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Castle Levan


Castle Levan is an interesting twin towered castle dating back to the 14th and 16th centuries, and is now restored and run as a bed and breakfast.

The castle, which may have been built on the site of an earlier building, is thought to have been built by the Morton family. It occupies a good defensive position on the edge of the steep and deep ravine of the Leven Burn with extensive views across the Firth of Clyde.

On the north side of the site is a rectangular tower thought to date to the late 14th century. Measuring approximately 10.6m north-north-west to south-south-east by approximately 7.9m across it has walls some 1.5m thick and rises to a height of three storeys plus a garret within a corbelled parapet walk with roundels.

The original entrance was at first floor level in the south wall and would have been reached by an external stair, however it was later converted into a window. High above the entrance, at second floor level, was a carved niche for an armorial panel.

Immediately below the original entrance is a later opening at ground floor level which leads into a narrow corridor within the thickness of the wall. On the ground floor are two vaulted basement chambers. A straight, narrow intramural staircase leads up from the west end of the corridor to the first floor. A service stair in the north wall leads up from the eastern cellar.

The first floor contains the great hall with stone seats within recessed windows. A spiral staircase leads up from the south-west corner of the great hall to the westernmost of two bedrooms above on a wooden floor supported by corbels.

Originally a barmkin extended from the south side of the tower, with an inside width of 13.7m, enclosing a courtyard area. In the 19th century a vaulted chamber was still visible to the south of the castle and probably represents the basement of a building attached to the barmkin.

The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland, Volume 1
Edinburgh, 1887

Early in the 16th century a second three storey tower was built on the site of the barmkin’s east wall, the north-west corner of the new wing being joined to the south-east corner of the original tower. Within the adjoining corners is a turnpike stair leading up from the ground floor to the first floor. The new wing is also rectangular in plan and measures approximately 8.0m west-north-west by 6.3m east-south-east. Like its neighbour it features 1.5m thick walls, but has only one vaulted basement cellar above which is a kitchen with large fireplace on the first floor and a bedroom on the second floor.

It has been speculated that the building of the wing was commenced before the main tower was completed as the chequered corbelling and parapet walks with roundels match perfectly. However it is more likely that when the new wing was added the top of the earlier tower was remodelled to incorporate it into that of the new one.

Adam Morton of Levane, a cadet of the Mortons of Walkinshaw, sold the castle to William Sempill, 2nd Lord Sempill, before 1539. Other sources state that Morton may have alienated the lands to Lord Sempill in 1547, the year he died, and that Sempill absorbed them into his own barony of Semple that year. Adam’s son, James Morton, took legal action but eventually lost.

Legend has it that Castle Levan is haunted by a ghost known as the White Lady and said to be William Semple’s third wife Mariota or Marion Montgomery, daughter of John Montgomerie of Hessilhead. The story goes that she tortured and killed “tenants” of the castle. Mary of Guise sentenced her to death, a punishment later commuted to imprisonment in the castle. When Lady Montgomery’s husband returned from military duty he was supposedly so disgusted by her behaviour that he locked her up and she starved to death. The fact that Lady Montgomery outlived her husband, who died in 1552, and went on to marry John Campbell of Skipness is neither here nor there.

Castle Levan is said to have been acquired by the Stewarts of Ardgowan in 1649, although I haven’t been able to find the exact circumstances surrounding this transfer.

Ann or Anne Sempill, the eldest daughter of Robert Sempill, 4th Lord Sempill, married Sir Archibald Stewart of Castlemilk in 1603. One of Sir Archibald’s sisters, Margaret, married John Stewart of Blackhall and Ardgowan, and it seems that this is how the Sempills and Stewarts of Ardgowan became linked. In 1672 there was a ratification in favour of Anne and Sir Archibald’s grandson, Sir Archibald Stewart of Blackhall, which included Levan.

In the 18th century the Stewarts became the Shaw-Stewarts and in the 19th century they built a new house, also called Castle Levan, just to the north of the old towers. The old castle fell into disrepair, the east wall of the south-east wing collapsed and its entrance was partially buried by earth and rubble.

The New Statistical Account, published between 1834 and 1845, refers to Leven being the seat of a Mr Crooks. In “Days at the Coast”, published in 1878, Macdonald mentions that the castle was covered in ivy and access was allowed by the owner Mrs Crooks. In 1879 Castle Levan was seemingly owned by John Polson, the cofounder of Brown & Polson corn merchants.

The early 20th century history of Castle Levan is poorly documented however it seems to have been kept as a picturesque folly within the grounds of the new mansion.

Excavations in 1966 and 1970 to 1972 revealed evidence of the original barmkin and a kitchen midden was discovered on the east side of the castle’s south tower. It was found to contain around 5000 pieces of bone and seashells inlcuding oysters, along with mid-15th to early 16th century green-glazed pottery and a mid-17th century spurred clay pipe bowl. The foundations of what was interpreted as a possible gatehouse were found in the courtyard area.

