For anyone interested in their ancestry, heraldry, or the Highland clans, this castle offers a rich source of inspiration and insight.

For anyone interested in their ancestry, heraldry, or the Highland clans, this castle offers a rich source of inspiration and insight.

Inveraray Castle: The Heart of Clan Campbell

Inveraray Castle became the seat of the Dukes of Argyll in the mid-18th century. The family had long been the chiefs of Clan Campbell, one of the most powerful clans in Scottish history. Their political influence shaped the Highlands and, at times, the entire nation.

Inside the castle, you’ll find portraits, armour, and collections that tell the story of this remarkable lineage. You’ll also see the distinctive Campbell tartan, a symbol still worn proudly today by descendants around the world.

How Inveraray Castle Connects to Surname History

Many Scottish surnames—especially those linked to Highland clans—carry centuries of tradition and identity. Inveraray Castle and the surrounding Argyll region were home to many families who served under or were connected to the Campbells.

Even if your surname isn’t Campbell, it may be part of a sept—a smaller family historically affiliated with the clan. You can explore your surname history to uncover these links or dive deeper with our beautifully presented Scottish Clan History Prints, which detail the heritage and clan affiliations of over 1400 Scottish surnames.

Heraldry and Coat of Arms: A Tradition Continued

Within the castle, heraldic shields and historic arms reflect Scotland’s long-standing tradition of identifying noble families through symbolism. These traditions live on today through our Coat of Arms gifts—featuring the earliest known heraldic designs linked to your surname.

Displaying a coat of arms in your home or gifting it to a family member is a meaningful way to celebrate your connection to the past, just as the Campbells have done for generations.

Plan Your Visit to Inveraray Castle

Still privately owned by the Duke of Argyll, Inveraray Castle welcomes visitors throughout the year. Touring the castle offers a rare opportunity to walk through living clan history—from the grand Armoury Hall to peaceful gardens overlooking the loch.

We encourage you to plan a visit to Inveraray Castle and experience this extraordinary part of Scottish heritage for yourself. Whether you’re researching your ancestry or simply love history, few places offer such a direct connection to the story of Scottish surnames.

A Cultural Landmark Worth Celebrating

Inveraray Castle is not only a treasure of clan history but also a shining example of Scottish architecture and conservation. The current custodians—descendants of the original Campbell line—have done an outstanding job preserving the building, grounds, and archives for future generations. Their work ensures that the castle remains a meaningful destination for historians, families, and heritage enthusiasts alike.

Its unique blend of Gothic, Baroque and Palladian influences makes it architecturally distinct, while its interior collections offer visitors a deep and personal insight into aristocratic life in Scotland. Few places manage to balance historical depth with public accessibility so beautifully.

Supporting Living History

By encouraging visits and learning, Inveraray Castle serves as more than a historical site—it is a living connection to Scotland’s past. We wholeheartedly support their mission to share this legacy with the wider world and encourage anyone with an interest in heritage, architecture, or family history to explore all that the castle has to offer.

Whether you’re a local or visiting from afar, a trip to Inveraray Castle is not just educational—it’s truly inspirational.

Begin Your Heritage Journey

At Hall of Names, we’re passionate about helping people reconnect with their surname’s roots. Whether your heritage is Scottish, Irish, Welsh, or English, discovering where your name comes from is a powerful step in understanding your personal history.

Start today by searching for your surname history or viewing your family name’s earliest known Coat of Arms. Let your surname guide you on a journey as rich and storied as Inveraray Castle itself.

Our blog contains a wealth of information for the family history and name enthusiast – read all surname blog posts here.

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Where we shop.

According to a recent YouGov survey ‘Do Brits shop for gifts online or in store?’, the 25-49 age bracket were already shopping primarily online pre-Covid, so the increase in this group was only 5-10%. That’s to be expected. However, the 50-64 age bracket (by far the wealthiest according to the ONS) saw an interesting change.

