Skipness Castle was originally an early to mid 13th century stone rectangular two storey hall house, founded by Suibhne, founder of Clan MacSween or his son Dugald. Overlooking the Kilbrannan Sound to Arran and encased by a defensible earth and timber rampart, its detached chapel was dedicated to St Columba. In the early 14th century the MacDonalds of Islay and Kintyre founded the rectangular enclosure fortress, when incorporating the hall house and chapel within a high curtain wall. Square towers flank the south-east and north-east angles of the enclosure and where the west wall adjoins the hall house is another square tower. In the courtyard two storey ranges of buildings stood against the east and south walls and a two storey gatehouse protrudes from the south wall. The hall house was retained until the Campbell Earl of Argyll, added a 16th century tower house of four storeys and a garret to the north-east angle of the enclosure. The castle was abandoned in the late 17th century and the courtyard buildings were removed when the site was converted into an 18th century farmsteading.