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Liceul Teoretic Jean Monnet Lucrarea de atestat la limba engleza Luta Raluca Clasa a XII-a E
Liceul Teoretic Jean Monnet
Lucrarea de atestat la limba engleza Luta Raluca Clasa a XII-a E
Profesor coordinator: Ivanov Alinda
Luta Raluca
Table of contents
1. Introduction ……………………………………….. 3 2. Arhitecture…………………………………………. 4
3. Castles of England…………………………………. 7
4. Scottish castles …………………………………….. 12
5. Castles of Northern Irland………………………… 27
6. Conclusion …………………………………………. 31
7. Bibliography………………………………………… 32
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1. Chapter 1 – Introduction
Why Castles ? Why Great Britain ?
When I think of England, I think castles. The first thing I think about England is castles and medieval fortresses , so do I. They go with the thought of a fairytale world , which fascinated me ever since I read stories of princesses, and I’ve always dreamed of owning a castle. so I started looking for pictures, information about them on the internet and I found very interesting things about their history
The English word "castle" derives from the Latin word castellum and is used to refer to the private fortified residence of a lord or noble.
I searched the internet information , and I was impressed by the beauty and grandeur of those castles . An other impressive thing I found out was something related to the history of them :Why Did the Normans Build So Many Castles in England? ; so I found out that they were learning from experience. Their technique of castle construction had served them well, helping them to rule over impressive amount of Medieval land, including North France and even Sicily.A castle was a central focus of power, and its influence radiated out across an entire region. It was the home of a Lord - and his way of holding control of the lands around him. Although castles may have been something of a foreign import, England embraced them.Over the next six hundred years, literally thousands of castles were built all over England - transforming themselves from simple Motte and Bailey constructions, to wooden structures, and then, in the late c13th, into fantastic stone affairs.Of special note is one fearsome King - King Edward I of England. Edward reigned from 1272-1307, and was fixated with the idea of bringing Wales and Scotland under English rule.
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2. Chapter 2- Architecture
There was a large degree of variation in the size and exact shape of the castles built in England and Wales after the invasion (norman invasion ) . One popular form of castle was the motte and bailey, in which earth would be piled up into a mound (called a motte) to support a wooden tower, and a wider enclosed area built alongside it (called a bailey);Stafford Castle is a typical example of a post-invasion motte castle. Another widespread design was the ringwork in which earth would be built up in a circular or oval shape and topped with a wooden rampart; Folkestone Castle is a good example of a Norman ringwork, in this case built on top of a hill although most post-invasion castles were usually sited on lower ground. Around 80% of Norman castles in this period followed the motte-and-bailey pattern, but ringworks were particularly popular in certain areas, such as south-west England and south Wales.One theory put forward to explain this variation is that ringworks were easier to build in these shallow-soil areas than the larger mottes The White Tower in London and the keep of Colchester Castle were the only stone castles to be built in England immediately after the conquest, both with the characteristic square Norman keep. Both these castles were built in the Romanesque style and were intended to impress as well as provide military protection. In Wales the first wave of the Norman castles were again made of wood, in a mixture of motte-and-bailey and ringwork designs, with the exception of the stone built Chepstow Castle. Chepstow too was heavily influenced by Romanesque design, reusing numerous materials from the nearby Venta Silurum to produce what historian Robert Liddiard has termed "a play upon images from Antiquity".
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The size of these castles varied depending on the geography of the site, the decisions of the builder and the available resources.Analysis of the size of mottes has shown some distinctive regional variation; East Anglia, for example, saw much larger mottes being built than the Midlands or London. While motte-and-bailey and ringwork castles took great effort to build, they required relatively few skilled craftsmen allowing them to be raised using forced labour from the local estates; this, in addition to the speed with which they could be built – a single season, made them particularly attractive immediately after the conquest. The larger earthworks, particularly mottes, required an exponentially greater quantity of manpower than their smaller equivalents and consequently tended to be either royal, or belong to the most
powerful barons who could muster the required construction effort. Despite motte-and-bailey and ringworks being common designs amongst Norman castles, each fortification was slightly different – some castles were designed with two baileys attached to a single motte, and some ringworks were built with additional towers added on; yet other castles were built as ringworks and later converted to motte-and-bailey structures.
Palace-fortresses
In the middle of the 13th century Henry III began to redesign his favourite castles, including Winchester and Windsor, building larger halls, grander chapels, installing glass windows and decorating the palaces with painted walls and furniture.This marked the beginning of a trend towards the development of grand castles designed for elaborate, elite living. Life in earlier keeps had been focused around a single great hall, with privacy for the owner's family provided by using an upper floor for their own living accommodation. By the 14th century nobles were travelling less, bringing much larger households with them when they did travel and entertaining visitors with equally large retinues. Castles such as Goodrich were redesigned in the 1320s to provide greater residential privacy and comfort for the ruling family, while retaining strong defensive features and a capacity to hold over 130 residents at the castle. The design influenced subsequent conversions at Berkeley and by the time that Bolton Castle was being built, in the 1380s, it was designed to hold up to eight different noble households, each with their own facilities. Royal castles such as Beaumaris, although designed with defence in mind, were designed to hold up to eleven different households at any one time.
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Kings and the most wealthy lords could afford to redesign castles to produce palace-fortresses. Edward III spent £51,000 on renovating Windsor Castle; this was over one and a half times Edward's typical annual income. In the words of Steven Brindle the result was a "great and apparently architecturally unified palace ... uniform in all sorts of ways, as to roof line, window heights, cornice line, floor and ceiling heights", echoing older designs but without any real defensive value.The wealthy John of Gaunt redesigned the heart of Kenilworth Castle, like Windsor the work emphasised a unifying, rectangular design and the separation of ground floor service areas from the upper stories and a contrast of austere exteriors with lavish interiors, especially on the 1st floor of the inner bailey buildings. By the end of the 14th century a distinctive English perpendicular style had emerged.
In the south of England private castles were being built by newly emerging, wealthy families; like the work at Windsor, these castles drew on the architectural themes of earlier martial designs, but were not intended to form a serious defence against attack. These new castles were heavily influenced by French designs, involving a rectangular or semi-rectangular castle with corner towers, gatehouses and moat; the walls effectively enclosing a comfortable courtyard plan not dissimilar to that of an unfortified manor. Bodiam Castle built in the 1380s possessed a moat, towers and gunports but, rather than being a genuine military fortification, the castle was primarily intended to be admired by visitors and used as a luxurious dwelling – the chivalric architecture implicitly invoking comparisons with Edward I's great castle atBeaumaris.In the north of England improvements in the security of the Scottish border, and the rise of major noble families such as the Percies and the Nevilles, encouraged a surge in castle building at the end of the 14th century. Palace-fortresses such asRaby, Bolton and Warkworth Castle took the quadrangular castle styles of the south and combined them with exceptionally large key towers or keeps to form a distinctive northern style. Built by major noble houses these castles were typically even more opulent than those built by the nouveau riche of the south. They marked what historian Anthony Emery has described as a "second peak of castle building in England and Wales", after the Edwardian designs at the end of the 14th century.
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Chapter 3 - Castles of England
3.1 Chepstow Castle
Chepstow is one of the earliest stone castles in Britain, and its design heavily influenced later castles. The fortress served as the administrative heart of the Marcher lordship of Chepstow, one of the most important of the English-dominated territories along the Welsh border.
Chepstow is the first real 'castle' in Wales in two senses; it is the earliest stone fortress of the type we think of as a castle, and the first you come to when entering southern Wales, being located immediately inside the Welsh border, on the west bank of the River Wye where it empties into the Severn.
