Scottish castles: Inveraray Castle
Inveraray Castle
Inveraray Castle a country house near Inveraray in the county of Argyll, in western Scotland, on the shore of Loch Fyne, Scotland's longest sea loch. It has been the seat of the Duke of Argyll, chief of Clan Campbell since the 17th century.
The house is a mostly mid-18th-century neo-Gothic design. Designers who worked on the house include William Adam and Roger Morris; the interior includes a number of neoclassical rooms created for the 5th Duke by Robert Mylne. These are among the rooms open to the public. The 13th Duke and his family live in private apartments occupying two floors and set between two of the castle's crenellated circular towers. Recent renovations included the installation of the house's first central heating.
In 1975, a devastating fire struck Inveraray and for some time the 12th Duke and his family lived in the castle basement while restorations requiring a worldwide fundraising drive were carried out.
Inveraray Castle is a Category A listed building. It is surrounded by a 16-acre garden and estate of 60,000 acres
In 2012, the Christmas episode of Downton Abbey was partly filmed here; the castle stood in for the fictional "Duneagle Castle."