Castle Stalker

Austin
Sansone
Shane
 A History

• Translates to Hunter or Falconer in Gaelic.

• Originally built as a fort in the 1320s Clan
MacDougall.
Lorne
 The MacDougalls

• Scottish clan, associated with the land of Lorne.

• Descendants of Dougall, son of Somerled king of
the Scottish Isles.
• Dougall took most of the lands of Lorne and
Argyll
• During the Wars of Scottish Independence, The
MacDougalls were supporters of William Wallace
and King John I of Scotland. They were then
pushed out of power by Robert I of Scotland.
 MacDougalls Continued
• Robert The Bruce led an army against the
MacDougalls, in which both sides won
several battles. About a decade later they
were defeated by The Bruce. Ownership of
Lorne and Castle Stalker was then given to
clan Stewart for their allegiance to The
Bruce.
 Back to Castle Stalker…
• It was built as it’s seen
today at around 1446 by
Sir John Stewart.
• Many battles were fought
by the MacDougalls
against the Stewarts.
Several battles took place
in the fields in front of
Castle Stalker.
• The MacDougalls never
again retained ownership
of Castle Stalker.
 The Wager
• Ownership was handed • In 1684, the Campbells
over to the Campbells in were ordered to return the
1620 when the Stewart Castle back over to the
leader lost in a drunken Stewarts. The Campbells
wager (for an eight-oared refused but after a
wherry). prolonged siege, the
Stewarts had ownership of
Castle Stalker again
 Back to the Campbells
• The Stewarts were then ordered to return
the castle to the Campbells in 1690 for their
support in the first Jacobite Uprising. The
Stewarts refused to turn ownership of the
castle over, and were then besieged by the
Campbells for several months. It was
eventually surrendered after the Stewarts
were offered an honorable surrender in
1690.
 Stewarts Repelled
• During the 3rd Jacobite Uprising in 1745, the 
Stewarts tried to take the castle back again. 
Reports state that there were 60 Campbells 
stationed at Castle Stalker and a force of 300 
Stewarts attacked. It is said that “the Castle 
was too strong for them to take and their 2lb 
cannon­balls merely bounced off the walls.” 
The Campbells retained ownership.
 Castle Stalker’s Importance
• Served as an important • Gov. used as center for
link between forts Clansmen to surrender
during 3rd Jacobite arms.
uprising.
 Castle Stalker’s Decline
• Campbells stopped living in Castle Stalker
in 1800, kept just as a storehouse.
• Roof fell in at about 1840; source of major
damage to castle.
 Stewarts Return
• Castle was bought by Charles Stewart, back
in the family again in 1908.
• 1965 Lt. Col. D.R. Stewart spent 10 years
restoring the Castle to as it is today.
 Murders
• Sir John Stewart, first lord of Castle Stalker was
murdered during his wedding by a disgruntled
MacDougall in 1463.
• Dugald Stewart was murdered in 1497.
• Dugald’s son Duncan took over ownership of the
castle but was also murdered shortly afterwards.
• In 1520, Sir Alexander Stewart was murdered
while fishing near Castle Stalker.