The first castle at Chepstow was erected in 1067 by William fitz Osbern, a Norman follower of William the Conqueror. Fitz Osbern fought beside William at the Battle of Hastings, and was rewarded with the earldom of Hereford as well as extensive lands in south Wales.
Fitz Osbern wanted a castle to control the main river crossing over the Wye, on the main route into Wales. He chose a narrow promontory overlooking the river for his fortress, and the geography of the site influenced the design of the castle over the next few centuries. The constricted site meant that Chepstow developed into a very long, narrow castle, with one ward leading to another along a vertical axis. Most Norman castles erected soon after the Conquest were simple wooden affairs, often constructed atop a small motte, with wooden structures atop the motte for defense and domestic use. Chepstow was different; it was built in stone right from the start, using stone from Caerwent Roman town to create a tower enclosed by wooden baileys.
Fizt Osbern did not have long to enjoy his creation; he died in 1071. His son, also named William, plotted against the crown and Chepstow became a royal estate. In 1189 Chepstow passed to William Marshall, one of the great knights of the medieval period and later Earl of Pembroke. It is to Marshall that we owe much of the castle we see today; he extended and strengthened the Norman castle and enclosed it within strong stone walls punctuated with towers, in a design reminiscent of castles in the Holy Land, where he had been on Crusade. He added the Marshall's Tower, with apartments for himself and his wife, the heiress Isabel de Clare, whose sizeable fortune helped pay for the work. After Marshall's death his five sons inheireted in turn, but each died without an heir.
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When the Marshall line died out the castle passed to the Earl of Norfolk, Roger Bigod II, who further strengthened the defenses and created comfortable domestic apartments, turning the military fortress into a lavish mansion. He also added a strong stone wall to enclose the town. Only fragments of the town walls remain, including the gateway known as Town Gate. Further enhancements to the living areas were added in the early Tudor period by Charles Somerset.
Chepstow saw action in the Civil War. It was held for the king in 1645 and again in 1648, but each time it was captured by Parliament. After the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 the castle was used as a prison and military garrison. The most famous prisoner was Henry Martyn, one of the Parliamentary leaders who had signed Charles I's death warrant. Martyn was held for over 20 years in the tower to the left of the main entrance, a tower which now bears his name.
The castle was then left to decay for over 200 years, becoming a derelict ruin, though one often visited by artists, who thought it a suitably picturesque subject for romantic paintings. Today it is in the care of Cadw, Welsh Heritage.
3.2 The Tower of London
William, quite angry, sent his army across the English Channel to conquer England and on October 14, 1066 he met Harold at Hastings. The Duke's Norman warriors won the battle, and later that year on Christmas day Wiiliam was crowned king.William decided he needed a stronghold to keep the unruly citizens of London in line. The site upon which William chose to build his fortress was the very same site upon which Claudius, the Roman Emperor, had built a fortress more than a thousand years before that and traces of the Roman wall are still seen within the Tower grounds.
The addition of other smaller towers, extra buildings, walls and walkways, gradually transformed the original building into the splendid example of castle, fortress, prison, palace and finally museum that we enjoy today.
The Tower began its life as a simple timber and stone enclosure. The original structure was completed by the addition of a ditch and palisade along the north and west sides. This enclosure then received a structure of stone, which came to be called The Great Tower and eventually The White Tower, as we know it today.
Around the year 1240 King Henry III made the Tower of London his home. He whitewashed the tower, widened the grounds
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to include a church, and added a great hall and other buildings. The Normans called the tower 'La Tour Blanche' [White tower].
The White Tower formed the basis of a residential palace and fortress suited for a king or queen. As history has shown to its occupants, the Tower of London became the perfect all-purpose complex. The Tower of London has been used as a fortress to protect a prison, used to imprison (for many an accused, it was the last sight they saw on earth), as a home for kings and queens, and as a royal mint and treasury.Originally, the caps at the top of the four turrets were conical, but were replaced by the present onion-shaped ones in the sixteenth century. It was Henry III that renamed the entire area the Tower of London to White Tower. Although he used it as a prison, he continued to use it as a palace and entertained guests and many came with gifts of animals. These gifts were kept near the drawbridge where he built Lion Tower; a zoo where visitors would be greeted by roaring beasts.An inventory taken in 1537 shows how herbs were an important part of daily life at Stafford Castle. They were widely used for their medicinal, aromatic and edible properties. From this detailed inventory, a herb garden was planted in the castle grounds. Great faith was placed in the use of herbs and they still have an important role to play today. This garden has been designed with sixteen beds, each containing herbs related to specific illnesses. As well as being extremely enjoyable to walk around, the herb garden provides a unique insight into living history. Founded nearly a millennium ago, The Tower of London has been expanded upon over the centuries by many a king and queen. The first foundations were laid in 1078 and the castle has been constantly improved and extended.The Tower of London is the oldest palace, fortress and prison in Europe. History has it that King Edward of England backed down on his promise to give the throne to William, Duke of Normandy and ended up giving the throne to Harold Godwinson, his English brother in law.
The Martin Tower was built by Henry III and is famous as the scene of Colonel Thomas Blood's attempt to steal the crown jewels. King Edward's son returning from abroad interrupted him and his accomplices.The Salt Tower is another tower built by Henry III about 1235. Later it was used as a prison for Jesuits. It also contains a number of inscriptions, the most notable one being a complicated diagram for casting horoscopes cut into the stone wall . In several places on the walls a pierced heart, hand and foot have been carved signifying the wounds of Christ- with a cross and H the sign of the Jesuits.
The Bell Tower was built in the 13th century. In the past when the bell at its top was rung in alarm, drawbridges were raised, the portcullises were dropped and gates were shut. The only time the bell is now rung is in the evening to warn visitors that it is time to leave. Prisoners were kept in the tower.One of the most famous was Sir Thomas Moore, who was at one time a close friend of Henry VIII. More refused to acknowledge the validity of Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon or acknowledge him as supreme head of the Church, and in consequence he was imprisoned there in 1534. He was executed in July 1535 and buried in St. Peters Chapel.
Later, one of Henry's own children was imprisoned there - princess Elizabeth (later Elizabeth I) In 1554 Elizabeth was held by her half sister Mary I on suspicion of being concerned in a plot against the throne
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The Queens House built around 1530, probably by the second queen of England and mother of Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn . She lived there only 18 days as a prisoner while awaiting execution and was beheaded on Tower Green for alleged infidelity. It is used now as the Council Chamber and it is here that Guy Fawkes was interrogated before being tortured on the rack in the White Tower and signing a confession incriminating his fellow conspirators. Adjoining the Council Chamber is a room in which William Penn (who founded Pennsylvania) was once a prisoner.
3.3 Bodiam Castle
Bodiam Castle is a quadrangular castle located near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It is said to be a perfect example of a late medieval moated castle. While not large enough to garrison many soldiers, the castle was ideally suited for defense against a militant rural populace after the English Peasants’ Revolt and for the entertainment of foreign merchants or dignitaries.It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, supposedly at the request of Richard II in order to defend the surrounding area from French invasion. By 1434 Sir Edward Dalyngrigge’s nephew Richard was living in the castle. Recent research suggests that the castle was built more for show than as an effective defence. There is evidence supporting that research, as the walls of Bodiam Castle are only a couple of feet thick. A quadrangular castle, Bodiam is roughly square-shaped. This type of castle, with a central courtyard and buildings against the curtain wall, was characteristic of castle architecture in the 14th century. Bodiam Castle has been described by military historian Cathcart King as the most complete surviving example of a quadrangular castle. There are circular towers at each of the four corners, with square central towers in the south, east, and west walls. The main entrance is a twin-toweredgatehouse in the north face of the castle. There is a second entrance from the south; the postern gate is through a square tower in the middle of the south wall.The towers are three storeys high, taller than the curtain walls and the buildings in the castle which are two storeys high.
