A-Z Challenge 2012 - I
Inverness Castle
The red sandstone Inverness
Castle on the cliff overlooking the
River Ness in Scotland
is a comparatively modern castle. Although a series of castles have stood on
the site since the 11th century, the castle we see today was built
as recently as 1836.
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| Inverness Castle - 2005 |
The 12th century earth
and timber fortress was occupied by English troops under King Edward I; King
Robert the Bruce took and destroyed the castle in 1310. A stone castle founded
in the early 15th century by the Earl of Mar had a square stone
tower added by George Gordon, Earl of Huntly in the 1548. Gordon was constable
of the castle until 1562.
He was hanged by Mary Queen of
Scots after the castle had been taken for the Queen by the Frasers and Munros.
Earlier the Queen had found the gates of the castle shut against her.
The castle was defended against
the Jacobites more that once. During the second major Jacobite rising in 1745
it fell to Bonnie Prince Charlie (Prince Charles Edward Stuart). It was blown
up after the Battle of Culloden.
The castle now standing on the site was built
to house the Sheriff Courthouse and County Hall. A deep well and part of a
bastion wall are all that remain of the medieval castle.
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| Inverness Castle front - 2007 |
Hilary Melton-Butcher's Castle H - Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex
Attribution
5 comments:
Hi Bob .. imposing looking structure for the Sheriff's office .. beautiful red sandstone though -
It's certainly had its run of history .. and I'm glad you unravelled it - I daren't start! Especially Scottish and Welsh history ..
Different once again .. cheers Hilary
Now that's what a castle is supposed to look like! :) Obviously the site must be strategic to have had so many other castles built on it.
So many castles, so little time to visit them all. You are so lucky to have so many close to you!
We visited Inverness for about two weeks doing research for a writing project. Before the jail was moved to a lower floor of the Inverness Castle, prisoners shivered in tiny cells under one of the bridges. When it rained, the prisoners were never sure if they would die of pneumonia or simply drown. Great pictures. Inverness is a beautiful, walkable town, especially along the river, which the castle overlooks.
Such a lovely castle.. but there are some lovely castle's in Britain
Gazing out of the drawing room window down at the river below, so picturesque and so tranquil.
Oh and those beautiful gowns.
Love it all.
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