CASTLE STALKER (or STALCAIR)
The castle was built in the thirteenth century by the MacDougals but
in 1320 it passed into the ownership of the Stewarts who had, at that time,
the Lordship of the Isles.
Duncan Stewart of Appin
restored it in 1450 for use as a hunting lodge by James IV (of Scotland).
In 1463, Sir John Stewart who was then the owner,
was murdered at his own wedding at Dunstaffnage Castle, near Oban,
by Alan MacDougal, a jealous relative.
The ownership then passed to Dougal Stewart, his son, who had been legitimised by the
marriage (that was the cause of all the fuss).
Dougal came to live in the castle after the battle of Bridge of
Orchy.
Later the feud between the Stewart and MacDougal sides of the family came to a climax with
the "Bloody Battle of Stalc" fought out on the hillside overlooking the castle (or on the shore).
The numbers involved were it is reported, several hundreds. (A tendency to exaggerate numbers was not unknown.)
On one side were the Stewarts and the MacLarens and, on the other side, the MacDougals and the
MacFarlanes. The Stewarts won and Alan MacDougal (the murderer) was killed.
Later Dougal who held the Lordship of the Isles was tricked out of this title by the Campbells.
There followed an exodus of the Stewarts known as Imeach Mor (The Great Flitting of Lorn)
but Dougal continued living in the castle and being the chief of Appin for many more years.
In 1689 the Stewarts lost ownership of the castle (to a Campbell of course) in a game of cards.
It was recovered by the Stewarts later, after the battle of Killicrankie. The battle was fought for the restoration
of James II (of Britain) and the Stewarts were on the winning side.
Stewart of Ardsheal, keen to settle a few scores while he was on a winning run,
came back to Appin with his men still hot from the fight and
evicted the Campbells.
But the times were not entirely auspicious.
Graham of Claverhouse, who led the winning side at Killicrankie was also
killed at that battle, and the Highland armies were then left without leadership.
The Campbells
(who always chose which side to be on with some care) gathered their
forces and under Archibald (who later became the Tenth Earl and the first Duke) laid siege to Castle
Stalcair. The seige lasted a year before the Stewarts yielded it once more to Clan Campbell.
In the ‘45 rebellion the castle
was used to garrison Hanovarian troops.
In modern times the castle was bought by the Stewart family in 1908 but it was by that time is some disrepair.
In 1966 it was acquired by
the Allward family who still live there having restored it, with some sensitivity, to its present condition.
The castle is opened to the public only on certain days, which usually coincide with the local agricultural show.
(Main source: The Companion Guide to the West Highlands of Scotland, by W.H.Murray, Collins 1968)