Lochranza Castle

The castle dates from the 13th century when it was owned by the MacSweens. In 1262, King Alexander III granted the castle and its lands to Walter Stewart, the Earl of Menteith. It is believed that Robert the Bruce landed at Lochranza in 1306 on his return from Ireland to claim the Scottish throne. During the 1490s, James IV used the castle in his campaign against the Lord of the Isles and the Clan MacDonald. In 1614 it was occupied by the king and in the 1650s it was used by Oliver Cromwell. The Hamiltons had owned other estates on the Isle of Arran so eventually sold it to the Blackwood-Davidson family who used it as their principal seat. During the 18th century, the castle fell into…

For the album The Black Island in The Adventures of Tintin, Methuen Publishing, the English publisher, asked for more realism for the third edition of 1966. Bob de Moor, then Hergé's assistant, followed in Tintin's exact footsteps, drawing inspiration from different locations to produce a new set of background designs. He goes to the Isle of Arran. According to Charles Dierick, a member of Studios Hergé, it erroneously follows that Lochranza Castle is said to serve as a model. But this one has a square tower and its silhouette is not appropriate, whereas on this same island Bob de Moor reproduces certain details of Brodick Castle. The castle appeared in "Dom Joly and the Black Island" on…