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3.4 Windsor Castle Windsor Castle, in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, is the largest inhabited castle in the world and, dating back to the time of William the Conqueror, is the oldest in continuous occupation. The castle’s floor area is approximately 484,000 square feet (44,965 square metres). Together with Buckingham Palace in London and Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, it is one of the principal official residences of the British monarch. Queen Elizabeth II spends many weekends of the year at the castle, using it for both state and private entertaining. Her other two residences, Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle, are the Royal Family’s private homes. Most of the Kings and Queens of England, later Kings and Queens of Great Britain, and later still kings and queens of the Common wealth realms, have had a direct influence on the construction and evolution of the castle, which has been their garrison fortress, home, official palace, and sometimes their prison. The castle’s history and that of the British monarchy are inextricably linked. Chronologically the history of the castle can be traced through the reigns of the monarchs who have occupied it. When the country has been at peace, the castle has been expanded by the additions of large and grand apartments; when the country has been at war, the castle has been more heavily fortified. This pattern has continued to the present day.
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Chapter 4 - Scottish castles
4.1 Caerlaverock Castle
Caerlaverock Castle is a moated triangular castle first built in the 13th century. It is located on the southern coast of Scotland, 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) south of Dumfries, on the edge of the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve. Caerlaverock was a stronghold of the Maxwell familyfrom the 13th century until the 17th century when the castle was abandoned. It was besieged by the English during the Wars of Scottish Independence, and underwent several partial demolitions and reconstructions over the 14th and 15th centuries. In the 17th century, the Maxwells were created Earls of Nithsdale, and built a new lodging within the walls, described as among "the most ambitious early classical domestic architecture in Scotland".In 1640 the castle was besieged for the last time and was subsequently abandoned. Although demolished and rebuilt several times, the castle retains the distinctive triangular plan first laid out in the 13th century. Caerlaverock Castle was built to control trade in early times.
The history of its builders can be traced to Undwin and his son Maccus in the eleventh century; Maccus gave his name to the barony of Maccuswell, or Maxwell. His grandson, John de Maccuswell (d.1241), was first Lord Maxwell of Caerlaverock. The Baronies of Maxwell and Caerlaverock then passed down through the male line, sometimes collaterally. Robert de Maxwell of Maxwell, Caerlaverock and Mearns (d.1409) rebuilt Caerlaverock castle and was succeeded by Herbert Maxwell of Caerlaverock (d.1420)The present castle was preceded by several fortifications in the area: a Roman fort on Ward Law Hill and a British hill fort that was in use around 950.
The earliest mention of the lands of Caerlaverock is around 1160, when they were granted to the monks of Holm Cultram Abbey. Around 1220 Alexander II of Scotland granted the lands to Sir John Maxwell, making him Warden of the West March. Sir John Maxwell also served as Chamberlain of Scotland from 1231–1233, and began work on the first castle at Caerlaverock. This castle was square in shape and was one of the earliest stone castles to be built in Scotland. It had a moat with a bridge facing north. Only the foundations and remains of a wooden enclosure around it remain.
This early castle may have been incomplete when it was abandoned in favour of a rock outcrop some 200 metres (660 ft) to the north. It was here that Sir John's brother Sir Aymer Maxwell began construction of the present castle. Sir Aymer also served as Chamberlain in 1258–1260, and was Justiciar of Galloway in 1264. In the 1270s the
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"new" castle was completed, and Herbert Maxwell, nephew of John Maxwell, occupied it.
When the moat around the second castle was dug, the quarrying was probably a source of building stone for the castle.While the gatehouse stands on natural rock, the rest of the castle was built on a clay platform created especially for the castle.Wars of IndependenceIn 1299, the garrison of Caerlaverock attacked Lochmaben Castlewhich was held by English forces.Siege of Caerlaverock
In July 1300 King Edward I of England marched north with an army including eighty-seven of the Barons of England and several knights of Brittany and Lorraine. John of Brittany, Earl of Richmond (c.1266-1334) was among Edward's most trusted warriors and is said to have been present. He was a son of the John II, Duke of Brittany who had grown up in Edward's court and it was said that Edward treated him as a son.[citation needed] The Maxwells, under their chief Sir Eustace Maxwell, made a vigorous defence which repelled the English several times. In the end the garrison were compelled to surrender, after which it was found that only sixty men had withstood the whole English army for a considerable period. In recent years, Historic Scotland has organised re-enactments of the Siege. During the siege the English heralds composed a roll of arms, the Roll of Caerlaverock, in the form of verses of poetry, each describing the feats of valour of each noble or knight present with a poetic blazon of his armorials.Recovery
Possession of the castle was subsequently restored to Sir Eustace Maxwell, Sir Herbert's son, who at first embraced the cause of John Balliol, and in 1312 received from Edward II an allowance of £20 for the more secure keeping of the castle. He afterwards gave in his adherence to Robert Bruce, and his castle, in consequence, underwent a second siege by the English, in which they were unsuccessful. Fearing that this important stronghold might ultimately fall into the hands of the enemy, and enable them to make good their hold on the district, Sir Eustace dismantled the fortress, a service and sacrifice for which he was liberally rewarded by Robert Bruce.By 1337 the castle was once again inhabited, and Sir Eustace now changed sides again, giving his support to Edward Balliol. Around 1355 Sir Roger Kirkpatrick of Closeburn captured Caerlaverock for David II of Scotland, and partly dismantled the castle.
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Repair and rebuilding
By the end of the Wars of Independence in the mid 14th century, Caerlaverock had been regained by the Maxwells, with Sir Robert Maxwell rebuilding much of the castle between 1373 and 1410. Further work was undertaken by Robert, 2nd Lord Maxwell, in the mid 15th century, probably involving reconstruction of the gatehouse. A new west range was added within the walls around 1500.The Catholic Maxwells took up the cause of Mary, Queen of Scots, after her forced abdication in 1567. Caerlaverock was besieged in 1570 by an English Protestant force led by the Earl of Sussex, and was again partly demolished, including the destruction of the gatehouse with gunpowder.By 1593, John, 8th Lord Maxwell was repairing the castle again, building up the gatehouse for defence against the Johnstones of Annandale, with whom the Maxwells were feuding.The 8th Lord was killed by the Johnstones during a fight at Dryfe Sands, and in 1613 the 9th Lord Maxwell was executed for the revenge murder of Sir James Johnstone.Earls of NithsdaleIn 1619 Robert, 10th Lord Maxwell, married Elizabeth Beaumont, cousin of the Duke of Buckingham, a favourite of James VI of Scotland. He was subsequently created Earl of Nithsdale and appointed to the Privy Council of Scotland. To reflect his new status he built the elaborate south and east ranges within the castle, known as the Nithsdale Lodging.
Caerlaverock Castle in 1900The new ranges were completed around 1634, but further religious turmoil soon turned against the Catholic Maxwells. In 1640 the Protestant Covenanter army besieged Caerlaverock for 13 weeks, eventually forcing its surrender. The south wall and tower were demolished, and the castle was never repaired or reoccupied.Protected areas
Caerlaverock Castle is within the Nith Estuary National Scenic Area, protected for its scenic qualities, with the castle recognised as a landmark of the area. The castle is at the northern edge of the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve, which extends to 55 square kilometres (21 sq mi) and consists of saltmarsh, mudflats and grazing land. It is an internationally important wintering site for waterfowl and wading birds, including the Barnacle Goose.
Today, the castle is in the care of Historic Scotland and is a popular tourist attraction. It is protected as a scheduled monument, and as a category A listed building.
