Inverlochy Castle
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Inverlochy Castle ( gd, Caisteal Inbhir Lòchaidh) is a ruined, 13th-century castle near Inverlochy, Highland, Inverlochy and Fort William, Highland, Fort William, Highland (council area), Highland, Scotland. The site of two battles, the castle remains largely unchanged since its construction. It is now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.


History

Inverlochy Castle was built ''Wiktionary:circa, circa'' 1270–1280 by John II Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, John "the Black" Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and Lochaber, and chief of the Clan Comyn. It may have been built on the site of an earlier Pictish fortification and settlement, which the historian Hector Boece (1465–1536) records as a "city" that was destroyed by Vikings. Robert the Bruce succeeded to the Scottish throne in 1306. In 1307 King Robert captured and burned the castle. The Comyns were thus dispossessed, and the ruined castle was unoccupied for a time. In 1431, clansmen of Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross, Alexander MacDonald, Lord of the Isles, defeated King James I of Scotland, James I's larger army in the first Battle of Inverlochy (1431), Battle of Inverlochy, fought close by the castle. It came under control of the Clan Cameron until 1501. In 1505, the partially ruined castle was granted to Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly, who was charged by King James IV of Scotland, James IV with repairing the castle for use as a Royal garrison. His brother William Gordon, Laird of Gight, became master of Inverlochy, and was slain commanding the Camerons at Flodden. In 1645, the castle served as a stopping-off point for the Cavalier, royalist army of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose during his Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, campaign against the Covenanter forces of the Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll, Marquess of Argyll. This culminated in a victory for the royalists in the second Battle of Inverlochy (1645), Battle of Inverlochy, on 2 February 1645. In the 19th century, the estate was bought by James Scarlett, 1st Baron Abinger, who built a Scottish baronial style mansion to the north-west, which is now the Inverlochy Castle Hotel. Minor enhancements, including the restoration of embrasure, loops and battlements, were carried out by Lord Abinger in advance of the visit of Queen Victoria in 1873.


Description

Inverlochy is now a ruin, but is unusual because it has remained unaltered since it was built in the reign of King Alexander III of Scotland, Alexander III. The castle is sited on the south bank of the River Lochy, at the strategically important entrance to the Great Glen, a key passage through the Scottish Highlands. With one side defended by the river, the castle's other three sides were originally protected by a water-filled ditch. Inverlochy is a castle of ''enceinte'', with its main defence being a substantial curtain wall (fortification), curtain wall. The simple layout comprises a quadrangular courtyard, across, surrounded by a wall up to thick and up to high, with round towers at each corner.MacGibbon, David and Ross, Thomas. (1887) ''The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland'' Vol. 1. Edinburgh: David Douglas The largest of these, known as the Comyn Tower, is across the interior, and served as the castle's "donjon", or keep. The smaller towers are , and all four have stairways curving up within the thickness of the walls. The main entrance was to the south, with a "water gate" facing the river to the north. Both entrances were defended by a portcullis, and the south door may have had an interior gatehouse. The ruined castle is now a scheduled monument.


References


External links


Inverlochy Castle
at Historic Environment Scotland
www.inverlochycastle.co.uk
*
Inverlochy Castle Virtual Tour
{{coord, 56, 49, 57.31, N, 5, 4, 51.61, W, display=title Castles in Highland (council area) Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Highland Clan Comyn Fort William, Highland