Lochranza Castle - North Ayrshire, Scotland

Lochranza Castle - North Ayrshire, Scotland

Lochranza Castle is an L-plan tower house situated on a promontory in the middle of Lochranza, on the North of the Isle of Arran in Scotland. Most of the present castle today was built in the sixteenth century.

The original building dates to the thirteenth 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.[2] By 1371, the castle has become the property of Robert II. It is thought that at this time it was used as a royal hunting lodge.