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4.2 Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a historic fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland from its position on the Castle Rock. Archaeologists have established human occupation of the rock since at least the Iron Age (2nd century AD), although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. There has been a royal castle on the rock since at least the reign of David I in the 12th century, and the site continued to be a royal residence until the Union of the Crowns in 1603. From the 15th century the castle's residential role declined, and by the 17th century it was principally used as military barracks with a large garrison. Its importance as a part of Scotland's national heritage was recognised increasingly from the early 19th century onwards, and various restoration programmes have been carried out over the past century and a half. As one of the most important strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle was involved in many historical conflicts from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century to theJacobite Rising of 1745. It has been besieged, both successfully and unsuccessfully, on several occasions. Few of the present buildings pre-date the Lang Siege of the 16th century, when the medieval defences were largely destroyed by artillery bombardment. The most notable exceptions are St Margaret's Chapelfrom the early 12th century, which is regarded as the oldest building in Edinburgh, the Royal Palace and the early-16th-century Great Hall, although the interiors have been much altered from the mid-Victorianperiod onwards. The castle also houses the Scottish regalia, known as the Honours of Scotland and is the site of the Scottish National War Memorial and the National War Museum of Scotland. The British Army is still responsible for some parts of the castle, although its presence is now largely ceremonial and administrative. Some of the castle buildings house regimental museums which contribute to its presentation as a tourist attraction.
The castle is in the care of Historic Scotland and is Scotland's most-visited paid tourist attraction, with over 1.4 million visitors in 2013.[3] As the backdrop to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo during the annualEdinburgh International Festival the castle has become a recognisable symbol of Edinburgh and of Scotland and indeed, it is Edinburgh's most frequently visited visitor attraction - according to the Edinburgh Visitor Survey, more than 70% of leisure visitors to Edinburgh visited the castle.
Pre-history of the Castle Rock
The castle stands upon the plug of an extinct volcano, which is estimated to have risen about 350 million years ago during the lower Carboniferous period. The Castle Rock is the remains of a volcanic pipe, which cut through the surrounding sedimentary rock before cooling to form very hard dolerite, a type of basalt. Subsequent glacial erosion was resisted by the dolerite, which protected the softer rock to the east, leaving a crag and tail formation.
The summit of the Castle Rock is 130 metres (430 ft) above sea level, with rocky cliffs to the south, west and north, rising to a height of 80 metres (260 ft) above the surrounding landscape. This means that the only readily Page 15 of 32
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accessible route to the castle lies to the east, where the ridge slopes more gently. The defensive advantage of such a site is self-evident, but the geology of the rock also presents difficulties, since basalt is extremely impermeable. Providing water to the Upper Ward of the castle was problematic, and despite the sinking of a 28-metre (92 ft) deep well, the water supply often ran out during drought or siege, for example during the Lang Siege in 1573.
Earliest habitation
Archaeological investigation has yet to establish when the Castle Rock was first used as a place of human habitation. There is no record of any Roman interest in the location during General Agricola's invasion of northern Britain near the end of the 1st century AD. Ptolemy's map of the 2nd century shows a settlement in the territory of the Votadini named "Alauna", meaning "rock place", making this possibly the earliest known name for the Castle Rock. This could, however, refer to another of the tribe's hill forts in the area. The Orygynale Cronykil of Andrew of Wyntoun (c. 1350 – c. 1423), an early source for Scottish history, names "Ebrawce" (Ebraucus), a legendary King of the Britons, as having "byggyd [built] Edynburgh". According to the earlier chronicler, Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1100 – c. 1155), Ebraucus had fifty children by his twenty wives, and was the founder of "Kaerebrauc" (York), "Alclud" (Dumbarton) and the "Maidens' Castle". The 16th-century English writerJohn Stow (c. 1525 – 1605), credited Ebraucus with building "the Castell of Maidens called Edenbrough" in 989 BC. The name "Maidens' Castle" (Latin: Castra or Castellum Puellarum) occurs frequently up until the 16th century. It appears in charters of David I (r.1124–1153) and his successors, although the reason for it is not known. William Camden's survey of Britain, Britannia (1607), records that "the Britans called [it] Castle Myned Agned [winged rock], the Scots, the Maidens Castle and the Virgins Castle, of certaine young maidens of the Picts roiall bloud who were kept there in old time".According to the 17th-century antiquarian Father Richard Hay, the "maidens" were a group of nuns, who were ejected from the castle and replaced by canons, considered "fitter to live among soldiers". However, this story was considered "apocryphal" by the 19th-century antiquarian Daniel Wilson and has been ignored by historians since. The name may have been derived from a "Cult of the Nine Maidens" type of legend. Arthurian legends suggest that the site once held a shrine to Morgain la Fee, one of nine sisters. Later, St Monenna, said to be one of nine companions, reputedly invested a church at Edinburgh, as well as at Dumbarton and other places. Similar names are shared by many other Iron Age hillforts and may have simply described a castle that had never been taken by force or derived from an earlier Brittonicname like mag dun.
An archaeological excavation in the early 1990s uncovered evidence of the site having been settled during the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age, potentially making the Castle Rock the longest continually occupied site in Scotland. However, the extent of the finds was not particularly significant and was insufficient to draw any certain conclusions about the precise nature or scale of this earliest known phase of occupation.
The archaeological evidence is more reliable in respect of the Iron Age. Traditionally, it had been supposed that the tribes of central Scotland had made little or no use of the Castle Rock. Excavations at nearby Dunsapie Hill, Duddingston, Inveresk and Traprain Law had revealed relatively large settlements and it was supposed that these sites had
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been chosen in preference to the Castle Rock. However, the excavation in the 1990s pointed to the probable existence of an enclosed hill fort on the rock, although only the fringes of the site were excavated. House fragments revealed were similar to Iron Age dwellings previously found in Northumbria.
The 1990s dig revealed clear signs of habitation from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, consistent with Ptolemy's reference to "Alauna". Signs of occupation included some Roman material, including pottery, bronzes and brooches, implying a possible trading relationship between the Votadini and the Romans beginning with Agricola's northern campaign in AD 82, and continuing through to the establishment of the Antonine Wall around AD 140. The nature of the settlement in this period is inconclusive, but Driscoll and Yeoman suggest it may have been a broch, similar to the one at Edin's Hall near Duns in theScottish Borders.
Early Middle Ages
The castle does not re-appear in contemporary historical records from the time of Ptolemy until around AD 600. Then, in the epic Welsh poem Y Gododdin there is a reference to Din Eidyn, "the stronghold of Eidyn". This has been generally assumed to refer to the Castle Rock. The poem tells of the Gododdin King Mynyddog Mwynfawr, and his band of warriors, who, after a year of feasting in their fortress, set out to do battle with the Angles at "Catreath" (possibly Catterick) in Yorkshire. Despite performing glorious deeds of valour and bravery, the poem relates that the Gododdin were massacred.
The Irish annals record that in 638, after the events related in Y Gododdin, "Etin" was besieged by the Angles under Oswald of Northumbria, and the Gododdin were defeated. The territory around Edinburgh then became part of the Kingdom of Northumbria, which was itself absorbed by England in the 10th century, when Athelstan of England, according to theAnnals of Clonmacnoise, "spoiled the Kingdom to Edinburgh".The English withdrew, and Lothian became part of Scotland, during the reign of Indulf (r.954–962).
The archaeological evidence for the period in question is based entirely on the analysis of middens (domestic refuse heaps), with no evidence of structures. Few conclusions can therefore be derived about the status of the settlement during this period, although the midden deposits show no clear break since Roman times.
