Ardencapel House, from Roseneath

Situated just outside Helensburgh on the Clyde estuary, Ardencaple House was extensively developed after 1806 by the 6th Duke of Argyll. The scene would soon become familiar to tourists using the Clyde passenger steamers operating from the 1820s onwards. When seen alongside its companion featuring nearby Dumbarton, the viewer is presented with contrasting scenes of leisure and industry reflecting the variety of scenery to be encountered along the ‘old ways and new roads’.