Back at the start of the pandemic, this more mature group of shoppers were as likely to spend their plentiful disposable income in store as online.  The Covid lockdown saw an unsurprising dramatic shift in spending to online. But what is interesting though, is that this switch remains at almost 60%, from pre-pandemic levels of 43%.

What this means for your shop.

So, what does this new trend tell us and what does it mean for you if you’re a heritage gift retailer, or in the tourism sector? Most importantly, how can you ensure you are capitalising on the increased trend for online shopping? Especially at a time when the cost of living is impacting so many shoppers. Do people need to visit your shop, or is it just as easy for them to buy from your website?

The key is offering your customers the choice. Visitors to shops within tourist and heritage locations are highly likely to be purchasing in-store for gifts to take home. They’ll be thinking carefully about how to spend their money, on gifts that really matter to them.  After all, they want to take home a lovely reminder of their visit, to keep for years to come. It is vital that what you offer in store is tempting to them and tailored to their needs and spending power. They want gifts that make them feel good to buy!

Heritage sector shops.

For example, historic attractions need items that are relevant to the heritage of the site, easy to transport and that create a lasting memory for the visitor. Retailers love our surname history scrolls because they offer great quality and value yet are very profitable and relevant. Visitors leave with a fabulous memento that they can show off to friends or family and talk about for years to come. Equally, there’s a wide range of gifts available to add to your collection, which can be purchased online at a later date, once your visitor has returned home.

The visitor experience now and in the future

Customer interaction and great service make a huge difference, and the Hall of Names system is great on both these counts. Your staff member shows the visitor the amazing history of their name on-screen, along with its earliest coat of arms – always a talking point! You’ll find that other visitors often listen in, and the resulting sales usually far exceed those of other products in-store.  A dedicated staff member is not a necessity. Although in the experience of our retailers, it really does reap rewards in terms of customer interaction, engagement and ultimately sales.

But think of how you shop for yourself. How often have you bought something, only to wish later that you’d bought more of the same to give as gifts? Or when friends ask ‘where did you get that?’ only to discover that the shop is nowhere near and doesn’t have an online store? The ability to sell online should not be an afterthought, but a crucial part of every retailer’s offering. Otherwise, you’ll be missing out on important sales opportunities.

Don’t miss out on sales opportunities

If you are a tourist location or heritage sector retailer, have you considered how shoppers can be incentivised to spend more with you? You can of course consider discounts for bulk purchases. But you can also encourage them to return to your store online, long after they have visited in person.

We see evidence of others’ missed opportunities frequently on our own website. We ask our customers where they first heard about us and are often told that it is at one of our retailers. However, that sale could have gone direct to the retailer, if only they had an online shop section of their website. And it doesn’t need to be hard.

Is it easy to sell Hall of Names gifts online?

It is so simple! We offer a drop-shipping service, which means that we do the time consuming part for you, fulfilling and sending the orders direct to your customers. You just benefit from the sale. The only thing you need to do is send us the order. We can even create the artwork specific to your needs, providing all information to include. You’ve done the hard work in setting up a website, so it makes perfect sense to make the most of all those online sales opportunities. Plus, this also allows you to expand the range, offering other gifts with coats of arms. You’ll be diversifying your revenue streams and increasing profit. Read more about becoming a Hall of Names retailer here.

Looking to the new season…

Visit Britain is predicting that visits from overseas will almost be back up to pre-pandemic levels (35.1m against 40.9m in 2019). Retailers need to be prepared to meet the opportunities that this inbound tourism offers.

For example, many of those visitors will be from countries such as the United States, who are eager to discover the history of the UK and how it relates to their own heritage. Each of these visitors has a surname likely to be on our database of more than a million names. And you’ll be able to print its fascinating history for them to take home. Then they can come back to your online store to purchase more as gifts. Plus you can even offer a wide range of other gifts. It sounds simple, because it is simple!

