52:
246:
394:
402:
drawbridge with a gatehouse helped defend the ground level access off what is now a narrow country lane, some traces of this ditch survive. On the north-eastern side is a prominent stone lined well (take care if visiting), slop shoot or garderobe gives access to the
Burnbank Burn gorge and shows evidence of having been reduced in size as some stage for defensive reasons (See photograph). This feature may have once been a postern gate with steps down. Two or possibly three 16th century wide-mouthed gun loops can still be seen in the courtyard wall. The thickness of these curtain walls suggests a 13th-century date.
304:
68:
838:
406:
validate this. The main entrance and gatehouse was at the north-western angle and two postern gates also existed, one at the northern end that was accessed via steps from the courtyard and the other at the eastern end leading to the end of the peninsula. At the north-west are the likely remains of a window associated with a lean to structure. The name 'Duchal' imay translate as 'Two Rivers'.
427:
pretended to be fellow
Covenanters in need of food and shelter which they were duly given, however Lady Duchal suspected them and had them watched, upon which it was observed that they did not say grace before eating. Lady Duchal informed her husband who had them seized, bound and severely whipped before placing them in an old vault where they lay until an officer collected them.
334:. A second cannon was also employed and this became known as 'Duchal'. The king himself attended the siege at some point and nine Dutch pirates are known to have volunteered as an alternative to hanging. The sheriffs had to provide oxen to haul the guns to Duchal and the king obtained at Paisley who came to the castle with mattocks and spades. The siege only lasted a few days.
75:
352:
Duchal Castle in 1701 is recorded as partly ruinous and
Catherine Boyd, wife of Alexander Porterfield is said to have built Duchal House as his wife, daughter of the Earl of Kilmarnock, regarded the old castle in its wooded location to be cold, damp and unsuited to comfortable living. Duchal had been
401:
The castle's curtain walls follow much of the edge of the raised peninsula with its continuous precipitous and mainly vertical drop into the rivulets on either side. The courtyard is fairly level and was divided into an inner and outer bailey. At the western end of the site a deep ditch crossed by a
344:
In 1544 Duchal Castle passed to the John
Porterfield of Porterfield by purchase on the death of John de Lyle, 3rd Lord Lyle. Jean Knox of Ranfurly, retired to their old seat of Porterfield in 1575 upon her husband's death and subsequently the family used the property as a dower house. Duchal passed
405:
On the south-eastern side, overlooking the deep
Blacketty Burn gorge, is a rocky outcrop that stands circa 20 ft above the courtyard floor with visible masonry foundations and this was the site of the keep, possibly a later structure of 14th or 15th century date, however too little remains to
348:
In 1578 Duchal was attacked and burnt as part of a family feud by James
Cunningham, Master of Glencairn (later the 7th Earl of Glencairn), attacked and burnt down Duchal Castle as part of a feud between the Cunninghams and the Porterfields. The damage appears to have been repaired as the castle
438:
was built to the east of the castle (NS353680) by the
Porterfields in 1710 and as was the custom much of the carved stone, etc. was robbed and used in the new building. Duchal House is still occupied and despite various additions the present structure may incorporate part of the 1710 building.
426:
had pursued the case against the
Porterfields with great vigour and he was granted the family estates which he held for a short time before they were returned and he fled the country. Before 'Duchal' was arrested and tried an incident took place where two of Melfort's spies came to Duchal and
356:
The castle gradually declined in importance until the family started afresh at the site of 'New Duchal'. A substantial number of human bones are recorded to have been found in an upper apartment during the dismantling of the now abandoned fortifications. A summerhouse was built on the
376:
at Duchal, having a son, Alexander
Stewart with her, born in 1497 at the castle. On a visit here from Glasgow on 22 February 1497 the king commanded that money be left for Marion and his baby son giving eighteen shillings
253:
The castle was held from the 12th century by the Lyle, L'Isle, Lyell or Insula family. It seems unlikely that they were of the same Lisle family which had first settled in
879:
51:
361:
using stones recycled from the old fortifications and the remains of a rectangular building between the inner and outer bailey may be the remains of this building.
