her removal to France for safety, where she was soon betrothed to the young dauphin Francis."
"The castle's importance declined after Oliver Cromwell's death in 1658. Due to threats posed by Jacobites and the French in the eighteenth century, Britain built new structures and defenses there and continued to garrison the castle until World War II."
"Today all visible traces of the Dark-Age Alt Clut, its buildings and defenses, have gone. Not much survives from the medieval castle: the 14th-century Portcullis Arch, the foundations of the Wallace Tower, and what may be the foundations of the White Tower. There is a 16th-century guard house, which includes a face which according to legend is "Fause Menteith", who betrayed William Wallace."
"Most of the existing structures were built in the 18th century, including the Governor's House, built for John Kennedy, 8th Earl of Cassilis, and fortifications which demonstrated the struggle by military engineers to adapt an intractable site to contemporary defensive needs. The splendid views from the twin summits of the White Tower Crag and the Beak remind us why this rocky outcrop was chosen as 'the fortress of the Britons' centuries ago. "
Hopefully you will be able to climb the over 557 steps to see the White Tower Crag and other features. From the top it is said on a clear day one can see Glasgow, about 12 miles to the southeast. As you look to the north hills you will be looking at the Lands of Colquhoun, otherwise known as the Kilpatrick Hills.
View From Dumbarton Castle
View From Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle: A Colquhoun Site
River Clyde and Kilpatrick Hills
5th
site
Along the west side of Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is the largest expanse of freshwater in Great Britain. It is the centerpiece of a national park and is surrounded by mountainous landscapes including Ben Lomond, which stands 3192 feet tall.
Since the very earliest records, the deer-haunted hills and wooded glens and loch-side lands of Luss have belonged to the ancestors of the present Chief of Clan Colquhoun. His ancestors who lived there more than seven hundred years ago were most likely a branch of the ancient rulers of Lennox, and they used the surname of Luss, taken from the name of their lands. They were a sacred family, Celtic priests and hereditary guardians of the bachuil or crozier of St. Kessog, the martyr who dwelt in Glen Luss or on Inchtavannach, the "monks isle" in Loch Lomond.
The area is a haven for wildlife. More than a quarter of Britain’s plant species thrive here plus a wide array of birds and mammals.
The Island of Inchmurrin is the largest and most southerly of the islands in Loch Lomond and was once a stronghold for the earls of Lennox. It was the site of a 7th-century monastery, with a chapel dedicated to Saint Mirin, after whom it was named. St. Mirren, an Irish monk and missionary who founded a religious community in Scotland that indirectly went on to become Paisley Abbey. It is also believed that may have lived or visited the island. There are castle remains that were probably a hunting lodge for the deer park established on the island by King Robert I of Scotland in the early 14th century. After her husband Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany, father Donnchadh, Earl of Lennox, and two sons were executed by James I in 1425, Isabella Countess of Lennox retired to the castle on Inchmurrin with her grandchildren. Other visitors to the island included Tobert the Bruce and King James VI who frequently hunted here. Also, on this island in the 15th century Sir John Colquhoun was murdered by bandits from the Isles, after being lured there with Promises of his personal safety, for a meeting. It has been said that two of the murderers were Lachlan Maclean and Murdo Gibson.
Sadly, in 1873, James the 11th baronet and 29th Laid of Luss was drowned in Loch Lomond together with a number his men when a boat capsized after a hunting expedition on an island in Loch Lomond – ‘everybody thought the cries were joyous boating cheers.’ There is a monument in front of the Luss Parrish Church to honor James and the others that perished.
The loch contains thirty or more islands depending on the water level. English travel writer, H.V. Morton wrote: “What a large part of Loch Lomond's beauty is due to its islands, those beautiful green tangled islands, that lie like jewels upon its surface.” One of the loch's islands, Inchconnachan, is home to a colony of wallabies and was recently (2020) put up for sale by the Colquhoun Clan with bids in excess of $683,000. https://assets.savills.com/properties/GBGLRSGLS190149/GLS190149_GLS20001066.PDF
I have just confirmed (early 2021) that it is under sales contract.
Loch Lomond is often considered the meeting point between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands. It is 24 miles long and between 3/4 of a mile and 5 miles wide with an average depth of about 121 feet and a surface area of 27 square miles. It has the largest surface area of all the freshwater lochs in the UK.
Loch Lomond is memorialized in the song The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond
By yon bonnie banks an' by yon bonnie braes
Whaur the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond
Whaur me an' my true love will ne'er meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'.
Chorus:
O ye'll tak' the high road, and Ah'll tak' the low (road)
And Ah'll be in Scotlan' afore ye
Fir me an' my true love will ne'er meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'.
'Twas there that we perted in yon shady glen
On the steep, steep sides o' Ben Lomon'
Whaur in (soft) purple hue, the hielan hills we view
An' the moon comin' oot in the gloamin’.
<Chorus>
The wee birdies sing an' the wild flouers spring
An' in sunshine the waters are sleeping
But the broken heart it kens, nae second spring again
Tho' the waeful may cease frae their greetin'
<Chorus>
This old Scottish Tune may not be about what some have thought:
Video Along The Bonnie, Bonnie, Banks of Loch Lomond