How to set up with Hall of Names

We’d be delighted to help you move forward as a Hall of Names retailer, both in your physical shop and your online store. The system is quick and easy to set up, you’ll be meeting the huge trends for personalised gifts and family research. Plus, you’ll be providing visitors with an affordable yet meaningful souvenir to purchase from your shop when they visit, and from your online store long after they’ve returned home!

If you’d like to join the many other Hall of Names retailers across the UK, please contact jo@hallofnames.org.uk. If you have questions about how it all works, please visit our ‘Frequently asked Questions’ or call 01984 632120 for an informal chat. We are with you every step of the way to ensure your success, and promise you’ll never look back!

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What to expect at the Midsummer Carnival at Warwick Castle

Get your heart GALLOPING during perilous stunts and exciting trick riding. Plus, you’ll meet famous people from history including Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare! Also, when you stay the full day  you won’t miss out on both opening and closing ceremonies! This really is a celebration fit for a Queen, with a festival atmosphere twist!

Hall of Names at Warwick Castle

We have proudly worked with Warwick Castle for many years, where customers can visit the Hall of Names cabin. For example, if you’d like to find the fascinating history of your name, call in to see it on screen! Firstly, you can check one of the name books to find out if the name is on our records. Then secondly, you can view the history of the name on screen, plus its earliest coat of arms. Then finally you can order a printout there and then to take home as special souvenir of your day. Alternatively of course, you can always order online from us here.

You’ll have a such memorable day and why not consider some of the other events happening at Warwick Castle? For example, there’s the spectacular Dragon Slayer evening. This is a theatrical light projection show and it’s more epic than ever! It’s a moving and unforgettable experience where you’ll feel the heat cascade off the castle walls. It really is a gripping theatrical performance and sensational light show, all ending in a breath-taking fireworks finale.

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Blenheim Palace is a truly stunning historic location and World Heritage Site in Oxfordshire. As the principal residence of the Dukes of Marlborough, it is the only non-royal country house in England to hold the title of palace. Notably, Blenheim Palace is famous as the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill (read some of his famous quotes here).

It is an absolutely great day out for all the family! Hall of Names has a proud tradition of working with some of the most historically important attractions across the UK. Therefore, we were delighted to forge this perfect partnership, and look forward to many successful years ahead. More than 900,000 visitors flock to this beautiful location every year. We are pleased to offer those visitors a little bit of their own history to take home as a souvenir. In fact, our coat of arms and surname history prints have quickly become best-sellers!

Events at Blenheim Palace

Throughout the year, there are events to suit all interests. For example, until February 9th, you can take part in a restoration and conservation tour. This gives you the chance to see ‘behind the scenes’ at Blenheim Palace, as the team undertakes its annual deep-clean of the palace’s many treasures. A great chance to see the specialist team in action, plus you will learn how to meticulously clean those special items!

From 15th February to 13th April, there is a fascinating insight into 1920’s life at Blenheim Palace. ‘Let’s Misbehave’ will give you a glimpse into the heady world of the upper classes in a time of great social, artistic and political change. Expect costumed characters and entertainment, and vintage cars. Plus, take yourself back in time with a themed afternoon tea in the Orangery Restaurant, music, dancing and more.

For a full list of the events at Blenheim Place, click here. In order to stay abreast of what’s going on at Blenheim, follow them on Facebook here. Do you think you would like to attend events, plus visit at other times of year? Then it’s a really good idea to consider their annual pass – great value for money allowing year-round entry.

Find us at Blenheim Palace

If you are visiting Blenheim Place and would like to discover more about the history of your name, our team would love to meet you! Simply visit the gift shop, and you will be able to search for your surname on our database of more than a million names. Plus we also have clan histories and Irish histories available. You can even have two coats of arms printed side-by-side, all at the click of a button.

Our retailers

Hall of Names is proud to work with retailers at leading historic attractions all over the UK. These include Inveraray Castle, Leeds Castle, Castle Cornet on Guernsey, Balmoral – the Queen’s Highland home, Pembroke Castle, Ludlow Castle and many more. To view our retailers on a map, click here. If you would like to be considered as a retailer, please click here.

