Ardvreck Castle is located near Loch Assynt in the Scottish Highlands.

The castle dates back to about 1490 when the lands were owned by the Macleods of Assynt. The castle acquired its place in history in 1650 when James Graham, Marquis of Montrose was briefly imprisoned there. He had been a key royalist commander, most notably with his successful 1644/5 campaign in which he effectively mobilised Highland forces and won a number of impressive victories.

However, after returning from a time in exile, James Graham was defeated at the Battle of Carbisdale on 25 April 1650. He fled the field and sought shelter at Ardvreck Castle. The then owner, Neil Macleod, was absent but his wife welcomed the royalist commander into the fortification, tricked him into entering a dungeon and handed him over to the Covenanter forces. This highly respected royalist was then taken to Edinburgh where, on 21 May 1650, he was hung and quartered to the delight of his rival Archibald Campbell.

After the Restoration of the Monarchy, the Macleods were politically isolated, particularly by King Charles II who held them culpable for the fate of Graham. This was exploited by the enemies of the Macleods – in particular the MacKenzies of Wester Ross. By purchasing various Macleod debts, they claimed ownership of Ardvreck Castle and in June 1672 besieged the property.

The castle was later seized by the Crown for their support of the losing side in the 1745 Jacobite uprising. It has remained a ruin ever since.