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Castle Toward was built in the early 19th century for the wealthy Glasgow entrepreneur and cotton and textile merchant, Kirkman Finlay.
Born in the Gallowgate, Finlay bought land on the Cowal peninsula near Dunoon in 1818 while still MP for the Clyde Burghs and Lord Provost of Glasgow.
The design of the castle was passed to David Hamilton, widely regarded as the father of Glasgow architecture. Hamilton started work on this castellated mansion in 1820 and it was completed the following year.
The castle got its name from the ruined 15th century Toward Castle nearby.
After Finlay's death in 1842, the estate passed through several; owners until the 1920's, when it was bought by the Coats thread family.
They added several more towers and extended the original mansion.
The building has been used as a residential outdoor educational center for more than 50 years.

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