AUCHENDENNAN CASTLE / HOUSE
ACCESS : This is a private building. However some of the associated estate buildings are let out as holiday accommodation and can be found if googled.
https://w3w.co/originate.covenants.poem
Auchendennan House is often referred to as a striking Baronial castle due to its ostentatious grandeur. Located as it is overlooking Duck Bay, but over the local authority border, it is technically outwith West Dunbartonshire, (it is within Argyll and Bute), but is nevertheless integral with our environment.
The listing text tells us that The house is listed category A on account of the exceptional interior. It is a youth hostel. Shavian influence to interior decoration - see Cragside. The house replaced an earlier Italianate mansion of circa 1818. It was built for George Martin. Mr Chrystal, a chemical manufacturer instigated the later additions.
Secret Scotland elaborates on that : Early in the 19th century (c. 1818) William Rouet, a Glasgow merchant, built an Italian villa on the rising ground of the area, and named the house Belretiro. This house no longer exists, and the mansion which occupies the site was built during the period 1842-46 for George Martin, another Glasgow merchant, with later additions to the house being made by Mr Chrystal, a chemical manufacturer.
After the war ended, the house passed to the Scottish Youth Hostels Association (SYHA), and plans were quickly drawn up in 1945 for its alteration to suit its new purpose. The house now (2007) offers 153 beds in 24 rooms, and retains many of its original features, including a ballroom, and a sweeping cast iron staircase with vast stained glass window. Auchendennan House has been listed category A since 1980, due to its exceptional interior, while the associated stable buildings and fountain associated have been separately listed category B since 1996.
All that of course refers to the castle / house as we see it today. Joseph Irving tells us about its evolvement: Northwards of Cameron are the Auchindennans, which have been given a designation to different families. The superiority of Auchendennan-Rhie, or King's Auchendennan, was acquired very early b y the burgh of Dumbarton, probably as a gift for the support of some of the religious establishments in the burgh. it was fued in the early part of the sixteenth century by Sir Thomas Watson, chaplain of the Rood Altar in Dumbarton, to Sir Andrew Dennistoun of the Ferrylands of Cardross, whose descendants continued in possession of it till 1609, when it was purchased by Robert Napier of Blackyards. His son sold it in 1620 to john Napier of Kilmahew, in whose family it continued for about a century, when it was sold by George Maxwell Napier to Peter Napier of Napierston. From this Napier Auchendennan-Rhie was acquired in 1718 by a younger son of Nicol Bontine of Ardoch, the rental at that time being 650 merks. It was subsequently purchased by William Rouet, who erected a residence in the Italian style, to which he gave the name Belritero. In 1843, William Colquhoun, Esq., Rossdhu, purchased the estate of Auchendennan Lindsay, from Colonel Mure of Caldwell, who had succeeded as heir to Miss Rainy Rouet. It was afterwards aquired by William Campbell, Esq., and more recently by George Martin Esq., of Martin, Turner, & Co., Glasgow, who took down the old house of Belritero, and built on its site the present beautiful residence of Auchindennan, from designs by Mr. John Burnet, architect, Glasgow. The grounds have also been laid out with much taste and judgement. In 1858, on turning up an old burial ground at Auchenheglish, within the lands of Auchendennan-Rhie, several stone coffins and portions of human remains were discovered. The tradition is, that a church stood on a rising piece of ground near where the road diverges from Loch-lomond and Auchenheglish Brae. About 1770, Auchedennan-Dennistoun and Bannachra, were acquired from the Donaldson family by George Buchanan, merchant in Glasgow, who also purchased about the same time the lands of Auchendennan, and part of Stuikrodger. He made his residence at Auchendennann, and changed the name to Arden. [Irving]. This reference to Arden may be confusing, but Arden House on the subdivided land is another grand residence on the shore of Loch Lomond, the name probably best known more for the roundabout on the A82 where it branches off to Helensbugh,
In this 16th map by Timothy Pont we see "Camron" at A. Nearby at B is "Tullichewym". Across from where the Leven leaves Loch Lomond at C is "Bellach". At D are "Over Achindunen" and "Nether Achindunen". Across towards Cardross we find "Lylftoun" at E and Achinfail" at F. All these place names are identifiable with modern equivalents, but this is an early map and all of them were subsequently rebuilt. NLS © as ref below.
John Wood compiled this map in 1818, even noting the property owners at that time. The landscape has become quite busy. A= Arden > Buchanan Esq; B = Belritero (the earlier name of Auchendennan). C = Cameron House > Smollett Esq; D = Balloch Castle; F = Woodbank > Miss Scott, the hotel and F = Tullichewan Castle > Horrocks Esq. NLS © as ref below.
By 1861 (rev 1902) it starts to look more familiar. A = Cameron; B = Cameron Home Farm; C = Auchendennan; D = Balloch Castle and E = the original Balloch Castle. You can even see the railway reaching right up to where the steam boats took visitors across Loch Lomond. NLS © as ref below.
The following photographs were taken in 2013 when the house was a youth hostel.
Looking across the pond to the entrance porte cochere.
Looking up from the porte cochere.
A corbelled bay window.
A hearth in the entrance.
The central atrium.
A very grand hearth.
Panelling dado, printed wallpaper frieze and coved upper section with painted embossed wallpaper ie anaglypta. And some paintings and a stag's head.
BRITISH LISTED BUILDINGS : https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/200390508-auchendennan-castle-bonhill
IRVING, JOSEPH. The Book of Dumbartonshire. W. and A. K. Johnston. Edinburgh and London. 1879.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND : MAPS : Mapmaker: Pont, Timothy, 1560?-1614?. Title: Levinia Vicecomitatus. The Province of Lennox, called the Shyre of Dun-Britton /... Date: 1890. https://maps.nls.uk/view/216547779
and Mapmaker: Wood, John, ca. 1780-1847. Title: Map of Dumbarton Shire from actual survey ... / by John Wood ... T. Clerk sculpt... Date: 1818. https://maps.nls.uk/view/216442554
and Sheet 30 - Glasgow. Publication date: Surveyed: 1855 to 1861, Revised: 1902, Published: 1905, Railways: 1914, Minor corrections: 1913. https://maps.nls.uk/view/189526735
SECRET SCOTLAND : https://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/AuchendennanHouse
