The castle has its origins in the late 14th century and was subject to an exhaustive restoration project through the 1980s which won an award in 1989 for the best domestic restoration in Inverclyde. Refurbished with great sympathy and an eye on historical authenticity, the upgrading was achieved with the approval of Historic Scotland and under the supervision of Edinburgh architect, Ian Begg. Period materials were resourced with a view to create, not a mere period piece, but an elegant, spacious and comfortable family home. Visually appealing and immediately striking, the comfortable living accommodation is complemented by the hallmarks of a 14th century castle, including turnpike staircases, parapet walkways, turret, crow step gable and gun loops. Possibly one of the oldest inhabited homes in Renfrewshire, the castle which is set over four levels lies within landscaped garden grounds with entrance courtyard and broad lawned areas to the rear, and its westerly perimeter is bounded by a free flowing burn with waterfall. The entrance is from the courtyard to hall area with linking stairs leading to upper levels. A turreted turnpike staircase leads to the Great Hall. This impressively proportioned room has two walk-in window recesses and broad hearth and extends to approximately 25 feet. The pine ceiling was reclaimed from a 17th century Coats' mill in Johnstone and has been decorated in a 16th century style by Norman Edgar, president of the Glasgow Art Club and member of the Royal Scottish Academy. The dining kitchen has a large area for a table and there is a restored sandstone arch leading to the kitchen with a two oven Aga which provides warmth and cooking facilities. Marble worktop surfaces are complemented with marble splashbacks which were reclaimed from a Helensbourgh grocery store. Following the turreted turnpike stairwell leading to the third level is the master bedroom with a beamed ceiling following over almost one entire level of the tower. On the fourth floor there is the lady's bedroom with ornamental ceiling and walls lined in a reclaimed pine and restored flooring. Further turnpike leads to secondary higher turreted level with chimney heads and flagpole. Throughout the castle authentic materials have been used including studded oak doors, hand-wrought ironmongery and stone flagging on lower floors. The flagstones are a reclamation of Greenock paving stones, there is mahogany flooring on the upper level, stone features have been retained and highlighted where possible, and windows occupy their original positions within the building. The castle, which is grade B listed, is one of historical significance occupying a dominant situation and consists of two towers joined at one corner dating from two periods. The castle was originally constructed in approximately 1457 on the site which is believed to have archaeological links to an earlier possible Roman site. Constructed by the Morton family, the second tower was added approximately 50 years later. In 1547 the castle was sold to the Semple family and this exchange has given rise to the appearance of the White Lady whose apparition dates from a period where Marion Montgomery was sentenced to death for the murder of her tenants, by Mary of Guise, mother of Mary Queen of Scots, but later the sentence was commuted to house arrest. On his return from military service Marion's husband was so appalled to hear of his wife's behaviour that he imprisoned her and starved her to death. In the 17th century, Castle Levan was taken over by the Shaw Stewarts, owners of the neighbouring Ardgowan estate, who installed their son into Levan. It was during this era that the White Lady, assumed to be Marion Montgomery, was reported as appearing at the castle. The castle fell into disrepair on the construction of a new manor house in its gardens. The programme of the refurbishment and reconstruction of the castle began in 1980 and the full refurbishment was achieved between 1984 and 1987.

White Lady of Castle Levan Castle Levan is reputed to have a ghost - not that we've ever seen her! A former keeper of Castle Levan, Lady Marion Montgomery was convicted and sentenced to death by Mary of Guise (mother of Mary Queen of Scots) for torturing and murdering her tenants. This sentence was later commuted to house arrest (I don't suppose her tenants appreciated this leniency). However, on his return from military service, Marion's husband was so appalled to hear of his wife's behaviour that he imprisoned Marion and starved her to death. In the 17th Century, Castle Levan was taken over by the Semple-Stewarts of the neighbouring Ardgowan estate who installed their son into Levan. It is during this era that a 'White Lady', assumed to Marion Montgomery, was reputed to haunt the castle. Some have suggested, however, that the story of the White Lady was concocted by the young Semple-Stewart (weary of the idea of living in a stuffy old fashioned castle) as a means of persuading his father to stump-up the cash needed to build him a fashionable new house. Extract from: Gourock, Inverkip & Wemyss Bay in Old Picture Postcards William Holland ISBN 90 288 4739 Castle Levan, Gourock. Located close by the 19th century mansion house of the same name, the ancient 15th century Castle Leven with 16th century additions, stands on a bluff of land above the Cloch Road, no distance at all from the Firth of Clyde, two miles south of central Gourock. Owned first by the Mortons, then the Sempills, it was by the 1890s in the hands of the Shaw Stewart family. For a long time the castle was a ruin, until its restoration around 1980. Hugh MacDonald states in his book ‘Days at the Coast’ that in 1857 the interior of the castle was telling ‘a sad tale of the encroaching elements: whilst the nettle domesticated on the silent hearth’. He adds that the building was wrapped in a great massy shroud of ivy and that, at the time of his book, ‘the castle was open at all times (Sundays excepted) for the inspection of the stranger’. He also stated this was a ‘lonely edifice’. Memories of Castle Levan From time to time we're delighted to hear stories from folks who used to live around Castle Levan in the days when it was still a ruin. Here's a story from Anne (McFadden) Busk who now lives in Canada. "I have been looking at all the information on Castle Levan and it brings back a lot of memories. As a young girl growing up in Trumpethill our playground was the Castle Levan area with its many woods and mysteries. We would dare each other to go into the castle and make it up those spiral broken stairs at the back, I laugh to think of how terrified we were that “The White Lady” would come behind us and throw us off of the wall that was an open gapen ruin on the top floor. We spent many, many hours there. To the left of the entrance that we used to use there was one room at the back that was still pretty well intact. I am glad that it has been restored and that your family is living there." Anne (McFadden) Busk

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