Doune – A Fascinating Town to Visit
In the southern region of Perthshire you will find Doune, a small burgh near the River Teith. Doune was first made a burgh in the 16th century and it was then that it became well known for its cotton industry and for the pistols it produced. Today those two industries are a thing of the past.
Doune is located in quite a hilly region that has been molded and formed by the river flowing near by, and it is situated quite close to the towns of Dunblane and Callander. There are still remains of the days when sheep and cattle were brought from all around to the fairs where they would be sold. The fairs were usually held in the small marketplace, which was in the shape of a triangle and can still be viewed today.
It is here in this small historic village that you will find one of the most spectacular castles dating right back to the fourteenth century. Doune Castle is one of the main tourist attractions in this region where people can view the architecture and the rooms that have been beautifully preserved till today. It is also the location where the film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” was filmed. When you stand at one of the high vantage points in the Castle you will be afforded a spectacular view of the countryside and the Teith River, which is fed from the Lubnaig and Trossachs region.
Robert Stewart, the Duke of Albany at that point, built the Doune Castle in the 13th century as a royal residence for his household. Son of King Robert the second he became the next appointed ruler until his death and from then on the Doune Castle continued to be a regal retreat for consecutive monarchs.
On the River Teith you will notice a two-arched bridge that crosses over it built by Robert Spittal in 1535. Before the bridge local residents would take a ferry across the river but it was not the quickest way to get to the other side and it proved to be time consuming. If you head to the center of the village you will find the parish church, which dates back to the 19th century. Located on the church grounds you will find the local graveyard and a tower that rises above most of the buildings.