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What’s included in the prize?

Our friends at Canterbury Tales have kindly offered us a family ticket for up to four people, worth £32.50. You’ll gain admission to this fabulous attraction, which takes you back in time to Chaucer’s England. After all, a visit to Canterbury is not complete without experiencing Chaucer’s famous tales!  Meet costumed guides, and walk alongside Chaucer’s pilgrims. Plus, you’ll revel in the recreated medieval scenes and discover five colourful tales of love, infidelity, intrigue, courtship and death. Furthermore, you’ll experience the sights, sounds and smells of medieval England. This is a unique and theatrical introduction to Canterbury and its famous literary connection.

Your adventure begins at The Tabard Inn. Here you will meet the first of your costumed guides who’ll prepare you for your pilgrimage to Canterbury. As you leave your guide to walk alongside Chaucer’s pilgrims, you will find yourself in the midst of a story-telling contest. Five of Chaucer’s colourful and entertaining tales are brought vividly to life as you journey through the recreated medieval scenes and listen to the audio guide. When you reach Canterbury, you will be met by a second costumed guide who will take you to your ultimate destination – the shrine of St Thomas Becket. This pilgrimage appeals to visitors of all ages.

Of course, we are pleased to have worked with Canterbury Tales for many years, as they are one of our retailers. Pop along to the Hall of Names and you’ll be able to find out all about your surname history!

How to enter

It’s so easy to enter! All you need to do is like and share our competition post on Facebook, stating what the word ‘family’ means to you. We wish you luck!

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Looking for Christmas events? You may be aware that Hall of Names surname histories are sold at many top historic attractions. But did you know you can also visit us at shows and Christmas events? Our blog page has many articles about the fantastic locations where our retailers sell our coats of arms scrolls. However, many of our retailers do not have a permanent base. Instead, they sell our lovely range of personalised gifts at shows and events across the UK.

For example, have you seen our events page? It shows you exactly where our retailers are. It also lists the events and shows that are going to take place in the forthcoming weeks and months. Plus…the festive season is drawing closer! This  means that our independent retailers will be attending a wide variety of shows, events, fairs and markets. As a matter of fact, some of these events are the most popular in the country! But what will you find when you visit Hall of Names at one of these events?

What will you be able to buy?

You will be able to buy a highly distinctive personalised gift, that will be cherished for years to come! Plus, you’ll get the chance to talk to our retailers direct, all about your surname and its origins. These include spelling variations, and early lands owned. Also, migration to the new world and even if there were passengers on board the Titanic! Each one of our retailers is trained and highly knowledgeable. Therefore, you’ll be able to ask questions about your own name and its origins. Retailers will be able to advise you on which products will best suit your personal needs. They are a friendly bunch so come along and find out all about your surname!

Some of the exciting events and shows where you will find Hall of Names stands this year…

Keep checking our events page as we will keep it regularly updated. Here are some of the events planned so far:

The Mistletoe Fair at the Hertfordshire Showground takes place from the 2nd – 4th November. It promises to be an event full of festive cheer and shopping delights. If you’d like to find out more, then click here. Similarly, Hall of Names will be at the ‘Santa South West’ event at the Bath and West Showground. This takes place from the 1st – 2nd December and will be packed with Christmas fun. If you’re interested in attending ,then click this link to find out more. We will also be at the Exeter Christmas Market, the Victorian Market at Gloucester Quays, the Christmas Country Show and Food Market in Newbury, plus many more.

What you will be able to see at Hall of Names stands

Traditional fairs and Christmas events are being held up and down the country and Hall of Names will be trading at some of the best locations. You’ll not only be able to look up your surname in one of the name books on display, but also view it on screen before it is printed. You will be able to see Scottish and Irish histories where the information is available. You can even purchase a double coat of arms print with your personalised message below. This makes a truly personal gift for a couple – an ideal present for Mum and Dad, grandparents or a recently married / engaged couple. For each of these options we can show you the associated artwork for the name, whether that is a coat of arms or a clan badge (in the case of our Scottish clan history prints).

