For many visitors the castle is full of personal memories from their days here doing basic training after joining the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. To them the esplanade still echoes to the commands of the NCOs who drilled them out of sloppy civilian habits into becoming disciplined soldiers. In fact we have taken “Left, right, left, right. Swing those arms!” as the title for a modest temporary photographic exhibition which honours the role of the regiment in the castle’s history. It starts on 19th November and will run to January, and includes a variety of fascinating pictures, some of which have never before been on public display.

The contents of the exhibition come from the archives of the regimental museum, which is based at the castle. And we very much hope that anyone coming to see the display will also enjoy spending some time in the museum, which tells the story of one of Scotland’s proudest military units. Both are included in the standard ticket price.

The castle became the Regimental Depot of the Argylls from 1881 to 1964. During that time there were often lots of sightseers. One veteran recalls how soldiers would sometimes return to their barracks in the Great Hall to find people sitting in there tucking into a packed lunch.

Since the army departed the Great Hall has been returned to its medieval magnificence, as has the Chapel Royal. The gym and the assault course are also gone. One last immense change will be complete by next April, the return of James V’s royal palace to how it may have looked in the 1540s plus the creation of a new exhibition gallery on the upper floor. The army had used this wonderful Renaissance building as a canteen, library and officers’ mess.

In many ways the army’s use of the palace was good news. They tended to cover up original features rather than destroy them. That meant the fabric of the building remained intact and has allowed the £12 million refurbishment to take place.

If you have memories of the Argylls we would love to hear them. Give us your comments here on the blog, or alternatively drop an email to my colleague Matthew Shelley at Matthew.Shelley@Scotland.gsi.gov.uk or to Joyce Steele at the museum at museum@argylls.co.uk.

Gillian MacDonald, Executive Manager