McCulloch's vigorous watercolour sketch of the ruins of old Inverlochy Castle was produced during one of his summer tours of the Highlands, and it inspired his large oil painting Inverlochy Castle also in the collection. Its name derives from 'Inver', Gaelic for 'at the mouth of' and Lochy, the name of the river that runs into Loch Linnhe close by. In 1645 the castle was the site of the famously bloody victory of the Marquis of Montrose over the Marquis of Argyll, who lost 1500 men. The thirteenth century Castle nestles in the shadow of Scotland's highest mountain, Ben Nevis, and its isolated location is emphasised in the sketch by the arched foreground trees, parting to reveal the now peaceful ruin.