A programme of reconstruction began in 1980, with a full refurbishment being carried out between 1984 and 1987 by the architect Ian Begg who had been commissioned by the then owners advertising executive and art collector David Pearson and his wife Sheila. The Pearsons made the castle their family home until their retirement in 1995 when they sold it, after which it was converted into a bed and breakfast.

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Alternative names for Castle Levan

Laven Castle; Levan Castle; Levane; Leven Castle

Clans associated with Castle Levan

Sempill

Surnames associated with Castle Levan

Sempill

Semple

Stewart

Where is Castle Levan?

Castle Levan is in the parish of Inverkip and the county of Renfrewshire.

Grid reference:NS 21584 76365

Lat / long:55.9471,-4.8587389

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OS Map for Castle Levan

OS map 341
Greenock, Largs & Millport (Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park)
OS Explorer map 341


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Directions to Castle Levan

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Weather at Castle Levan

6°C
max 8°C / min 6°C
33km/h WNW
1005mb
78%
100%
08:14 16:50

Overcast clouds
Weather observed at Gourock at 06:24
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References (books)

Days at the coast
Hugh Macdonald
Glasgow, 1878
The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland Volume 1
David MacGibbon
Edinburgh, 1887
The Castles of Glasgow and the Clyde
Gordon Mason
Musselburgh, 2000
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The Castles of South-West Scotland
Mike Slater
Malvern, 1993
The Fortified House in Scotland - Volume V
Nigel Tranter
Edinburgh, 1970

References (websites)

Canmore
Wikipedia
Castle Levan

Castles near Castle Levan

Chrisswell Castle (site of)

2.5km away

Gourock Castle (site of)

2.9km away

Dunrod Castle (site of)

3.3km away

Inverkip Castle

3.6km away

Dunoon Castle

4.1km away

Ardenslate motte

4.3km away

Greenock Castle (site of)

6.6km away

Cartsburn (site of)

7.0km away

Easter Greenock Castle (site of)

7.8km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Castle Levan

Kempock Stone standing stone

2.9km away

Carman fort

15.9km away

Langbank West crannog

16.7km away

Dumbarton Rock fort

18.4km away

Langbank East crannog

19.1km away

Elan-Rossdhu crannog

19.4km away

Dumbuck crannog

20.1km away

Dumbuie fort

20.6km away

Longhaugh Point standing stone

21.5km away
more ancient sites....
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Pictish stones near Castle Levan

Dunadd Class I rock carving

41.6km away

Old Kilmadock 2 Class I symbol stone

55.6km away

Old Kilmadock 1 Class II symbol stone

55.6km away

Hawkhill Class III cross-slab

70.4km away

Blackford Class I symbol stone

78.4km away

Fowlis Wester Class II cross-slab

85.8km away

Fowlis Wester Church Class III cross-slab

85.9km away

Tullibole Class III cross slab

87.4km away

Dupplin Cross Class III cross

93.9km away
more Pictish stones....

Pictish sites near Castle Levan

Whitecleugh silver chain

81.6km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

87.3km away

Borland silver chain

89.3km away

Norrie's Law hoard

123.4km away

Haddington silver chain

129.6km away

Whitlaw silver chain

130.6km away

Traprain Law silver chain

136.4km away

Hoardweel silver chain

157.4km away

Torvean silver chain

172.7km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Castle Levan

Castle Levan
bed and breakfastGourock
0.0km away
Royal Marine Hotel, Dunoon
hotelDunoon
4.0km away
Best Western Argyll Hotel
hotel, restaurantDunoon
4.2km away
Esplanade Hotel
hotelDunoon
4.3km away
Selborne Hotel
hotelDunoon
4.3km away
Abbots Brae Hotel
hotelDunoon
5.0km away
Knockderry House Hotel
hotelCove
7.0km away
Holiday Inn Express Greenock
hotelGreenock
7.3km away
Premier Inn Greenock
hotel, restaurantGreenock
8.0km away
Rosslea Hall Hotel
hotelRhu
9.0km away

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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Castle Levan

Best Western Argyll Hotel
hotel, restaurantDunoon
4.2km away
Premier Inn Greenock
hotel, restaurantGreenock
8.0km away
Ardencaple Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barRhu
9.4km away
Ardardan Tearoom
caféCardross
11.5km away
Cameron House on Loch Lomond
hotel, restaurant, barArden
17.3km away
Best Western Gleddoch House Hotel & Leisure Club
hotel, restaurant, barLangbank
17.3km away
Premier Inn Dumbarton / Loch Lomond
hotel, restaurant, barDumbarton
18.6km away
Loch Lomond Arms Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barLuss
21.8km away
Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort
hotel, restaurant, barErskine
23.8km away
Royal An Lochan Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barTighnabruaich
24.3km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Published on the 9th of February 2012 at 12:39 am. Updated on the 2nd of May 2016 at 6:32 pm.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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