Castles · Scottish Lowlands
Lochranza Castle
In or near Lochranza.
Lochranza Castle — castle on Arran, North Ayrshire, Scotland, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
Lochranza Castle is located in the Scottish Highlands, with the postcode KA27 8HL. Accessibility is limited for wheelchair users.
About
Lochranza Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Wikidata describes it as: "castle on Arran, North Ayrshire, Scotland, UK". Coordinates: 55.7053°, -5.2903°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Lochranza Castle is an L-plan fortified tower house situated on a promontory in Lochranza, on the northern part of the Isle of Arran in Scotland. Most of the current structure was built in the 16th century.
From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.
From Historic Environment Scotland
Take a look at Lochranza Castle, a tower house on a peninsula extending into a beautiful loch. Visit the site today or contact Historic Environment Scotland for more information.
Read more on the official property page.
From the Wikipedia article
Lochranza Castle is an L-plan fortified tower house situated on a promontory in Lochranza, on the northern part of the Isle of Arran in Scotland. Most of the current structure was built in the 16th century.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The castle dates from the 13th century when it was owned by the MacSweens. In 1262, King Alexander III granted the castle and its lands to Walter Stewart, the Earl of Menteith. It is believed that Robert the Bruce landed at Lochranza in 1306 on his return from Ireland to claim the Scottish throne. During the 1490s, James IV used the castle in his campaign against the Lord of the Isles and the Clan MacDonald. In 1614 it was occupied by the king and in the 1650s it was used by Oliver Cromwell. The Hamiltons had owned other estates on the Isle of Arran so eventually sold it to the Blackwood-Davidson family who used it as their principal seat. During the 18th century, the castle fell into…
Visiting
For the album The Black Island in The Adventures of Tintin, Methuen Publishing, the English publisher, asked for more realism for the third edition of 1966. Bob de Moor, then Hergé's assistant, followed in Tintin's exact footsteps, drawing inspiration from different locations to produce a new set of background designs. He goes to the Isle of Arran. According to Charles Dierick, a member of Studios Hergé, it erroneously follows that Lochranza Castle is said to serve as a model. But this one has a square tower and its silhouette is not appropriate, whereas on this same island Bob de Moor reproduces certain details of Brodick Castle. The castle appeared in "Dom Joly and the Black Island" on…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 55.7053, -5.2903
- District
- North Ayrshire
- Postcode
- KA27 8HL
- Parliamentary constituency
- North Ayrshire and Arran
- Official site
- ayrshireandarran.com
Sources
- wikidata: Q2340545 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Lochranza Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Lochranza Castle 1.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Castlekirk, Lochranza
Historic churches · 0.2 km
Lochranza
Towns & cities · 0.3 km
Lochranza Youth Hostel
Hostels · 0.3 km
Lochranza Church, Arran
Historic churches · 0.6 km
Arran, Lochranza, Torr an t' Sean Chaisteal
Vineyards · 0.7 km
HMS/M Vandal Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.7 km
Lochranza Caravan and Campsite
Campsites · 1.0 km
Isle of Arran Distillery Visitor Centre
Natural landmarks · 1.2 km
Arran Distillery
Distilleries · 1.2 km
Cnoc nan Sgrath
Mountains & hills · 1.4 km
Loch Ranza
Natural landmarks · 1.4 km
Hutton’s Unconformity
Memorials & monuments · 1.4 km
Nearby
📷 5Historic churches · Scottish Lowlands
Castlekirk, Lochranza
Castlekirk, Lochranza — category C listed building-listed church in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 3Towns & cities · Scottish Lowlands
Lochranza
Lochranza — village in North Ayrshire, Scotland, UK.
📷 5Hostels · Scottish Lowlands
Lochranza Youth Hostel
Lochranza Youth Hostel — a hostel in scotland highlands. Brand: Hostelling Scotland.
📷 5Historic churches · Scottish Lowlands
Lochranza Church, Arran
Lochranza Church, Arran — category B listed building-listed church in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Vineyards · Scottish Lowlands
Arran, Lochranza, Torr an t' Sean Chaisteal
Arran, Lochranza, Torr an t' Sean Chaisteal — a UK vineyard in scotland highlands, producing English or Welsh wine from cool-climate grape varieties.
📷 3Memorials & monuments · Scottish Lowlands
HMS/M Vandal Memorial
HMS/M Vandal Memorial — a memorial in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Lochranza Castle
Places to stay
📷 5Hostels · Scottish Lowlands
Lochranza Youth Hostel
Lochranza Youth Hostel — a hostel in scotland highlands. Brand: Hostelling Scotland.
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Lowlands
Lochranza Caravan and Campsite
Lochranza Caravan and Campsite — a campsite in scotland highlands.
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Lowlands
Glen Rosa Campsite
Glen Rosa Campsite — a campsite in scotland highlands.
📷 5Hostels · Scottish Lowlands
Shore Lodge
Shore Lodge — a hostel in scotland highlands.
📷 5Hostels · Scottish Lowlands
Brodick Bunkhouse
Brodick Bunkhouse — a hostel in scotland highlands.
📷 3Campsites · Central Scotland
Tarbert Holiday Park
Tarbert Holiday Park — a campsite in scotland highlands.
Places to eat & drink
📷 6Historic pubs · Scottish Lowlands
Corrie Hotel
Corrie Hotel in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
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📷 4Frequently asked questions
- Where is Lochranza Castle?
- Lochranza Castle is in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (postcode KA27 8HL).
- What is Lochranza Castle?
- Lochranza Castle — castle on Arran, North Ayrshire, Scotland, UK.
- How do I get to Lochranza Castle?
- Drivers can use postcode KA27 8HL.
- Is Lochranza Castle a listed building?
- Lochranza Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Does Lochranza Castle charge admission?
- Lochranza Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Lochranza Castle?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode KA27 8HL. It sits within the North Ayrshire and Arran parliamentary constituency.