Ackergill Tower (or Ackergill Castle) is located on the coast of Sinclair's Bay, about 4 km north of

Wick Wick most often refers to: * Capillary action ("wicking") ** Candle wick, the cord used in a candle or oil lamp ** Solder wick, a copper-braided wire used to desolder electronic contacts Wick or WICK may also refer to: Places and placename ...

, Caithness, in northern Scotland. It was built in the early 16th century, and is a category A

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

. The building is a five-storey oblong

tower house A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation. Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountainous or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strateg ...

. The four-storey wing to the rear was added in the early 18th century. From 2014, Ackergill Tower was operated as an events and wedding venue by AmaZing Venues, before being sold to US philanthropist, Dr Betsee Parker in February 2019.

History

Early history

The

Clan Keith Clan Keith is a Highland and Lowland Scottish clan, whose Chief historically held the hereditary title of Marischal, then Great Marischal, then Earl Marischal of Scotland.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family E ...

, under John Keith of Inverugie, inherited the lands of

Ackergill Ackergill is a settlement in the Wick, Caithness, in the Highland Council area of Scotland. History In Ackergill is a famous tower/castle named Ackergill Tower. In the 1920s, archaeologists excavated an ancient cemetery in an elongated sand moun ...

in 1354 from the Cheynes family. Ackergill Tower may have been built by his son, but was first mentioned in 1538.

Keiths and Sinclairs

In 1547, the Sinclairs of Girnigoe attacked and seized the castle. Mary of Guise, then Regent of Scotland, granted the Sinclairs remission for this and returned Ackergill Tower to the Keiths. She later installed Laurence Oliphant, 4th

Lord Oliphant Lord Oliphant was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created twice and de facto under Peerage Law a third time. The first creation is in abeyance of the law, the second extinct and the third creation is dormant. The title was certainly ...

, as keeper of Ackergill in 1549. The Sinclairs again captured the castle in 1556, for which they were again granted remission. John Keith, Captain of Ackergill, was present at the death of Mary of Guise at Edinburgh in 1560. In 1593, Robert Keith, brother to

George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal (c. 1553–1623) was a Scottish nobleman and Earl Marischal. He succeeded as earl on 7 October 1581, upon the death of his grandfather, William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal. Early life George Keith was the s ...

(who rightfully owned the tower), seized Ackergill by force, for which he was declared a rebel, and the castle was returned to the Earl. In September 1597 John Keith of Subster attacked the tower in the dead of night, climbing the walls with ladders, taking its occupants by surprise and capturing the place. In 1612, the Sinclairs acquired Ackergill Tower once again, but through legal means, when it was sold to the

Earl of Caithness Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and it has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to have ...

by the Earl Marischal. However, by 1623 it was under assault once more, when it was besieged by Sir Robert Gordon during his feud with George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness. The Sinclairs surrendered the castle before any assault took place. In 1651,

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three K ...

may have used Ackergill Tower to garrison his troops during his siege of the Keith's

Dunnottar Castle Dunnottar Castle ( gd, Dùn Fhoithear, "fort on the shelving slope") is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-eastern coast of Scotland, about south of Stonehaven. The surviving buildings are largely of the ...

, when he was hunting for the Honours of Scotland. In 1676,

John Campbell, 2nd Earl of Breadalbane and Holland John Campbell, 2nd Earl of Breadalbane and Holland (19 November 1662 – 23 February 1752) a Scottish nobleman born in Breadalbane to John Campbell, 1st Earl of Breadalbane and Holland and Lady Mary Rich. In 1685 he married Lady Frances Cavendish ...

took possession of Ackergill Tower in repayment of debts owed to him by the Sinclairs.

Later history

John Campbell pu
Ackergill Tower
up for sale in 1699, and it was bought by Sir William Dunbar of Hempriggs. The Dunbars began extensive renovations, including the addition of a

lean-to A lean-to is a type of simple structure originally added to an existing building with the rafters "leaning" against another wall. Free-standing lean-to structures are generally used as shelters. One traditional type of lean-to is known by its Finn ...

-shaped extension to the tower. In the mid-19th century, further additions including a

cap-house A cap-house (sometimes written cap house or caphouse) is a small watch room, built at the top of a spiral staircase, often giving access to a parapet on the roof of a tower house or castle. They provided protection from the elements by enclosin ...

were made by the architect

David Bryce David Bryce FRSE FRIBA RSA (3 April 1803 – 7 May 1876) was a Scottish architect. Life Bryce was born at 5 South College Street in Edinburgh, the son of David Bryce (1763–1816) a grocer with a successful side interest in buildi ...

on behalf of George Sutherland Dunbar, 7th

Lord Duffus The title Lord Duffus was created by Charles II in the Peerage of Scotland on 8 December 1650 for Alexander Sutherland. He was a descendant of the 4th Earl of Sutherland, who fell in battle in 1333. The title is now extinct, although there may b ...

. In 1963, Maureen Blake, who as a girl lived with her mother and C. S. Lewis for about twenty years, became the eighth baronetess of Hempriggs and the steward of Ackergill Tower until it was sold in 1986. The castle underwent a two-year period of restoration work before re-opening as a hotel. The tower was later sold and the new owners, AmaZing Venues, part of Clarenco LLP, acquired a five-star rating in 2012 having spent £2 million upgrading facilities.

Ghostlore

ghostlore Ghostlore or ghost-lore is a genre of folklore concerning ghosts. Ghostlore occurs throughout recorded history, including contemporary contexts. History The first known recorded story to feature a haunted house is often regarded by folklore sch ...

story relates the tale of a young woman by the name of Helen Gunn, who was abducted by John Keith for her beauty. She flung herself, or fell, from the highest tower to escape her abductor's advances. Supposedly her ghost is still seen.

References

External links

Ackergill Tower
Caithness.org {{Authority control Buildings and structures in Caithness Castles in Highland (council area) Houses in Highland (council area) Category A listed buildings in Highland (council area) Listed castles in Scotland Reportedly haunted locations in Scotland Hotels in Highland (council area) Defunct hotels in Scotland Tower houses in Scotland Listed hotels in Scotland 16th-century establishments in Scotland Buildings and structures completed in the 16th century Hotels established in 1988 1988 establishments in Scotland 2018 disestablishments in Scotland Hotels disestablished in 2018 Wick, Caithness