Dumbarton Castle
Location: Dumbarton G82 1JJ
Telephone: 0131 668 8965
Dumbarton Castle guards the point where the River Leven joins the River Clyde. Its recorded history reaches back 1,500 years. At that time the place was known as Alt Clut, ‘Rock of the Clyde’. Later it became known by the Gaelic name Dun Breatann, ‘Fortress of the Britons’, from which the name Dumbarton is derived.
In the Middle Ages, Dumbarton Rock became an important royal castle. When it was first built in the 1220s, the Norwegian frontier lay just 10 miles (16km) downriver, and Dumbarton served as a Border stronghold. The Battle of Largs in 1263 effectively removed the threat from Norway, but it was soon replaced by an even greater menace from England. In later centuries, the rock became a formidable garrison fortress, its defences bristling with guns. It last saw military action as recently as the Second World War.
Offer for YAC Pass holders:
Free entry with a valid YAC Pass Card when accompanied by a paying adult