Doune Castle, Medieval castle in Stirling, Scotland
Doune Castle is a late 14th-century stronghold on a wooded bend where the Ardoch Burn meets the River Teith. Its rough reddish-brown masonry forms an incomplete square around a grassy courtyard: a gabled tower house over the entrance, a lower range, and a tall rectangular block with a flagpole on its flat top. A low ruined wall with a rounded corner encloses the near side.
The castle was built in the late 14th century when Robert Stewart commissioned it as a residence during his regency. It later served different Scottish noble families as a stronghold and home.
The name Doune comes from Gaelic dùn, meaning "fort". Mary, Queen of Scots stayed here several times, occupying the rooms above the kitchen. The castle later became the seat of the Earls of Moray, its keepers, who held it until the 20th century.
The site is located about eight miles northwest of Stirling and opens daily for visitors. An audio guide is included with admission and explains the different rooms and their former uses.
Several international film productions used the fortress as a backdrop, including comedies and historical series. The filming made it a popular destination for fans of those productions from around the world.
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