Whether you are looking for a great day out, or to complete your Christmas shopping, check out our Christmas events page and find out if we are attending an event near you. Plus, just for fun, take a photograph of yourself with our retailer, upload it to our Facebook page, and we will send you a money-off voucher!

You can of course buy our fabulous gifts here.

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The beautiful and picturesque cobbled village of Clovelly Devon is one of the county’s most popular visitor attractions. Its steep myriad of streets and lanes wind their way past fascinating houses and traditional shops, down to the quaint and tranquil harbour below.

Our Hall of Names surname histories used to be available int in the former post office on the left hand side as you walk down the high street. However, this retailer has now sadly moved away form the area. But don’t worry – you can purchase the prints here! The entire village is for pedestrians only. There is ample parking available at the top of the village and a land-rover taxi available for those who require vehicle assistance.

Profits from entrance fees are put back into the upkeep of this important historic site. There is a visitor centre at the top of the village, where souvenirs and a wide choice of gifts are available. It is an award-winning centre, its design based on a Devon long barn.

The history of Clovelly is a long and interesting one and it been associated with just three families since the middle of the 13th century, a period of nearly 800 years!

Domesday Book

At the time of Clovelly’s inclusion in the Domesday Book, it was under ownership of the King. But this was acquired by Giffards, a family of Norman origin. By 1370 marriage and purchase brought the ownership of Clovelly to Sir William Cary, a member of one of the great Devon families. He was reputedly the builder of the original pier the foundations of which still rest on massive boulders slotted together.

Sir William’s elder brother, Sir John, was a judge and Baron of the Exchequer in 1370, but owing to dynastic intrigues he was banished to Ireland and his lands confiscated. Sir John’s son, Robert, was to be brought up in William’s household.

His fortunes turned when, at a Royal Tournament in 1413, he defeated the Knight Errant of Aragon who until then had been unconquered throughout Europe. Robert was immediately given a knighthood by Henry V and his father’s lands were given back to him.

The Cary’s and Clovelly Devon

The Cary’s arms to this day include the ‘three roses argent’ of the Aragon Knight. The Carys lived in Clovelly Devon for the next eleven generations. However, the the Cary line eventually died out because subsequent generations did not marry or were childless.

Hamlyn

In 1738 Clovelly was sold to Zachary Hamlyn for £9438. Over a century later, Christine Hamlyn Fane, was to have the Clovelly Estate (in 1884). In 1889 she married Frederick Gosling. She requested him firstly to change his name from Gosling to Hamlyn. This is because of the long association of the name Hamlyn with Clovelly Devon.

Secondly, she asked him to devote his not inconsiderable fortune to the restoration of all properties on the estate. As you walk down the village street you will see many houses inscribed with the initials CH and FH and a date. The dates mark the renovation of the building to meet modern-day standards. However, the foundations and outer walls are much older.

Asquith

Christine and Frederick, didn’t have any children, and so the estate was given in 1936 to Christine’s niece, Betty Asquith. Betty and Arthur had four daughters. Mary, the eldest, married Keith Rous from the Henham Estate in Suffolk in 1943. She inherited the Clovelly Estate on Betty’s death in 1962.

Her son, John Rous, took over the running of the estate in 1983. Visitors to Clovelly today can expect a wide variety of traditional shops to explore, including a sweet shop for those in need of energy for the steep walk down to the harbour…and back up again!

Some of the buildings are available to explore. There is also a fantastic craft centre where you will find hand-made toiletries and silks. There’s also a pottery where children can have a go at making their own keepsake to take home. The donkeys are also a memorable part of the Clovelly experience!

Why not consider a trip to beautiful Clovelly, Devon? There is a choice of accommodation on offer – click here for details, and we hope you enjoy your trip!

