Balloch Castle, West Dunbartonshire

Balloch Castle is a castle near the Scottish town of Balloch in West Dunbartonshire. In 1971 the building was added to the Scottish lists of monuments in the highest category A.

History

In 1072 King Malcolm III said. the Clan Lennox the lands to the Loch Lomond. 1238 they built a castle at lakeside ( Old Balloch Castle), which served as the headquarters of the Earls of Lennox. In 1390 they abandoned the building in favor of Inchmurrin Castle on the lake island Inchmurrin, which was considered safer. The castle changed into the possession of another branch of the Clan Lennox, who used it until 1652. James Stewart, 4th Duke of Lennox sold the property to John Colquhoun of Luss. The still recognizable hill of the moth is Grade II listed as a Scheduled Monument.

At the beginning of the 19th century, John Buchanan of Ardoch acquired the property. He let the approximately 500 m north of the older castle situated current castle Balloch Castle build. Built in 1808-1809 building is one of three castles of the English architect Robert Lugar in the region Dunbartonshire. 1830 Gibson Stott bought the estate and evaluated the system on. After A. J. Dennistoun -Brown 1845, purchased the castle in 1914 finally bought the Glasgow Corporation, the building for £ 30,000. They expected an increase in passenger numbers of their trains to Balloch by creating a tourist attraction in the vicinity of the city. The district Dumbarton leased the site in 1975 and opened it in 1981 as a landscape park. Since 2002, the facility is part of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Since 2008, Balloch Castle is listed on the endangered historic monuments register. His condition is classified as very well at low risk.

Description

Balloch Castle is located north of Balloch about 250 m east of Loch Lomond shore. Architecturally it has characteristics of Tudor Gothic style. The masonry of the two-story castle made ​​of sand stone. It is provided with decorative bands, towers and on the east-facing front with battlements. The main building has a symmetrical design with five vertical axes. The central entrance area closes with a flat arch and is flanked by octagonal turrets. Law is followed by a lower, two-story wing, which ends with a tower.