245:
393:
792:
770:
67:
41:
295:' located near East Green in John Thomson's Atlas of Scotland, 1832. The name 'Duchal' is often written as 'Duchall' on old maps, etc.
337:
The lands of Duchal were forfeited, the castle was repaired and held for a time by Robert
Cunningham, 2nd Lord Kilmaurs and later 2nd
814:
98:
874:
864:
341:, however Sir Robert managed to return to the king's favour and even became Lord Chief Justice for a second time in 1492.
303:
37:
869:
353:
reduced to a substantial ruin by 1782 however the castle's draw well (slop shute or garderobe) and drawbridge survived.
311:
385:. The King celebrated his twenty-fifth birthday at Duchal on 17 March 1498 and enacted a Deed or Revocation here.
237:
on a peninsula created by the Blacketty and Green Waters which have their confluence beyond the two deep gorges.
258:
261:(1198 – 1249) and he may have built the first castle here. In the mid 15th century Lord Lyle was ennobled by
222:
859:
322:
besieging Duchal, which had been garrisoned by the Earl of Lennox in 1488, local tradition holding that
315:
266:
369:
319:
270:
262:
218:
200:
778:
The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland from the Twelfth to the Eighteenth Centuries
699:
675:
601:
810:
788:
766:
373:
338:
281:
274:
269:. Lord Lyle had died in 1470 and his heiress had married Alexander Lyle of Craigbate. In 1513
418:
and eventually suffered by forfeiture and imprisonment in 1684, the laird becoming known as
331:
327:
226:
843:
580:
423:
382:
345:
to Lord Melfort by Crown grant however it was returned to the Porterfields of that Ilk.
254:
853:
265:
and a successor, Sir Robert Lyle became Lord Chief Justice and a Privy Councillor to
435:
214:
273:
and his natural son James (see below), Archbishop of St Andrews, both died at the
358:
234:
833:
828:
415:
211:
31:
113:
100:
292:
291:
Evidence of the old feudal baronial court is to be found in the place name '
285:
280:
The title of Lord Lyle passed to the descendants of Sir Neil Montgomerie of
207:
27:
379:
to the noris that fosterit Marioun Boydis barne and fourteen to a harper.
323:
230:
397:
The well/slop shute/garderobe/postern gate from the Green Water Gorge.
542:
318:
in 1488 and in 1489 he supported the Lennox rebellion resulting in
302:
244:
372:
kept and often visited one of his mistresses, Marion Boyd of
800:
A History of the County of Renfrew from the Earliest Times.
728:
The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland V.III
257:. Ralph de Insula of Duchal is recorded in the reign of
233:. The castle stands at the bottom of the valley of the
307:
A section of the curtain wall on the Green Water side.
288:
who had married Jean, daughter of the 4th Lord Lyle.
189:
181:
173:
165:
160:
152:
142:
137:
129:
92:
20:
56:Remnants of the castle's keep from the courtyard
575:
573:
571:
569:
567:
565:
563:
561:
559:
8:
655:
653:
651:
349:remained in use for some time afterwards.
17:
880:Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Inverclyde
522:
520:
518:
502:
500:
498:
496:
494:
492:
490:
488:
726:David MacGibbon and Thomas Ross (1990).
721:
719:
543:"John Thomson's Atlas of Scotland, 1832"
414:The Porterfields were supporters of the
392:
454:
785:The Castles of Glasgow and the Clyde.
74:
7:
780:, V.III, Edinburgh:The Mercat Press.
509:The Castles of Glasgow and the Clyde
464:The Castles of Glasgow and the Clyde
807:The Castles of South-West Scotland.
776:MacGibbon, T. and Ross, D. (1990).
745:. Alexander Gardener. p. 319.
743:A History of the County of Renfrew
700:"Duchal Castle: An Initial Survey"
676:"Duchal Castle: An Initial Survey"
664:. Alexander Gardener. p. 147.
