Loch Doon Castle: From Island to Shore
Loch Doon Castle in Scotland, built in the late 1200s, was dismantled and moved to the shore in 1935 to protect it from rising water levels due to a hydroelectric dam project.
History and Construction
Loch Doon Castle was built by the Earls of Carrick in the late 13th century. Though legend associates it with Robert the Bruce, it is more likely that his father, also named Robert, actually had the castle constructed. Originally, the castle stood on Castle Island in the middle of Loch Doon, about 400 meters south of its current location.
Relocation
In 1935, the castle was carefully dismantled, stone by stone, and moved from the island to the shore of the loch. This was done to preserve the ruins from rising water levels caused by a hydroelectric dam scheme. If the water level is right, the island can still be seen.
Architecture
The castle’s unique 11-sided polygonal design came from its original island location. The curtain wall had two entrances: one with an impressive pointed arch, door, and portcullis, now said to lie on the bottom of the loch; the other a less grand postern gate. Inside the walls are remains of original buildings, including foundations of a tower house built by the Kennedys in the 1500s, also recovered from the island.
