The Campbells of Glenorchy were the most powerful cadet branch of the
Clan Campbell, and over two centuries from the 1430s came to dominate the central Highlands. Kilchurn Castle, originally belonging to Clan Gregor, was lost to Colin Campbell around 1440. The building of several castles, of which the newer Kilchurn was the first, was a key part of their territorial expansion during this period. Sir Colin Campbell, 1st of Glenorchy (died 1475), was a younger son of
Duncan Campbell, 1st Lord Campbell, ancestor of the
Earls of Argyll. Sir Colin was granted
Glen Orchy and other lands by his father in 1432, and afterwards established Kilchurn around 1450. The first castle comprised the five-storey
tower house, with a courtyard defended by an outer wall. At the time Kilchurn was on a small island scarcely larger than the castle itself, and would have been accessed via an underwater or low-lying causeway. Sir Colin's son, Sir Duncan Campbell of Glenorchy, built the 'laich hall' - a single-storey dining hall built along the inside of the south curtain. Sir Duncan was one of the many Scottish nobles killed at the
Battle of Flodden in 1513. During the second half of the 16th century, another Sir Colin Campbell, the 6th Laird (1499–1583), further improved the castle's accommodation by adding some chambers to the north of the tower house, and remodelling the parapet. This included the introduction of the circular corner turrets adorned by corbels. Sir Colin also constructed Balloch Castle (now
Taymouth Castle) by Loch Tay, to consolidate the Campbell's territorial gains in Perthshire, which had been achieved largely at the expense of their former allies, the
Clan MacGregor of Glenstrae. In 1629,
Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel was born at the Castle. His mother, Margaret Campbell, was a daughter of the 3rd Baronet, and had married a Cameron of Lochiel. In 1681, Sir John Campbell, 5th Baronet, was created
Earl of Breadalbane and Holland. He took advantage of the turbulence of the times, negotiating with
Jacobite rebels at the same time as serving
William III. In 1693, he promoted a scheme to pacify the Highlands, and as part of this he began conversion of Kilchurn into a modern barracks, capable of housing 200 troops. His main addition was the three-storey L-shaped block along the north side. In 1714, on the death of
Queen Anne, Breadalbane held a conference of Jacobites at Kilchurn, and he subsequently joined the Earl of Mar's
Jacobite rising of 1715. Following the failure of the rising, he returned home to find pro-government members of his household had turned Kinchurn and Finlarig over to Alexander Campbell of Fonab, to whom Breadalbane was obliged to surrender in February 1716. He remained under house arrest at Taymouth until his death the next year. Kilchurn was also used as a government garrison during the 1745 Jacobite rising.
J. M. W. Turner painted the castle on one of his tours of Scotland in the early 19th century. In 1817, the water level in Loch Awe was altered, so that the castle now stands on a long peninsula.
MacGibbon and Ross surveyed the castle in about 1887, after which restoration works appear to have altered some of the castle's original features. The castle is a
scheduled monument. Signage on the security fencing surrounding the castle states the closure is due to danger from falling masonry. There is no indicated time scale for reopening. Visitors can, however, walk around the castle. Entrance to the pier is also closed. == Gallery ==