Il castello fu costruito del religioso [[John Carswell]], che fu rettore di [[Kilmartin]], [[Cancelliere (ecclesiastico)|cancelliere]] della cappella reale di [[Stirling]] e più tardi [[Vescovo delle Isole]] (''Bishop of the Isles''), una carica religiosa con giurisdizine sulle [[Ebridi]] e sull'[[isola di Man]]. Carswell fu autore del primo libro a stampa scritto in [[Gaelico scozzese]], una traduzione dell'opera di [[John Knox]] ''[[Book of Common Order]]''.<ref>{{cita web|cognome1=McCaulay|nome1=Murdo|titolo=Religious History of Lewis|url=http://www.alastairmcintosh.com/islandspirituality/1980-Murdo-Macaulay-Religious-History-Lewis.pdf|website=www.alastairmcintosh.com|accesso=13 dicembre 2017|lingua = en}}</ref> Construction began in 1565 using masons brought from Stirling; although notionally built for Carswell's patron, the [[Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll|Earl of Argyll]], he intended it as a personal residence for himself.
On Carswell's death in 1572, the castle passed to the Earl of Argyll and sold in 1643 to Sir Dugald Campbell, 3rd [[Campbell baronets#Campbell of Auchinbreck|Baronet of Auchinbreck]]. His successor Duncan Campbell was one of the few to actively support [[Argyll's Rising]] against James VII in 1685.<ref>{{citecita journalpubblicazione|last1=Kennedy|first1=Allan|titletitolo=Rebellion, Government and the Scottish Response to Argyll's Rising of 1685|journalgiornale=Journal of Scottish Historical Studies,|datedata=Aprilaprile 2016|volume=36|issuenumero=1|pagepp=44|url=http://www.euppublishing.com/doi/abs/10.3366/jshs.2016.0167}}</ref> The Atholl Raid that followed the failure of the Rising devastated large parts of Argyllshire; despite recovering his estates in 1689, Duncan Campbell was financially ruined. In 1690, he petitioned Parliament claiming Maclean clansmen burnt Carnasserie Castle, stole 2,000 cattle and murdered his uncle Alexander Campbell of Strondour.<ref>{{citecita libro book|titletitolo=The New Statistical Account of Scotland, Volume VII|date=1845|publisher=Nabu Press|isbn=1276718632|page=545|edition=2012}}</ref> Although the outer walls remain largely undamaged, Carnasserie was never rebuilt and the Auchinbrecks eventually went bankrupt. In the 19th century the estate was sold to the [[Malcolms of Poltalloch]], who also own nearby [[Duntrune Castle]]. Today the castle and its surroundings are protected as a [[scheduled monument]].<ref name=schedule>{{citecita web |url=http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM90061 |titletitolo=Carnasserie Castle, castle, garden, enclosure and cup-marked stone. SM90061 |publisher=Historic Environment Scotland |accessdate=15 March 2017}}</ref> The castle is in the care of [[Historic Environment Scotland]] and is open to the public.<ref>{{citecita web |url=https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/carnasserie-castle/ |titletitolo=Carnasserie Castle |publisher=Historic Environment Scotland |accessdate=15 March 2017}}</ref>
