Borve Castle in
Sutherland
Sutherland () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands of Scotland. The name dates from the Scandinavian Scotland, Viking era when t ...
,
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands (; , ) is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Scottish Lowlands, Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Scots language, Lowland Scots language replaced Scottish Gae ...
is now a ruin. Formerly called the House of Burro. It was built in Kirtomy Bay near the hamlet of
Farr.
It is also known as Farr Castle.
History
The castle, which may have originally been constructed by a
Norseman
The Norsemen (or Northmen) were a cultural group in the Early Middle Ages, originating among speakers of Old Norse in Scandinavia. During the late eighth century, Scandinavians embarked on a large-scale expansion in all directions, giving ris ...
by the name of Torquil,
[Coventry (2008) p. 376.] was a stronghold of
Clan Mackay
Clan Mackay ( ; ) is an ancient and once-powerful Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan from the far north of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Mormaer of Moray, Kingdom of Moray.
They supported Robert I of Scotland, Rober ...
that they used as a base to carry out raids on their neighbours the
Clan Sutherland
Clan Sutherland also known as House of Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is the shire of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland; however, in the ear ...
.
The Mackays failed to appear in front of
Mary of Guise
Mary of Guise (; 22 November 1515 – 11 June 1560), also called Mary of Lorraine, was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from 1538 until 1542, as the second wife of King James V. She was a French people, French noblewoman of the ...
, the mother of
Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567.
The only surviving legit ...
, and as a result
John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second Ep ...
, chief of Clan Sutherland was ordered to destroy the castle.
Guise hired a private ship, the ''
Lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...
'' in August 1554 to attack the Castle.
Hugh Kennedy of Girvanmains, the Earl's stepfather (or Stepbrother), embarked 50 men of war and the royal gunner Hans Cochrane with a cannon. It is also said that a cannon was dragged all the way from
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
.
Rory Mor Mackay, Captain of the castle was apparently dismayed to see that the enemy was armed with a cannon as the castle had withstood all previous sieges.
The castle was partly destroyed and garrisoned for the Queen Regent by John Williamson. He was supplied with food from the lands of Helena Sinclair, the widow of
Donald Mackay of
Strathnaver
Strathnaver or Strath Naver () is the fertile strath of the River Naver, a famous salmon river that flows from Loch Naver to the north coast of Scotland. The term has a broader use as the name of an ancient province also known as the Mackay Co ...
. Rory Mor Mackay was hanged.
In November Kennedy returned to Edinburgh with
Iye Du Mackay, 12th of Strathnaver
Iye Du Mackay (Iye Mackay), 12th of Strathnaver, was the chief of the Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan, from 1550 to 1572.Mackay, Angus. (1906). p. 94.
Early life
Iye Du Mackay was the eldest son of Donald Mackay, 11th of Strathnaver, chief ...
who was imprisoned in Dumbarton and then Edinburgh Castle.
After Borve Castle was taken, a force from the Clan Mackay assembled under John Mor Mackay and engaged in battle with the Clan Sutherland, known as the
Battle of Garbharry where the Mackays were defeated. This was the last battle between the clans Sutherland and Mackay.
Historical accounts
Historian
Sir Robert Gordon
Sir Robert Gordon (1791 – 8 October 1847) was a British diplomat.
Gordon was a younger son of George Gordon, Lord Haddo (himself the eldest son of the 3rd Earl of Aberdeen) and a brother of the 4th Earl of Aberdeen. He was educated at St ...
(1580–1656) (a younger son of
Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland
Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland (died 1594) was a Scottish landowner.
Early life
He was the son of John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland and his second wife Lady Helen Stewart, daughter of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox and widow of ...
) wrote of the siege of Borve Castle in his book "A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland":
''The Queen granted commission to John Gordon, Earl of Sutherland, against Iye MacKay and his country. The Earl of Sutherland, assisted by Huntly, and having the regent's commission, raised an overwhelming force, and for the first time that ever any Earl of Sutherland adventured to do so, invaded MacKay's country. So Earl John assembling all his forces, entered into Strathnaver, sack-ing and spoiling before him in a hostile manner, and possessed all the places of doubt, lest, as Hollinshed sayeth, any hole might be left for them to pass away from thence. But when Earl John perceived that Iye MacKay would not abide and fight him, he besieged the strong castle and fort called Borwe, the principal strength of that country, not two miles distant from Far. After a short siege, he took it by force, and hanged Rory MacKean-Voir, captain thereof.''
See also
*
Borve Castle, Benbecula a castle of the same name, which belonged to the Clan Donald on the island Benbecula.
Notes
References
* Coventry, Martin (2008) ''Castles of the Clans''. Musselburgh. Goblinshead.
External links
*
* {{Historic Environment Scotland, num=SM2112, desc=Borve Castle, fewer-links=yes
Ruined castles in Highland (council area)
Buildings and structures in Sutherland
Clan Sutherland
Clan Mackay
Scheduled monuments in Highland