Find out if we have the coat of arms and surname history for your name by clicking here.

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RESISTANCE & LIBERATION

During World War II, the Crown left Jersey defenceless and the Island became occupied by German forces. As a result, Jersey War Tunnels are a product of five long years of Occupation; they bore witness to the particular cruelty of the Nazi regime.

Dug deep into the hillside by forced and slave workers from nations across Europe, the extraordinary tunnels run over 1km in length. They now contain an underground collection of thought-provoking galleries that detail Jersey’s occupation history from resistance, through to starvation, and then of course, their eventual liberation.

Visit the Jersey War Tunnels website, where you will learn fascinating insights into Jersey’s wartime history. You will be able to see an interactive map displaying the 23 distinct areas of the Tunnels.

Discover the stories of the local population, which endured five years of hardship. Find out more about their individual stories here. The website also features a special map which shows you the changing face of Europe through the war and when countries were invaded and occupied. You’ll never believe this happened on British soil.

Here are the areas that are waiting to be explored:

1. ENTRANCE TUNNEL

The imposing, cavernous entrance tunnel takes you deep into the hillside. You’ll be faced with a Stug tank named ‘Hedwig’ – a replica of Germany’s most produced armoured fighting vehicle during WWII – and drawn into a stunningly realistic wartime diorama.

2. THREATENED ISLAND

The dark clouds of war were gathering across Europe. Jersey, lying isolated in the English Channel did not see the threats growing on the horizon. Threatened Island gives you a taste of life in Jersey in the years leading up to the outbreak of war.

3. TO LEAVE OR TO STAY?

As the UK announced that it would not defend the Channel Islands, residents were faced with an impossible choice – to stay and face the unknown enemy or to go, leaving behind families, friends and possessions.

4. FIRST CONTACT

German troops poured in by their thousands. Jersey and its sister islands were firmly under the jackboot. ‘First Contact’ recounts those initial days and months of uncertainty as the occupied learned to live with their occupiers.

5. THE BOILER ROOM

Displaying the original heating equipment, the boiler room gives a very real sense of the types of technology employed in the construction of these tunnels.

6. THE PAPER WAR

With little physical resistance to deal with, it wasn’t long before the German command began interfering in daily life. It’s main weapon – a formidable bureaucracy, generating new laws and orders on a daily basis.

7. OPERATING THEATRE

Like a macabre set from a horror film, the operating theatre contains all the equipment that German surgeons would have used as HO8 changed purpose from a barracks to a hospital.

8. DAILY LIFE

As restrictions and shortages increased, daily life for islanders clearly became more difficult. This gallery is a replica of an Occupation House and gives clear insight into the make do and mend mentality that kept residents going throughout the dark years of occupation.

9. AIR RAID SHELTER

Step inside a replica air raid shelter to get a feel for the conditions, noises and bleakness of the situation faced by Islanders of the occupation.

10. TELEPHONE EXCHANGE

All land lines terminated in this communication centre. The German Underground Hospital was part of a network linking battle head quarters and other command posts. In the event of an invasion all would have been kept up to date with battle and casualty reports.

11. HEAD STOREMAN’S OFFICE

The head storeman was responsible for ensuring the hospital was fully equipped and prepared.

12. WHISPERS AND LIES

Under occupation, accepted realities change for good. Can neighbours and friends still be trusted? Trust is everything in a small community; Whispers and Lies gives you an idea of how things change when huge strains are placed on the bonds that hold people together.

13. COOPERATION AND RESISTANCE

Nothing is as it seems and choices are hard to make. What do you do? Cooperation and Resistance looks at the dilemmas faced by everyone involved, from the UK government to the island’s leaders and islanders in their daily lives. How do you resist when you have no weapons?

14. CAP VERDE ENTRANCE

On the other side of the hill, the Cap Verde entrance helps you understand the sheer scale of the excavation. Adjacent to the entrance, pipework from the original air conditioning system, shows how the occupying forces deployed the latest technologies in the operation of Ho8.