High Middle Ages
Further information: Scotland in the High Middle AgesThe first documentary reference to a castle at Edinburgh is John of Fordun's account of the death of King Malcolm III. Fordun describes his widow, the future Saint Margaret, as residing at the "Castle of Maidens" when she is brought news of his death in November 1093. Fordun's account goes on to relate how Margaret
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died of grief within days, and how Malcolm's brotherDonald Bane laid siege to the castle. However, Fordun's chronicle was not written until the later 14th century, and the near-contemporary account of the life of St Margaret by Bishop Turgotmakes no mention of a castle. During the reigns of Malcolm III and his sons, Edinburgh Castle became one of the most significant royal centres in Scotland. Malcolm's son King Edgar died here in 1107.
Malcolm's youngest son, King David I (r.1124–1153), developed Edinburgh as a seat of royal power principally through his administrative reforms (termed by some modern scholars the Davidian Revolution). Between 1139 and 1150, David held an assembly of nobles and churchmen, a precursor to the parliament of Scotland, at the castle.[35] Any buildings or defences would probably have been of timber, although two stone buildings are documented as having existed in the 12th century. Of these, St. Margaret's Chapel remains at the summit of the rock. The second was a church, dedicated to St. Mary, which stood on the site of the Scottish National War Memorial. Given that the southern part of the Upper Ward (where Crown Square is now sited) was not suited to being built upon until the construction of the vaults in the 15th century, it seems probable that any earlier buildings would have been located towards the northern part of the rock; that is around the area where St. Margaret's Chapel stands. This has led to a suggestion that the chapel is the last remnant of a square, stone keep, which would have formed the bulk of the 12th-century fortification. The structure may have been similar to the keep of Carlisle Castle, which David I began after 1135.
David's successor King Malcolm IV (r.1153–1165) reportedly stayed at Edinburgh more than at any other location. But in 1174, King William "the Lion" (r.1165–1214) was captured by the English at the Battle of Alnwick. He was forced to sign theTreaty of Falaise to secure his release, in return for surrendering Edinburgh Castle, along with the castles of Berwick,Roxburgh and Stirling, to the English King, Henry II. The castle was occupied by the English for twelve years, until 1186, when it was returned to William as the dowry of his English bride, Ermengarde de Beaumont, who had been chosen for him by King Henry. By the end of the 12th century, Edinburgh Castle was established as the main repository of Scotland's official state papers.
Wars of Scottish Independence
A century later, in 1286, on the death of King Alexander III, the throne of Scotland became vacant. Edward I of England was appointed to adjudicate the competing claims for the Scottish crown, but used the opportunity to attempt to establish himself as the feudal overlord of Scotland. During the negotiations, Edward stayed briefly at Edinburgh Castle and may have received homage there from the Scottish nobles. In March 1296, Edward I launched an invasion of Scotland, unleashing the First War of Scottish Independence. Edinburgh Castle soon came under English control, surrendering after a three days long bombardment. Following the siege, Edward had many of the Scottish legal records and royal treasures moved from the castle to England. A large garrison numbering 325 men was installed in 1300. Edward also brought to Scotland his
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master builders of the Welsh castles, including Thomas de Houghton and Master Walter of Hereford, both of whom travelled from Wales to Edinburgh. After the death of Edward I in 1307, however, England's control over Scotland weakened. On 14 March 1314, a surprise night attack by Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray recaptured the castle. John Barbour's narrative poem The Brus relates how a party of thirty hand-picked men were guided by one William Francis, a member of the garrison who knew of a route along the north face of the Castle Rock and a place where the wall might be scaled. Making the difficult ascent, Randolph's men scaled the wall, surprised the garrison and took control. Robert the Bruce immediately ordered the destruction of the castle's defences to prevent its re-occupation by the English. Four months later, his army secured victory at the Battle of Bannockburn.
After Bruce's death in 1329, Edward III of England determined to renew the attempted subjugation of Scotland and supported the claim of Edward Balliol, son of the former King John Balliol, over that of Bruce's young son David II. Edward invaded in 1333, marking the start of the Second War of Scottish Independence, and the English forces reoccupied and refortified Edinburgh Castle in 1335, holding it until 1341. This time, the Scottish assault was led by William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale. Douglas's party disguised themselves as merchants from Leith bringing supplies to the garrison. Driving a cart into the entrance, they halted it there to prevent the gates closing. A larger force hidden nearby rushed to join them and the castle was retaken. The English garrison, numbering 100, were all killed. David's Tower and the 15th century
The 1357 Treaty of Berwick brought the Wars of Independence to a close. David II resumed his rule and set about rebuilding Edinburgh Castle which became his principal seat of government. David's Tower was begun around 1367, and was incomplete when David died at the castle in 1371. It was completed by his successor, Robert II, in the 1370s. The tower stood on the site of the present Half Moon Battery and was connected by a section of curtain wall to the smaller Constable's Tower, a round tower built between 1375 and 1379 where the Portcullis Gate now stands.
In the early 15th century, another English invasion, this time under Henry IV, reached Edinburgh Castle and began a siege, but eventually withdrew due to lack of supplies. From 1437, Sir William Crichton was Keeper of Edinburgh Castle, and soon after became Chancellor of Scotland. In an attempt to gain the regency of Scotland, Crichton sought to break the power of the Douglases, the principal noble family in the kingdom. The sixteen-year-old William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas and his younger brother David were summoned to Edinburgh Castle in November 1440. After the so-called "Black Dinner" had taken place in David's Tower, both boys were summarily executed on trumped-up charges in the presence of the ten-year-old King James II (r.1437–1460). Douglas' supporters subsequently besieged the castle, inflicting damage. Construction continued throughout this period, with the area now known as Crown Square being laid out over vaults in the 1430s. Royal apartments were built, forming the nucleus of the later palace block, and a Great Hall was in existence by 1458. In 1464, access to the castle was improved when the current approach road up the north-east side of the rock was created Page 19 of 32
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to allow easier movement of the royal artillery train in and out of the area now known as the Upper Ward.
In 1479, Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany, was imprisoned in David's Tower for plotting against his brother, King James III(r.1460–1488). He escaped by getting his guards drunk, then lowering himself from a window on a rope. Albany fled to France, then England, where he allied himself with King Edward IV. In 1482, Albany marched into Scotland with Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later King Richard III) and an English army. James III was trapped in the castle from 22 July to 29 September 1482 until he successfully negotiated a settlement.
During the 15th century the castle was increasingly used as an arsenal and armaments factory. The first known purchase of a gun was in 1384, and the "greatbombard" Mons Meg was delivered to Edinburgh in 1457. The first recorded mention of an armoury for the manufacture of guns occurs in 1474, and by 1498 the master gunner Robert Borthwick was casting bronze guns at Edinburgh. By 1511 Edinburgh was the principal foundry in Scotland, supplanting Stirling Castle, with Scottish and European smiths working under Borthwick, who by 1512 was appointed "master melter of the king's guns". Their output included guns for the Scottish flagship, the "Great Michael", and the "Seven Sisters", a set of cannon captured by the English at Flodden in 1513. Sir Thomas Howard, England's Lord Admiral, admired their graceful shape and brilliant finish, declaring them the most beautiful [cannon] for their size and length that he had ever seen.
From 1510 Dutch craftsmen were also producing hand culverins, an early firearm. After Flodden, Borthwick continued his work, producing an unknown number of guns, of which none survive. He was succeeded by French smiths, who began manufacturing hagbuts(another type of firearm) in the 1550s,[61] and by 1541 the castle had a stock of 413. Meanwhile, the royal family began to stay more frequently at the Abbey of Holyrood, about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the castle. Around the end of the fifteenth century, King James IV (r.1488–1513) built Holyroodhouse, by the abbey, as his principal Edinburgh residence, and the castle's role as a royal home subsequently declined. James IV did, however, construct the Great Hall, which was completed in the early 16th century.
