History | castle-toward

Castle Toward Mansion House

Castle Toward was built for Kirkman Finlay in 1820. Finlay was MP for Glasgow from 1812 to 1818 and later Lord Provost of the City. The architect was David Hamilton, known as “the father of Glasgow architecture”, whose work at Royal Exchange and Nelson Monument are still in existence today. The estate was originally 7000 acres in size.

Castle Toward stayed in the Finlay family until 1919...

During World War 2, Castle Toward was used as a Combined Ops training centre known as HMS Brontosaurus. According to Lt Col P B Peyman, who was based there, preparatory work for Operation Torch (North African coast) and Operation Overlord, otherwise known as the D Day Landings, took place in the castle. Winston Churchill visited the Castle and there is still a room in the Castle known as...

HMS Brontosaurus

Ancient Toward Castle

Toward Castle was built in the fifteenth century as the home of the Lamont Clan and the prominent ruins stand in the grounds of the Castle Toward estate.

The oldest part of the Castle is the Keep which commanded an excellent view of the Firth of Clyde. Only a part of this remains. In the basement were the bakehouses and kitchens which led to the Great Hall above via a spiral staircase...

Glasgow Corporation

The Castle became known as a centre for arts and music. In 1954 a Special Course in Art was run, attended by 67 pupils aged 15 – 18 from 4^th and 5^th Year from 21 Glasgow secondary schools, and many similar courses were run over the next few decades.

Many famous conductors, composers, musicians and artists have stayed at the Castle over the years, running or attending residential courses. Including John Maxwell Geddes (who wrote “Postlude for Strings” ...