15. UNFINISHED TUNNEL

Men toiled with picks and shovels, loading the rocks into trolleys and pushing them back up to the tunnel entrance. In the semi-dark and the damp, with the constant fear of rock falls, this backbreaking work went on in 12-hour shifts. Furthermore, you experience it all through an interactive audio-visual experience in the unfinished tunnel itself.

16. ORGANISATION TODT

Named after its founder, this prolific engineering organisation therefore changed the face of Europe forever. Here, you can learn more about the organisation, it’s methods and the people who, willingly or not, worked to build Hitler’s Atlantic Wall.

17. FORTRESS ISLAND

Far in excess of their military significance, the Channel Islands used one twelfth of reinforced concrete for the entire Atlantic wall. Deploying the Channel Islands’ resources more reasonably could have doubled the strength of the Atlantic wall, and had a profound effect on the Allied advance.

18. HOSPITAL BED WARD

Jersey War Tunnels were originally built as an artillery repair facility and barracks store. In 1944, fearing an assault on Jersey, the Germans had the complex converted into a casualty receiving station.

19. UNDER SIEGE

After D-day, the Channel Islands were cut off from all supply routes through France. The last year of the war was characterised by hunger and desperation.

20. DESPERATE TIMES

In the final months of Liberation, it was of course no surprise that Islanders became desperate. Food shortages were acute and not only that, they did not know when the war would end, the Island entered its darkest times.

21. LIBERATION

Certainly, the event that islanders will never forget: 9 May 1945. Finally after five years of occupation, British forces arrived to free the Channel Islands. Scenes of happiness and relief characterised this most wonderful of days.

22. REFLECTION

After Liberation this was of course a time of deep reflection for the Island. This final gallery also gives you pause for thought and a moment to think about the true effects of the Occupation.

23. UNFINISHED TUNNEL

Of course, the damp, dark conditions give a sense of the misery and danger faced by the unfortunate slave workers whose hands dug these tunnels.

If you would like to find out more about the Jersey War Tunnels, please visit their website here, or additionally you can book tickets online here.

See it, feel it, believe it, at Jersey War Tunnels.

Find out if we have the coat of arms and surname history of your name by clicking here.

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History

A castle has been standing on the shores of Loch Fyne since the 1400s. However,  the impressive castle we know today was inspired by a sketch by Vanbrugh. He was the architect of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard in the 1700s.

Vanbrugh died soon afterwards, but the great architect’s germ of an idea became the base of the house which the 2nd Duke was eventually to build.

The foundation stone was laid in 1746 and what followed was the construction – to a design by the architects Roger Morris and William Adam – of a truly modern, baroque, Palladian and Gothic-style castle, architecturally before its time.

Both Morris and Adam died before Inveraray Castle was finished and Adam’s sons, John and Robert, brought the castle to completion 43 years after the first stone was laid.

The Famous Fire

The Inveraray Castle we know today was the result of a fire in 1877. This resulted in the addition of the third floor and conical roofs on the corner towers. Boasting an illustrious catalogue of guests dating back to the 16th Century. The Argyll Estates themselves cover an area in excess of 50,000 acres. This offers some of the finest hill and woodland stalking available in Scotland.

In 1562, Mary Queen of Scots visited the Estate as a guest of Archibald, 5th Earl of Argyll and shot deer in Glen Shira. The Duke of Argyll explains what the family seat means to him. “History is often lost through the years. But here at Inveraray we have, over the decades, chronicled the past in order to share it with future generations. We have taken great pride in our achievements, yet are conscious of our mistakes. And of course, this reflects in our family motto ‘Ne Obliviscaris’”.

To find out more, you can of course call the Inveraray Castle direct on 01499 302203 or visit the website here, or the castle’s facebook page here. To discover more about our Scottish Clan histories, click here.

Have you visited Inveraray Castle? What was your favourite bit? Share your experience here!

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