Doune Castle

Doune Castle stands on a wooded bend where the Ardoch Burn meets the River Teith, eight miles northwest of Stirling in central Scotland. The river flows into the Forth downstream, and the Trossachs begin eight miles further northwest near Callander. The site had been fortified in the 1st century AD, and the name Doune comes from the Gaelic word for fort. The present stonework dates from the late 14th century, when Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, rebuilt the castle after earlier damage. Robert Stewart, son of King Robert II, made Doune his favoured residence in the late 1300s. After his death the castle passed to the crown and served as a hunting lodge for Scottish monarchs. Mary, Queen of Scots, stayed in the rooms above the kitchen during her visits. Later it became the seat of the Earls of Moray, who held it until the 20th century. The castle’s northern range contains the lord’s tower, the great hall, and a separate kitchen tower with guest rooms. The stonework remains largely from the 1380s, with only minor repairs in the 1580s. Restoration in the 1880s replaced the timber roofs and added interior fittings. The great hall still shows the late medieval craftsmanship of the period.