Dumbarton

Dumbarton stands where the River Leven meets the Clyde, beneath the steep twin heights of Dumbarton Rock. Its name recalls the fort of the Britons: the rock was once the stronghold of a Brittonic kingdom, and Vikings took it after a four-month siege in 870. A Scottish royal castle later occupied the site, while the town became a royal burgh in 1222.

The castle guarded a western route by water and offered Scottish rulers a refuge during conflict. David II stayed there in 1333–1334 before sailing to France. In 1548 the young Mary, Queen of Scots, sheltered at Dumbarton before her own voyage to France. During the civil war after her fall, the castle remained in the hands of her supporters until Thomas Crawford's men scaled the rock and captured it in 1571.