Castle Moil
| Castle Moil | ||
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 Castle Moil (2003) |
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| Creation time : | late 15th / early 16th century | |
| Castle type : | Hilltop castle | |
| Conservation status: | ruin | |
| Place: | Kyleakin | |
| Geographical location | 57 ° 16 '19.5 " N , 5 ° 43' 15" W | |
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Castle Moil ( Scottish Gaelic : Caisteal Maol ), also known as Dun Akyn , Dunakin Castle , Dun Haakon and Castle Dunakin , is the ruin of a castle. It is located on a hill above Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye in Scotland , overlooking the parish of Kyle of Lochalsh on the opposite mainland.
The Gaelic term Maol means "naked", while the name Dun Akyn is read from the Old Norse as "Castle of Haakon".
history
The legend has it, the fourth Chief of Findanus Clan MacKinnon and great-grandson of alpine mac Echdach, Dunakin Castle brought into the possession of the family by one around the year 900 Norman married Princess. Only her nickname "Saucy Mary" is known of this princess. Findanus and his bride are said to have stretched a heavy chain from the castle over the Kyle Akin to Loch Alsh in order to be able to claim a toll from passing ships. The princess is said to be buried in the cemetery of "Beinn na Caillich" on Skye, her face turned to Norway.
Even if this is a legend: There is a connection to ancient Norway. Before the Battle of Largs in 1263, King Håkon IV gathered his fleet of longships here - hence the alternative names. However, his failure ended the Norwegian influence on the Scottish Isles.
The castle dominated the passage of Kyle Akin between Skye and the mainland, all ships had to pass or take the often stormy detour around Skye. It is an old seat of the MacKinnon clan. Historical documents and archaeological studies prove that the buildings visible today were erected in the late 15th or early 16th century. In 1513 a meeting of Clan Chiefs was held here, at which it was decided to support Donald MacDonald as Lord of the Isles .
The last resident of the castle was Neill MacKinnon, nephew of the 26th Chief. He died in 1601.
description
The complex consisted only of a simple rectangular keep, which was originally three or four stories high. The remaining walls of the keep are up to 3.4 meters thick. However, only the basement has been preserved, which has been completely filled with rubble and has not yet been exposed or explored. One suspects storage rooms and a kitchen there. Today you enter the castle on the floor that was once the hall or dining room. Stairs led to the floors above.
Storms in 1949 and 1989 caused large parts of the remains to overturn and the castle was almost completely destroyed. The remains were secured from further deterioration. Excavations or further investigations are not planned.
The ruins can be reached on foot from Kyleakins Harbor via a beaten path . The path is partly very close to the water and is regularly flooded by high tides .
literature
- Roget Mikey, David L. Roberts: The Mediaeval Castles of Skye and Lochalsh. Birlinn, Edinburgh, 2007, ISBN 978-8415-8613-7 .
Web links
- Kyleakin Parish website
Individual evidence
- ↑ Castle Moil ( Memento of 13 May 2008 at the Internet Archive ) on attraction UK
- ^ Keyser John D .: The Story of the Scottish Highlanders ( Memento October 8, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) on ensignmessage.com
- ^ History of the MacKinnon Clan ( Memento from May 27, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) on the Clan's website
- ↑ The Lords of the Isles on BBC History
- ↑ a b Skye & Lochalsh District Council's Museum Service information boards in the complex.