Symbol of Edinburgh
The castle has become a recognisable symbol of Edinburgh, and of Scotland. It appears, in stylised form, on the coats of arms of the City of Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh. It also features on the badge of No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron which was based at RAF Turnhouse (now Edinburgh Airport) during Second World War. Images of the castle are used as a logo by organisations including Edinburgh Rugby, the Edinburgh Evening News, Hibernian F.C. and the Edinburgh Marathon. It also appears on the "Castle series" of Royal Mail postage stamps, and has been represented on various issues of banknotes issued by Scottish clearing banks. In the 1960s the castle was illustrated on £5 notes issued by the National Commercial Bank of
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Scotland, and since 1987 it has featured on the reverse of £1 notes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland. Since 2009 the castle, as part of Edinburgh's World Heritage Site, has appeared on £10 notes issued by the Clydesdale Bank. The castle is a focal point for annual fireworks displays which mark Edinburgh's Hogmanay (new year) celebrations, and the end of the Edinburgh Festival in the summer.
4.3 Urquhart Castle
Urquhart Castle sits beside Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. The castle is on the A82 road, 21 kilometres (13 mi) south-west of Inverness and 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of the village of Drumnadrochit.
The present ruins date from the 13th to the 16th centuries, though built on the site of an early medieval fortification. Founded in the 13th century, Urquhart played a role in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century. It was subsequently held as a royal castle, and was raided on several occasions by the MacDonald Earls of Ross. The castle was granted to the Clan Grant in 1509, though conflict with the MacDonalds continued. Despite a series of further raids the castle was strengthened, only to be largely abandoned by the middle of the 17th century. Urquhart was partially destroyed in 1692 to prevent its use by Jacobite forces, and subsequently decayed. In the 20th century it was placed in state care and opened to the public: it is now one of the most-visited castles in Scotland.
The castle, situated on a headland overlooking Loch Ness, is one of the largest in Scotland in area. It was approached from the west and defended by a ditch and drawbridge. The buildings of the castle were laid out around two main enclosures on the shore. The northern enclosure or Nether Bailey includes most of the more intact structures, including the gatehouse, and the five-storey Grant Tower at the north end of the castle. The southern enclosure or Upper Bailey, sited on higher ground, comprises the scant remains of earlier buildings.
History
Early Middle AgesThe name Urquhart derives from the 7th-century form Airdchartdan, itself a mix
of Gaelic air (by) and Old Welsh cardden (thicket or wood). Pieces of vitrified stone, subjected to intense heat and characteristic of early medieval fortification, had been discovered at Urquhart from the early 20th century. Speculation that Urquhart may have been the fortress of Bridei son of Maelchon, king of the northern Picts, led Professor Leslie Alcock to undertake excavations in 1983.Adomnán's Life of Columba records that St. Columba visited Bridei some time between 562 and 586, though little geographical detail is given. Adomnán also relates that during the visit, Columba converted a Pictish nobleman named Emchath, who was on his deathbed, his son Virolec, and their household, at a place called Airdchartdan. The excavations, supported by radiocarbon dating, indicated that the rocky knoll at the south-west corner of the castle had been the site of an extensive fort between the 5th and 11th centuries. The findings led Professor Alcock to conclude that Urquhart is most likely to have been the site of Emchath's residence, rather than that of Bridei who is more likely to have been based at Inverness, either at the site of the castle or at Craig Phadrig to the west.The early castle
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Some sources state that William the Lion had a royal castle at Urquhart in the 12th century, though Professor Alcock finds no evidence for this. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Meic Uilleim (MacWilliams), descendents of Malcolm III, staged a series of rebellions against David I and his successors. The last of these rebellions was put down in 1229, and to maintain order Alexander II granted Urquhart to his Hostarius (usher or door-ward), Thomas de Lundin. On de Lundin's death a few years later it passed to his son Alan Durward. It is considered likely that the original castle was built soon after this time, centred on the motte at the south-west of the site. In 1275, after Alan's death, the king granted Urquhart toJohn II Comyn, Lord of Badenoch.
The first documentary record of Urquhart Castle occurs in 1296, when it was captured by Edward I of England. Edward's invasion marked the beginning of the Wars of Scottish Independence, which would go on intermittently until 1357. Edward appointed Sir William fitz Warin as constable to hold the castle for the English. In 1297 he was ambushed by Sir Andrew de Moray while returning from Inverness, and Moray subsequently laid siege to the castle, launching an unsuccessful night attack. The English must have been dislodged soon after, since in 1298 Urquhart was again controlled by the Scots. In 1303 Sir Alexander de Forbes failed to hold off another English assault.This time Edward installed as governor Alexander Comyn, brother of John, as the family had sided with the English against Robert Bruce. Following his murder of the Red Comyn in 1306, Bruce completed his defeat of the Comyns when he marched through the Great Glen in 1307, taking the castles of Inverlochy, Urquhart and Inverness. After this time Urquhart became a royal castle, held for the crown by a series of constables.
Sir Robert Lauder of Quarrelwood was constable of Urquhart Castle in 1329. After fighting at the Battle of Halidon Hill in 1333, where the Scots were defeated, Lauder returned to hold Urquhart against another threatened English invasion. It is recorded as being one of only five castles in Scotland held by the Scots at this time. In 1342, David II spent the summer hunting at Urquhart, the only king to have stayed here.
Over the next two hundred years, the Great Glen was raided frequently by theMacDonald Lords of the Isles, powerful rulers of a semi-independent kingdom in western Scotland, with a claim to the earldom of Ross. In 1395, Domhnall of Islayseized Urquhart Castle from the crown, and managed to retain it for more than 15 years. In 1411, he marched through the glen to take on the king's supporters at theBattle of Harlaw. Although an indecisive battle, Domhnall subsequently lost the initiative and the crown was soon back in control of Urquhart. In 1437 Domhnall's son Alexander, now Earl of Ross, raided around Glen Urquhart but could not take the castle. Royal funds were granted to shore up the castle's defences. Alexander's son John succeeded his father in 1449, aged 16. In 1452 he too led a raid up the Great Glen, seizing Urquhart, and subsequently obtained a grant of the lands and castle of Urquhart for life. However, in 1462 John made an agreement with Edward IV of England against the Scottish King James III. When this became known to James in 1476, John was stripped of his titles, and Urquhart was turned over to an ally, the Earl of Huntly.
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The Grants
Huntly brought in Sir Duncan Grant of Freuchie to restore order to the area around Urquhart Castle. His son John Grant of Freuchie (d.1538) was given a five-year lease of the Glen Urquhart estate in 1502. In 1509, Urquhart Castle, along with the estates of Glen Urquhart and Glenmoriston, was granted by James IV to John Grant in perpetuity, on condition that he repair and rebuild the castle. The Grantsmaintained their ownership of the castle until 1912, although the raids from the west continued. In 1513, following the disaster of Flodden, Sir Donald MacDonald of Lochalsh attempted to gain from the disarray in Scotland by claiming the Lordship of the Isles and occupying Urquhart Castle. Grant regained the castle before 1517, but not before the MacDonalds had driven off 300 cattle and 1,000 sheep, as well as looting the castle of provisions. Grant unsuccessfully attempted to claim damages from MacDonald. James Grant of Freuchie (d.1553) succeeded his father, and in 1544 became involved with Huntly and Clan Fraser in a feud with theMacdonalds of Clanranald, which culminated in the Battle of the Shirts. In retaliation, the MacDonalds and their allies theCamerons attacked and captured Urquhart in 1545. Known as the "Great Raid", this time the MacDonalds succeeded in taking 2,000 cattle, as well as hundreds of other animals, and stripped the castle of its furniture, cannon, and even the gates. Grant regained the castle, and was also awarded Cameron lands as recompense.
