Just south of the Cowel Peninsula is the tiny island of Bute, home to Rothesay Castle. This 13th Century castle is uniquely circular in structure with four principle towers and surrounded by a moat.
Bench at Crarae Glen Gardens - Argyll and Bute
With the advent of the Stewart monarchs Rothesay became a royal castle. Its significance was mostly during the reigns of James IV and James V as a strategic base to pacify the Lords of the Isles.
The castle saw action in the Civil War and later was sacked in 1685 during the first Jacobite rebellion. Though it has fallen into relative obscurity it’s relevance still lies within the title of Duke of Rothesay, the title given by Scotland to HRH Prince Charles as heir to the throne.
The islands only town Rothesay still retains some of its former quaintness as a Victorian seaside resort once a popular getaway for wealthy merchants from Glasgow . The island has some wonderful woodland walks and lovely views of the western highlands across the Clyde estuary to the mainland.
