Fraoch Eilean Castle

The remains of Fraoch Eilean Castle stand on the island of the same name at the northern end of Loch Awe in Argyll and is one of several castles built on islands on the Loch. The castle was the property of the Clan MacNaughton after the island and castle had been bestowed upon them by King Alexander III in 1267. The builder of the castle is unclear but it certainly ranks as one of the oldest stone-built castles in Scotland. The castle passed to the Clan Campbell in the 14th century and was briefly retaken by the MacNaughtons in support of the Jacobite Cause in 1745, but abandoned soon after the Uprising had failed. Tip: If you no access to a boat, the castle is best viewed from the A819. The island and castle was considered so important to the Clan MacNaughton that its name was adopted as the Clan War Cry: Fraoch Eilean, The Heathery Isle.