662:A History of the County of Renfrew
629:. Alexander Gardener. p. 145.
627:A History of the County of Renfrew
602:"Duchal Castle: An Initial Survey"
531:. Folly Publications. p. 158.
529:The Castles of South-West Scotland
381:" She later married John Mure of
206:lie circa 1.5 miles south-west of
14:
809:Malvern : Folly Publication.
802:Paisley : Alexander Gardner.
765:. Musselburgh : Goblinshead.
365:Marion Boyd and Alexander Stewart
326:was used as had been the case at
836:
730:. The Mercat Press. p. 157.
73:
66:
50:
787:Musselburgh : Goblinshead.
314:fought against the king at the
249:The gorge of the Burnbank Burn.
830:Video footage of Duchal Castle
1:
798:Metcalfe, William M. (1905).
133:A courtyard castle and motte
644:. Goblinshead. p. 430.
511:. Goblinshead. p. 119.
481:. Goblinshead. p. 349.
466:. Goblinshead. p. 118.
896:
312:Robert Lyle, 2nd Lord Lyle
185:13th to early 18th century
761:Coventry, Martin (2010).
741:William Metcalfe (1905).
660:William Metcalfe (1905).
625:William Metcalfe (1905).
61:
49:
25:
783:Mason, Gordon W. (2013)
640:Martin Coventry (2010).
507:Gordon W. Mason (2013).
477:Martin Coventry (2010).
462:Gordon W. Mason (2013).
299:Siege and later history
199:The ruins of the large
114:55.880943°N 4.6640600°W
398:
308:
250:
875:History of Inverclyde
865:Castles in Inverclyde
805:Salter, Mike (2006).
396:
316:Battle of Sauchieburn
306:
248:
119:55.880943; -4.6640600
763:Castles of the Clans
642:Castles of the Clans
527:Mike Salter (2006).
479:Castles of the Clans
870:Ruins in Inverclyde
110: /
399:
309:
251:
793:978-1-899874-59-0
771:978-1-899874-36-1
339:Earl of Glencairn
275:Battle of Flodden
197:
196:
887:
846:
841:
840:
839:
747:
746:
738:
732:
731:
723:
714:
713:
711:
709:
704:
696:
690:
689:
687:
685:
680:
672:
666:
665:
657:
646:
645:
637:
631:
630:
622:
616:
615:
613:
611:
606:
598:
592:
591:
589:
587:
577:
554:
553:
551:
549:
539:
533:
532:
524:
513:
512:
504:
483:
482:
474:
468:
467:
459:
420:Melfort's Martyr
332:Dumbarton Castle
328:Crookston Castle
227:central Lowlands
138:Site information
125:
124:
122:
121:
120:
115:
111:
108:
107:
106:
103:
77:
76:
70:
54:
45:
44:
18:
895:
894:
890:
889:
888:
886:
885:
884:
850:
849:
844:Scotland portal
842:
837:
835:
825:
820:
752:
751:
750:
740:
739:
735:
725:
724:
717:
707:
705:
702:
698:
697:
693:
683:
681:
678:
674:
673:
669:
659:
658:
649:
639:
638:
634:
624:
623:
619:
609:
607:
604:
600:
599:
595:
585:
583:
581:"Duchal Castle"
579:
578:
557:
547:
545:
541:
540:
536:
526:
525:
516:
506:
505:
486:
476:
475:
471:
461:
460:
456:
445:
433:
412:
391:
383:Rowallan Castle
367:
301:
243:
219:historic county
201:courtyard style
145:the public
144:
118:
116:
112:
109:
104:
101:
99:
97:
96:
88:
87:
86:
85:
84:
83:
82:
78:
57:
40:
35:
26:
12:
11:
5:
893:
891:
883:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
852:
851:
848:
847:
832:
831:
824:
823:External links
821:
819:
818:
803:
796:
781:
774:
