THIRD PERIOD 382 BALGONIE CASTLE Balgonie has been a fine residence and has not long been abandoned. The keep in particular is one of the best of its class in Scotland. It may be regarded as quite entire in its masonry, only the wooden floors of the two upper stories being wanting. Balgonie belonged to the Sibbald family down to the end of the fifteenth century, and the keep, with enclosure, were in all likelihood built by them earlier in the century. Through deficiency of male heirs, the estate passed by marriage to Robert de Lundin. In the time of Charles i. the place was purchased by General Alexander Leslie, created Earl of Leven, by whom in all probability most of the additions were made. KILCHURN CASTLE, ARGYLLSHIRE. Kilchurn Castle, on Loch Awe (Fig. 330), so well known from the beauty of its situation, which makes it a favourite subject with our artists, is a specimen from a remoter part of the country of the original keep, afterwards converted into a castle with quadrangle. This keep was built about the middle of the fifteenth century by Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy, the Black Knight of Rhodes, and the founder of the Breadal- bane family. FIG. 330. Kilchurn Castle. View from the North-East. It is situated on a peninsula at the north end of Loch Awe, and is well protected by water and marsh, while the buildings stand on a rocky platform of irregular shape, but with perpendicular faces, about 15 feet high, on three of its sides.
