A village on a peninsula of the same name in S Argyll and Bute, Rosneath lies on the west shore of the Gare Loch opposite Rhu and 2 miles (3 km) west of Helensburgh. The village was known for boat-building and became an important naval base during World War II which was shared with the Americans in the lead up to amphibious landings in North Africa and on D-Day. Following World War II, the navy operated a magnetic signature and degaussing range based here, which continues to be run by the defence contractors QinetiQ.
The 16th-century Rosneath Castle was destroyed by fire and replaced by a fine Neo-Classical mansion which became home to Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria and wife of the 9th Duke of Argyll. This was itself gutted by fire in 1947 and demolished in 1961. Today the village is a tourist centre with boating facilities, together with a camp site and caravan park located in Rosneath Castle Park. It also has a primary school and a library.
John Anderson, who founded Anderson's College in Glasgow, was born here in 1726.