The Great Raid proved to be the last raid. In 1527, the historian Hector Boece wrote of the "rewinous wallis" of Urquhart, but by the close of the 16th century Urquhart had been rebuilt by the Grants, now a powerful force in the Highlands. Repairs and remodelling
continued as late as 1623, although the castle was no longer a favoured residence. In 1644 a mob of Covenanters (Presbyterian agitators) broke into the castle when Lady Mary Grant was staying, robbing her and turning her out for her adherence to Episcopalianism. An inventory taken in 1647 shows the castle virtually empty.When Oliver Cromwell invaded Scotland in 1650, he disregarded Urquhart in favour of building forts at either end of the Great Glen.
When James VII was deposed in the Revolution of 1688, Ludovic Grant of Freuchie sided with William of Orange and garrisoned the castle with 200 of his own soldiers. Though lacking weapons they were well-provisioned and, when a force of 500Jacobites (supporters of the exiled James) laid siege, the garrison were able to hold out until after the defeat of the main Jacobite force at Cromdale in May 1690. When the soldiers finally left they blew up the gatehouse to prevent reoccupation of the castle by the Jacobites. Large blocks of collapsed masonry are still visible beside the remains of
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the gatehouse.Parliament ordered £2,000 compensation to be paid to Grant, but no repairs were undertaken.Subsequent plundering of the stonework and other materials for re-use by locals further reduced the ruins, and the Grant Tower partially collapsed following a storm in 1715.Later history
By the 1770s the castle was roofless, and was regarded as a romantic ruin by 19th-century painters and visitors to the Highlands.In 1884 the castle came under the control of Caroline, Dowager Countess of Seafield, widow of the 7th Earl of Seafield, on the death of her son the 8th Earl. On Lady Seafield's death in 1911 her will instructed that Urquhart Castle be entrusted into state care, and in October 1913 responsibility for the castle's upkeep was transferred to the Commissioners ofHis Majesty's Works and Public Buildings.Historic Scotland, the successor to the Office of Works, continues to maintain the castle, which is a category A listed building and a scheduled monument in recognition of its national significance.
In 1994 Historic Scotland proposed construction of a new visitor centre and car park to alleviate the problems of parking on the main A82 road. Strong local opposition led to a public inquiry, which approved the proposals in 1998. The new building is sunk into the embankment below the road, with provision for parking on the roof of the structure. The visitor centre includes a display on the history of the site, including a series of replicas from the medieval period; a cinema; a restaurant; and shop. The castle is open all year, and can also host wedding ceremonies.In 2011 more than 315,000 people visited Urquhart Castle, making it Historic Scotland's third most visited site after the castles of Edinburgh and Stirling.Description
Key:A Site of drawbridgeB GatehouseC Nether Bailey or Outer CloseD ChapelE Inner CloseF Grant TowerG Great HallH KitchenI Water gateJ Upper Bailey or Service CloseK Motte and shell keepL DoocotM SmithyN Loch Ness
Urquhart Castle is sited on Strone Point, a triangular promontory on the north-western shore of Loch Ness, and commands the route along this side of the Great Glen as well as the entrance to Glen Urquhart.The castle is quite close to water level, though there are Page 24 of 32
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low cliffs along the north-east sides of the promontory. There is considerable room for muster on the inland side, where a "castle-toun" of service buildings would originally have stood, as well as gardens and orchards in the 17th century.Beyond this area the ground rises steeply to the north-west, up to the visitor centre and the A82. A dry moat, 30 metres (98 ft) across at its widest, defends the landward approach, possibly excavated in the early Middle Ages. A stone-built causeway provides access, with a drawbridge formerly crossing the gap at the centre. The castle side of the causeway was formerly walled-in, forming an enclosed space similar to a barbican.
Urquhart is one of the largest castles in Scotland in area. The walled portion of the castle is shaped roughly like a figure-8 aligned northeast-southwest along the bank of the loch, around 150 by 46 metres (492 by 151 ft),forming two baileys (enclosures): the Nether Bailey to the north, and the Upper Bailey to the south. The curtain walls of both enclosures date largely to the 14th century, though much augmented by later building, particularly to the north where most of the remaining structures are located.
Nether Bailey
The 16th-century gatehouse is on the inland side of the Nether Bailey, and comprises twin D-plan towers flanking an arched entrance passage. Formerly the passage was defended by a portcullis and a double set of doors, with guard rooms either side. Over the entrance are a series of rooms which may have served as accommodation for the castle's keeper.Collapsed masonry surrounds the gatehouse, dating from its destruction after 1690.
The Nether Bailey, the main focus of activity in the castle since around 1400, is anchored at its northern tip by the Grant Tower, the main tower house or keep. The tower measures 12 by 11 metres (39 by 36 ft), and has walls up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) thick. The tower rests on 14th-century foundations, but is largely the result of 16th-century rebuilding. Originally of five storeys, it remains the tallest portion of the castle despite the southern wall collapsing in a storm in the early 18th century. The standing parts of the parapet, remodelled in the 1620s, show that the corners of the tower were topped by corbelled bartizans (turrets). Above the main door on the west, and the postern to the east, are machicolations, narrow slots through which objects could be dropped on attackers. The western door is also protected by its own ditch and drawbridge, accessed from a cobbled "Inner Close" separated from the main bailey by a gate.The surviving interior sections can still be accessed via the circular staircase built into the east wall of the tower. The interior would have comprised a hall on the first floor, with rooms on another two floors above, and attic chambers in the turrets. Rooms on the main floors have large 16th-century windows, though with small pistol-holes below to allow for defence.
To the south of the tower is a range of buildings built against the thick, buttressed, 14th-century curtain wall. The great hall occupied the central part of this range, with the
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lord's private apartments of great chamber and solar in the block to the north, and kitchens to the south. The foundations of a rectangular building stand on a rocky mound within the Nether Bailey, tentatively identified as a chapel.Upper Bailey
The Upper Bailey is focused on the rocky mound at the south-west corner of the castle. The highest part of the headland, this mound is the site of the earliest defences at Urquhart. Vitrified material, characteristic of early medieval fortification, was discovered on the slopes of the mound, indicating the site of the early medieval fortification identified by Professor Alcock. In the 13th century, the mound became the motte of the original castle built by the Durwards, and the surviving walls represent a "shell keep" (a hollow enclosure) of this date. These ruins are fragmentary, but indicate that there were towers to the north and south of the shell keep.
A 16th-century water gate in the eastern wall of the Upper Bailey gives access to the shore of the loch. The adjacent buildings may have housed the stables. To the south of this, opposite the motte, is the base of a doocot (pigeon house) and the scant remains of 13th-century buildings, possibly once a great hall but more recently re-used as a smithy.
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Chapter 5 - Castles of Northern Ireland
5.1 Belfast Castle
Belfast Castle is set on the slopes of Cavehill Country Park, Belfast,Northern Ireland in a prominent position 400 feet (120 m) above sea level. Its location provides unobstructed views of the city of Belfast and Belfast Lough.
It is a 19th Century Scottish Baronial style mansion sitting in a prominent position in Cavehill Country Park. It has spectacular views out across Belfast Lough and the city.Belfast Castle was built in 1862 to replace an earlier castle in the city centre which was destroyed by fire. All that remains of that 12th Century Norman castle is a few street names like Castle Place and a shopping centre name.The castle in Cavehill Park was constructed by Sir George Chichester, 3rd Marquess of Donegall. The castle was constructed from 1811 to 1870. By the time of its completion the costs had far exceeded the original estimate of £11,000 and the Donegall fortune had dwindled. The castle was finally completed when Lord Ashby, the Marquess's son-in-law stepped in.