758:
757:
756:
749:
748:
733:
715:
691:
667:
647:
632:
617:
593:
555:
534:
514:
484:
469:
453:
452:
451:
450:
449:
444:
441:
432:
429:
411:
408:
390:
387:
366:
363:
300:
297:
255:Northumberland
242:
239:
195:
194:
191:
187:
186:
183:
179:
178:
175:
171:
170:
167:
163:
162:
158:
157:
154:
150:
149:
146:
140:
139:
135:
134:
131:
127:
126:
94:
90:
89:
80:
79:
72:
71:
65:
64:
63:
62:
59:
58:
55:
47:
46:
38:grid reference
23:
22:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
892:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
857:
855:
845:
834:
829:
827:
826:
822:
816:
815:1-871731-70-4
812:
808:
804:
801:
797:
794:
790:
786:
782:
779:
775:
772:
768:
764:
760:
759:
754:
753:
744:
737:
734:
729:
722:
720:
716:
701:
695:
692:
677:
671:
668:
663:
656:
654:
652:
648:
643:
636:
633:
628:
621:
618:
603:
597:
594:
582:
576:
574:
572:
570:
568:
566:
564:
562:
560:
556:
544:
538:
535:
530:
523:
521:
519:
515:
510:
503:
501:
499:
497:
495:
493:
491:
489:
485:
480:
473:
470:
465:
458:
455:
447:
446:
442:
440:
437:
430:
428:
425:
421:
417:
409:
407:
403:
395:
388:
386:
384:
380:
375:
371:
364:
362:
360:
354:
350:
346:
342:
340:
335:
333:
329:
325:
321:
317:
313:
305:
298:
296:
294:
289:
287:
283:
278:
276:
272:
268:
264:
260:
256:
247:
240:
238:
236:
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
213:
209:
205:
204:Duchal Castle
202:
192:
188:
184:
180:
176:
174:Built by
172:
168:
164:
159:
155:
151:
147:
141:
136:
132:
128:
123:
95:
91:
81:Duchal Castle
69:
60:
53:
48:
43:
39:
33:
29:
24:
21:Duchal Castle
19:
16:
860:Strathgryffe
806:
799:
784:
777:
762:
742:
736:
727:
706:. Retrieved
694:
682:. Retrieved
670:
661:
641:
635:
626:
620:
608:. Retrieved
596:
584:. Retrieved
546:. Retrieved
537:
528:
508:
478:
472:
463:
457:
436:Duchal House
434:
431:Duchal House
424:Lord Melfort
419:
413:
410:The Covenant
404:
400:
378:
368:
355:
351:
347:
343:
336:
310:
290:
279:
259:Alexander II
252:
225:in the west
223:Renfrewshire
215:council area
203:
198:
169:13th century
161:Site history
143:Open to
15:
416:Covenanters
389:Description
359:River Gryfe
235:River Gryfe
182:In use
117: /
93:Coordinates
854:Categories
443:References
212:Inverclyde
102:55°52′51″N
34:, Scotland
32:Inverclyde
286:Stewarton
267:James III
208:Kilmacolm
190:Materials
153:Condition
105:4°39′51″W
28:Kilmacolm
370:James IV
324:Mons Meg
320:James IV
293:Moothill
282:Lainshaw
271:James IV
263:James II
231:Scotland
217:and the
42:NS334685
755:Sources
374:Bonshaw
241:History
210:in the
177:de Lyle
813:
791:
769:
708:2 July
684:2 July
610:2 July
586:2 July
548:2 July
156:A ruin
703:(PDF)
679:(PDF)
605:(PDF)
448:Notes
284:near
193:Stone
166:Built
811:ISBN
789:ISBN
767:ISBN
710:2018
686:2018
612:2018
588:2018
550:2018
330:and
130:Type
229:of
221:of
36:UK
856::
718:^
650:^
558:^
517:^
487:^
422:.
277:.
148:No
30:,
817:.
795:.
773:.
712:.
688:.
614:.
590:.
552:.
377:"
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
