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Castle Levan may look like a fortified house in the traditional Scottish L-plan design but it is actually two distinct buildings, seperated by more than 100 years.
Commanding a defensive position at the top of a ravine to the south-west of Gourock, the oldest part of the castle was built around the middle of the 15th century.
This three-storey northern tower was added to, early in the 16th century, by a three-storey southern tower.
The castle belonged to the Mortons of Levane but sold in 1539 to the Semples of Ardgowan. It was at this time that the castle's ghost - the White Lady - was first seen.
She is supposed to be the ghost of Lady Marion Montgomery, a former keeper of the castle, who tortured and killed many tenants.
Sentenced to death by Mary Queen of Scots' mother, Mary of Guise, her sentence was reduced to imprisonment within the castle.
However, when her army husband returned, he was so enraged by her behaviour that he locked her up and starved her to death.
In the 18th century the castle was owned by the Shaw-Stewarts of Inverkip, who built a manor house nearby. Latterly both fell into disrepair.
In the 1980's they were restored, the manor to executive flats and the castle a private family home.

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