Dunach House/Estate:

Image Right - © Copyright Eddie Mackinnon and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence. Geograph

Historical Building of Argyllshire, Scotland,

The purpose of this project is to gather information about Dunach House/Farm/Estate as very little has been established. If you have any information regarding the history of this place or the people associated with it please share it by either adding the information or links to the project. Any contributions would be welcome!

• Type of Building: mansion/House
• Condition: Ruins?
• Location: Oban, Argyll and Bute PA34 4QP
• Category: B
• Date Listed: 15 October 1993
• Historic Scotland Building ID: 13339
• Canmore ID- 22955
• Coordinates 56.3662, -5.4615
• OS Grid Coordinates: 186304, 724704
• When Built:
• Architect:
• Built for/by:
• Owned by:
• Webpage:

History

Notes from Jim Brennan

• "My knowledge of Dunach derives from the testament of Alexander Forsyth, a Solicitor to the Supreme Court in Edinburgh, and in partnership with a MacDougall, and married to a wife whose maiden surname was Braithwaite, whom I cannot trace further back than the 1790s, but whose heir and successor at Dunach was a nephew, James Forsyth, at the time of Alexander F's death early in 1833, a solicitor in Kingston Jamaica, though he he seems to have been in Scotland from the autumn of 1832".
• Forsyth of Dunach is mentioned in nineteenth century collections of Argyll folk tales. As far as I can tell, MacDougall of Dunollie held Dunach until 1807 when he divided his holdings. My guess would be that a later MacDougall, probably related to Forsyth's partner, might have parted with Dunach to Forsyth at some time before 1824-1828, when WL Burn, who had developed Claremont Crescent in Edinburgh on land owned by Forsyth (MacDougall and Forsyth had an office there from around 1824) began rebuilding the old house at Dunach in modern style, for Forsyth himself. The job seems to have been done by the time Forsyth wrote his will, in December 1832. The nephew, James Forsyth of Glengorm on Mull, died in 1863, I think, while still laird of Dunach. It eventually went to a MacDonald, though".

References Found

• Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland On the Agriculture of the County of Argyll

" Dunach estate, consisting of the farm of that name, now belongs to N. M. M'Donald, Esq. The mansion-house is very elegant, and beautifully situated on a platform on the side of a hill facing Loch Feochan, and is surrounded by fine plantations. The whole place has a most picturesque appearance. The late proprietor, Mr Forsyth, bestowed much labour and expense in improving Dunach. He drained all lands requiring drainage, and turned up rough ground under heather, bringing it into tillage. These grounds have been laid out in permanent pasture, and remain green to the present time. They have been grazed by sheep, and that helps to keep down the heather. Mr M'Donald keeps the lands in his own possession, and rents Moleigh, which marches with it. He has commenced to rear a stock of black cattle, and is very likely to have a superior herd in a few years".

• The Life and times of John McColl

"John's father had moved into Oban and set up business at 17 High Street, but before he could begin to think of this as his home he was offered the job of piper to MacDonald of Dunach, a small estate south of Oban. He was now twenty years of age, fresh from two years of constant tuition of the highest order. At Dunach he had time to let his playing mature, and the following summer - four years after his fruitless first attempt - he was ready to try the games once again".

• http://www.thepeerage.com/p50247.htm#i502466

"Duncan MacDougall of Dunach married Ann Macarthur, daughter of Patrick Macarthur and Mary Campbell, in 1712".

• The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2015), date accessed: 9 May 2015

Charles II: Translation
1662, 8 May, Edinburgh, Parliament > Parliamentary Register > At Edinburgh 9 September 1662 > Legislation
[1662/5/94]1
Act concerning [John MacDougall of] Dunollie against Campbell and others

The king's majesty and estates of parliament, having considered a bill of suspension given in to them by John Campbell of Dunstaffnage, Mr Donald Campbell, his uncle, Donald Ewing in Ardnahowie, Duncan Campbell, uncle to [Colin Campbell of] Lochnameal, Archibald Campbell of Barnacarry, Dougall Campbell of Inverawe, Donald Campbell, brother to Lochnameal and Hector MacLean of Torloisk, craving that the decreet given on 12 July 1661 against them at the instance of John MacDougall of Dunollie, Allan MacDougall of Raera, John MacDougall of Degnish and Dougall MacDougall of Dunach might be suspended upon the grounds and reasons contained in the bill and, finding no just ground for suspending that decreet, therefore the king's majesty, with advice and consent of his estates of parliament, has thought fit to refuse the said suspension and ordains the said John MacDougall of Dunollie, Allan MacDougall of Raera, John MacDougall of Degnish and Dougall MacDougall of Dunach to have and be put into possession of the lands contained in the decreet conforming to the tenor thereof, it is always declared that this act shall be without prejudice of any legal rights and securities the defenders respectively have acquired of the said lands, or any part thereof, but that the same are reserved to them according to the law. NAS. PA2/28, f.50v-51.

• A History of Clan Campbell: From Flodden to the Restoration By Alastair Campbell, Alastair Campbell Campbell of Airds

"1646, the Campbells took their revenge on the MacDougalls, 500 of who had risen in arms for the King. The Marquess, Ardkinglas, Dougal of Inerawe, Dunstaffnage, Archibald Campbell of Baringar (sic) and Archibald, uncle of Campbell of Barbreck-Craignish, all officers of the Marquess's regiment, wernt to Kerrera where they killed fourteen of the MacDougalls and took a further six, as prisoners, to Inveraray where they were subsequently hanged.
Dougall MacDougall of Dunlach was seized and incarcerated in Innishconnell, where he was kept in chains with heavy irons on his arms and legs in great pain. As Captan of the Castle of Dunolly, MacDougall was forced to surrender, an terms, to the Marquess and was released when he resigned his lands of ballicharry and made payment of a thousand merks in cash to the Marquess.

People Associated with Dunach

…in chronological order

• Duncan MacDougall, of Dunach

Sources, References and Further Reading

• http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/sc-13339-dunach-house-kilmo...
• http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/record/rcahms/22955/dunach/rcahms
• http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/22955/details
• http://twixar.me/Nmz

Related Publications

• Battle Castles - 500 years of Knights and Siege Warfare - Dan Snow 2012
• Best of British Castles - AA Publication 2004
• Castles of Wales and the Welsh Marches - The Pitkin Guide
• The English Castle - John Goodall 2011

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