''The Stronghold'' is a children's historical novel by the Scottish writer

Mollie Hunter Maureen Mollie Hunter McIlwraith (30 June 1922 – 31 July 2012) was a Scottish writer known as Mollie Hunter. She wrote fantasy for children, historical stories for young adults, and realistic novels for adults. Many of her works are inspired b ...

, published by Hamilton in 1974. Set in the

Orkney Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...

islands during the 1st century BC, the story is an imaginative reconstruction of the development of the

broch A broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure found in Scotland. Brochs belong to the classification "complex Atlantic roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s. Their origin is a matter of some controversy. Origin ...

, the circular stronghold design of fortifications that dot the islands. The main character is a lame young dreamer who turns his fear of the

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

slave-raiders into a strength, not only for himself, but for all the islanders. Hunter won the annual Carnegie Medal from the

Library Association The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, since 2017 branded CILIP: The library and information association (pronounced ), is a professional body for librarians, information specialists and knowledge management, knowle ...

, recognising the year's best children's book by a

British subject The term "British subject" has several different meanings depending on the time period. Before 1949, it referred to almost all subjects of the British Empire (including the United Kingdom, Dominions, and colonies, but excluding protectorates ...

Setting

The action is set on the largest of the Orkney islands (now known as

Mainland Mainland is defined as "relating to or forming the main part of a country or continent, not including the islands around it egardless of status under territorial jurisdiction by an entity" The term is often politically, economically and/or dem ...

). At the time of the story it is largely settled by the tribe of the Boar (''Ork'' in their language), but the original inhabitants, the tribes of the Deer and the Raven, still live on the island, more numerous all together than the people of the Boar but divided by old rivalries. The tribe of the Boar is

matrilineal Matrilineality is the tracing of kinship through the female line. It may also correlate with a social system in which each person is identified with their matriline – their mother's Lineage (anthropology), lineage – and which can in ...

, the Chief coming to power through his marriage to the former Chief's oldest daughter. The power of the

Druids A druid was a member of the high-ranking class in ancient Celtic cultures. Druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no written accounts. Whi ...

, maintained through ritual and secrecy, is still strong. The

Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Kin ...

is extending its influence outwards, and invasion is feared. Meanwhile, the Roman civilisation requires ever more

slaves Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

, hence the raids that have been going on for decades. In the Foreword, the author describes the Orkney brochs, structures which have no parallel anywhere in the world. She recalls standing in one of the brochs, ten years earlier, wondering how they came to be built and considering that because of their uniqueness they must have sprung from an idea in a single brilliant mind.

Plot summary

The novel opens on the day when over seven hundred Men of the Boar from many islands gather together, summoned by the chief Nectan. Nectan puts forth the proposal that the warriors should no longer fight the Roman raiders but rather retreat when they approach, as the tribe's very existence is threatened by their losses. The Chief Druid strongly opposes the idea, saying they must continue to fight; he declares it a matter of faith and therefore his domain, directly challenging Nectan's leadership. Coll is convinced that his idea of a high circular

drystone Dry stone, sometimes called drystack or, in Scotland, drystane, is a building method by which structures are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together. Dry stone structures are stable because of their construction me ...

stronghold, designed to be impregnable, is a third way. He has been developing the idea, drawing plans and building models, since he was five, when a Roman raider killed his father, abducted his mother and shattered Coll's leg, crippling him. However, none of the elders will listen to him. Taran arrives, introducing himself as a member of the tribe who was seized for a slave when he was twelve and recently escaped by killing his master. He is welcomed, but it soon appears that he has a desire for power, seeking first to ingratiate himself with the chief's daughter and then plotting with the Druids and the chiefs of the Raven and the Deer. Coll's brother Bran, who lives with the Druids, is torn between the two camps. The struggle between Nectan and Domnall for mastery of the tribe culminates in Domnall choosing Nectan's daughter Fand for a

human sacrifice Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more humans as part of a ritual, which is usually intended to please or appease gods, a human ruler, an authoritative/priestly figure or spirits of dead ancestors or as a retainer sacrifice, wherein ...

. Coll, who loves Fand, takes the advice of Bran on how to stop the sacrifice, believing that he will die in her place. In fact it is Bran who dies, fulfilling the prophecy made about him when he was a baby and devastating Domnall who loved him like a son. In the wake of these events, Coll is given leave to build his Stronghold. The whole tribe works long and hard to build the 8-storey structure, and it is ready just before the first raid of the summer. The warriors prepare to defend it while the other tribespeople go into hiding. The first assault is repulsed, though Domnall is downed while shouting curses in Latin at the Romans. Taran, who also knows Latin, takes his place, but though pretending to curse, actually advises the Romans to make a second attack overland. When Taran's treachery is exposed, Coll devises a plan to trap the Romans that is extremely successful. His Stronghold is vindicated and plans are made to build more, all over the islands.

Characters

*Coll, a 17-year-old Man of the Boar, lame since childhood, Nectan's foster-son *Nectan, the Chief of the Boar *Anu, the wife of Nectan, daughter of the former Chief, leader of the womenfolk *Clodha, Nectan's older daughter *Fand, Nectan's younger daughter *Niall, Coll's best friend, Clodha's intended husband *Domnall, the Chief of the islands' priesthood of Druids *Bran, Coll's younger brother, raised by the Druids, prophesied to be a child of destiny *Taran, an ambitious ex-slave *Arcon, the Chief of the Deer *Deva, the Chief of the Raven

References

External links

* —immediately, first US edition {{DEFAULTSORT:Stronghold 1974 British novels 1974 children's books British children's novels British historical novels Children's historical novels Carnegie Medal in Literature winning works Novels set in Orkney Novels set in Roman Britain Hamish Hamilton books Children's books set in Scotland Children's books set in the 1st century BC Novels set in the 1st century BC

Setting

Plot summary

Characters

See also

References

External links