Snowdrops and the tower

Actually it's not so much a tower as a ruin - the remains of the original Toward Castle. Originally owned by the Lamont family, Toward Castle dates from the 15th century when the keep was constructed. The surrounding courtyard is believed to have been built in the 16th c.

Mary, Queen of Scots, is known to have visited in 1563.

The Lamont family were Royalists and supported the MacDonalds in their conflicts with the Campbells. In May of 1646 a large force of Campbells besieged Toward and when the walls were breached by cannon Sir James Lamont surrendered under a promise from the Campbells to let the Lamonts go free. The Campbells did not honour their word, however, and slaughtered all the Lamonts they could find, hanging 36 of them from one tree in nearby Dunoon.

The Lamonts moved to Ardlamont and Toward was sold in 1809 then later acquired by Kirman Findlay c1818. Toward was excavated and consolidated in 1970.

And this afternoon, as a blizzard began to whistle through the trees, the snowdrops were showing white at the foot of the mound.