Regime change in 13th-century western Scotland

a reconsideration of the architectural form and early history of the royal castle at Tarbert, Argyll

Abstract

Previous interpretations of the courtyarded quadrangular structure surviving on the summit at Tarbert Castle, Argyll had suggested this was the earliest upstanding building on the site, and a potent symbol of increased crown authority in the region during the early-13th-century reign of Alexander II. This paper will present a consistent suite of archaeological, architectural and documentary evidence which indicates that this building is a multiphase early-14th-century structure that post-dates the surrounding L-shaped enclosure, as well as documentary evidence suggesting that a later 13th- to 14th-century transition from private to direct royal control of the site took place.

Canmore ID 39316