Theatrum Scotiæ containing the prospects of Their Majesties castles and palaces : together with those of the most considerable towns and colleges, the ruins of many ancient abbeys, churches, monasteries and convents, within the said kingdom : all curiously engraven on copper plates, with a short description of each place / by John Slezer ...

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To His Grace CHARLES Duke of Lennox and Richmond, Duke and Peer of France, Earl of Darnley and March; Baron of Torbolton and Settrington, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, &c. (Book Dunbarton)

DUNBRITTON. (Book Dunbarton)

DƲMBARTON or Dunbritton, is a Town in the Sheriff∣dom of Lennox, which Beda calls Allclyth, others Allcluith. It has its Name from Dun, which in our ancient Lan∣guage signifies a Hill or Rock, and Bar which in the same Language signifies the Top or Height of any Thing.

The Town is situate in a Plain on the Bank of the River Levin, near the Place where it enters into Clyde, a little below the Castle, which is excellently fortified by Nature, owing little to Art; and seems to have been built by the Ancient Brigantes. This Town had its Privileges procured to it by One of the Countesses of Lennox.

The Castle hath a strange kind of Situation; for where the Waters of Clyde and Levin meet, there's a Plain extended to the length of a Mile at the Foot of the neighbouring Hills: And in the very Corner of this Meet∣ing there rises a Rock with two Tops, the higher of which looks to

the West, with a Watch-Tower on the Top of it, having a large Pro∣spect on all Sides. The other being a little lower lies to the East. Be∣twixt these two Tops are Steps hewen out of the Rock with great Pains and Labour, which yield Passage only to one Person at a Time, to the upper Part of the Castle. To the South where Clyde runs by the Rock which is naturally steep, it hath a little Descent, and as it were with out-stretcht Arms embraces the plain Ground; which partly by Nature and partly by Art is so enclosed, that it furnishes Room for several Houses and a Garden. It secures the Harbour by its Ordnance, and obliges the smaller Boats to come up almost to the very Gate of the Castle, the Chanal of the River running on that Side. The mid∣dle of the Rock where the Entry to the Castle is, being built up with Houses, makes as it were another Castle distinct from the former. This Castle, as appears by its Prospects, does almost stand like a Sugar-loaf upon a plain Ground. The Circumference of it is but very small, and yet it hath at the Top a little kind of a Lake and several other Springs. Be∣sides the natural Fortification, it is bounded on the West by the Water of Levin, and on the South by Clyde, which are to it instead of Ditches. To the East, the Sea at a full Tide beats against the Foot of the Rock; and when it ebbs it does not leave a Plain of Sand, but of a soft Clay, which is divided by a Rivulet that runs down from the neighbouring Hills.