The area around the castle was originally farmland, but in the 1880s a major planting exercise transformed it into attractive wooded parkland.The castle subsequently passed, via marriage, to the Shaftesbury family. In the 1890s the 9th Earl of Shaftesbury added an Italian-style serpentine staircase as a gift to his mother, the Dowager Countess.Public Ownership
The Shaftesbury family presented the castle and its estates to the Belfast Corporation in 1934. During the Second World War it served as a base for the Royal Navy Admiralty. The slopes of Cave Hill were also used as a refuge by local families during the blitz.In 1978 Belfast City Council undertook a decade-long refurbishment and restoration project at the castle and it officially reopened to the public in November 1988.
The castle sits in its own formally landscaped gardens, including the Cat Garden. Tradition has it that good fortune will come to those who visit the castle, as long as the castle has a resident white cat. The Cat Garden celebrates that will no fewer than nine depictions of the cat in paving, sculpture and garden furniture.
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Part of the Country ParkThe castle's estate now forms part of Cave Hill Country Park. The park has three way-
marked trails running through it. One of the trails takes you up the hill past the man-made caves to Mc Art's Fort which is an old Iron-Age ring fort.Belfast castle is open free of charge to visitors. Down in the basement you'll find the castle antique shop and the Cellar Restaurant and Bar.
The second floor has the Cave Hill Visitors Centre. It has displays on the history of Cave Hill; the area's geology and wildlife; the story of Belfast Castle and its history and a recreation of a 1920s bedroom where a bride-to-be prepares for her wedding. As the display reveals, Belfast castle has a long history as a wedding venue and it is licensed for both marriage and civil partnership ceremonies.
5.2 Shane's Castle in Ireland
American emigrant Hugh O'Neill came to the Colonial Delaware in 1730 as a midshipman aboard a British Naval vessel. Prior to his arrival in Christiana, Delaware he lived at his fathers home, called, Shane's Castle on Lough Neah in Antrim, Ireland.
Here is Shane's Castle:
Picture credit to "Ireland in Pictures" by John Fimerty, Chicago, 1898 among others.
Who was Shane?
Shane's Castle was named after the grandfather of Brian O'Neill, whose name was Shane McBrien O'Neill, the Castle is currently occupied by Lord O'Neill near Randalstown, on Lough Neagh, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Shanes Castle as described by actress, Mrs Siddons, "I have no words to describe the beauty and splendour of this enchanting place which, I'm sorry to say has been levelled by fire. Here was often assembled all the talent, and rank and beauty of Ireland. The luxury of this establishment almost imspired the recollection of an Arabian Nights entertainment." This widely quoted description of Shanes Castle is borrowed from The Offical Guide by David Barzilay to Shanes Castle Railway and Nature Reserve.
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The Burial Chamber in the same guide is described as being built in 1722 by "French" John O'Neill, brother of Hugh O'Neill/O'Neall and adjoins the graveyard. It bears this inscription, "This vault was built by Shane McBrien McPhelim McShane McBrian McPhelim O'Neill, Esq. in the year 1722 for a burial place to himself and family of Clanaboy." The coffins were removed to the family vault at Drummaul Parish Church in the 1850's.
More is written about Shanes Castle in "The O'Neills of Ulster; High Kings of Ireland" by Sir Ian Moncreiffe of the Ilk and with additional information provided by Kathleen Neill. An interesting chapter entitled "Odds and Ends about Shane's Castle" gives some insight into this ancestral home. It says, "a passage about 100 yeards in length runs underground from the Castle to the adjacent graveyard, and was the servants entrance." Also great vaults are built underground and raised the addition to the level of Lough Neagh and gave the building better frontage. There is an old safe and a curious figure-head, said to be much older than the ruins which contain it. The tradition states that when it falls so too shall be the end of the family of O'Neill.
Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, died in Rome in 1616
In 1598 Sir Hugh O'Neill had resided at Shanes Castle, and in 1607 James I, settled the estate upon the descendants of Shane Mc Brian O'Neill, of whom was Hugh, our ancestor.
Sir Neil O'Neill, Battle of Boyne with James II
Having left Ireland by 1730 and being third in line to inherit, Hugh took his leave from Ireland forever, and raised his seven sons and one daughter in America, where many thousands of descendants live today. Page 29 of 32
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Even his brother who came into possesion of the Castle and its holdings in 1716 had earlier made his way in life by being a wool trader, rather than a Lord. He in fact displayed his wool cards predominatly in the Castle Hall after inheriting to show he was not ashamed to be a tradesman. In 1722 he built the tomb for O'Neill dead.
The Banshee!
The Story of Shane's Castles BANSHEE! So it goes in legendery olden times an O'Neill assisted McQuillan in a raid, and found a white heifer whose horns were tangled in a tree with thorns. O'Neill disregarded the fairies tale of a single thorn tree being sacred and let the cow go, being the only one to help the doomed cow. When O'Neill returned home he found his daughter Kathleen had been carried away by the wee folk all the way to the bottom of the Lough. The wee folk allowed her to return and tell him that she was safe, but made her promise that whenever misfortune visited the family she must appear and be heard to wail. Her bedroom window was pointed out to visitors and her chamber maid said she could see her impression on her bed.
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Chapter 6 – Conclusion
For centuries, Great Britain's castles were the literal and political high points of their communities. Designed to keep people out, today these formidable structures are wide open to visitors and appreciated for their romantic allure. Adults and kids alike love a good castle — who can resist the appeal of drawbridges, secret passageways, and pointy turrets towering over a moat?
Much of the fun of a visit to a castle comes from learning the nitty-gritty facts about what life was really like for its inhabitants. Life in the Middle Ages was actually a lot like the people: nasty, brutish, and short. Most countryside castles began not as palaces for princes, but as armored bunkers, with all the romance of a fallout shelter. Sure, they had a lofty tower or two, but only to spot trespassers and to give attackers second thoughts. And while your home may be far less impressive on the outside than the castles you'll see, you'll definitely come away with a renewed appreciation for the state of your plumbing.
Because British castles often protected key roads and rivers, many of them match up with the main sightseer circuit. More than a few are jazzed up with battle reenactments, sound-and-light shows, catapult demos, dress-up costumes, and medieval banquets. But beyond the touristy venues are the castles I prefer — the forgotten ones. Medieval fortresses are rotting away throughout Britain, their stones picked over and carted away to build other things. In Scotland, St. Andrews Castle is an evocative empty shell that invites you to fill-in-the-moat, and the ruins at Urquhart Castle, on the Loch Ness, are gloriously situated with a view of virtually the entire lake. The grassy hilltop at the textbook motte-and-bailey Norman ruins at Pickering, in the North York Moors, is perfect for understanding the fort’s strategic location.
These landmarks from times past tell their stories all over Great Britain. Make time for both castle types — some forgotten, some discovered — in your itinerary. You'll find castle thrills lurking in every direction.
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Bibliography :
1. http://www.anglotopia.net/anglophilia/top-16-best-castles-in-england/ 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castles_in_Great_Britain_and_
Ireland 3. http://www.britainexpress.com/Where_to_go_in_Britain/cas
tles/castles1.htm 4. http://www.travelchannel.com/interests/arts-and-
culture/articles/britains-top-10-castles 5. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/castles.htm 6. http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/castles/ 7. Mclean, Fitzroy, Highlanders, a History of the Scottish
Clans, Viking Studio Books 1995 8. Oman, Charles William Chadwick, Castles, London, The
Great Western Railway, 1926 9. Castles of Britain and Ireland Hardcover – 5 Jul 2012
by Rodney Castleden 10. AA Best of Britain's Castles: 100 of the Most
Impressive Historic Sites in Britain Hardcover– 31 May 2004 by AA Publishing (Creator)
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