Castle Leod

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Castle Leod
Castle Leod

Castle Leod is a castle near Strathpeffer in the east of the Scottish county of Ross-shire (now part of the Highland administrative division ). It is the seat of the Clan Mackenzie . Historic Scotland has listed the building as a Category A Historic Building and the property is listed on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes of Scotland .

history

background

In the early 17th century, the main line of the Clan MacLeod of Lewis died out and leadership changed to the MacLeods of Raasay . Later, the members of the MacLeod of Lewis clan had to accept the rise of their cousins ​​from Dunvegan Castle and that two clans became one. As a result, the Barony of Lewis fell into the hands of the MacKenzies clan chief. The last clan chief of the MacLeods of Lewis had married a daughter of the clan chief of the MacKenzies. This clan chief of the MacKenies claimed the Barony of Lewis for himself. But the members of Clan MacLeod thrived under the leadership of Clan MacLeod of Skye .

The castle was given to John of Killin, 10th chief of the MacKenzies , (1485-1561) after he had fought in the Battle of Flodden Field . The castle later fell to his grandson, Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st Lord of Kintail , who bequeathed it in 1608 to his brother, Sir Roderick ("Rorie") Mackenzie . In 1605 Sir Roderick had married Margaret MacLeod , heiress of Torquil MacLeod of Lewis , which brought her immense wealth to the family and resulted in the settlement of the feud between the MacLeods and the Mackenzies over the Barony of Coigach that thus fell into the Mackenzie family.

History of the castle

The castle is said to have been built on the site of a very old Pictish fort from before the 12th century. The present castle is the result of work done by Sir Roderick Mackenzie , ancestor of the Earl of Cromartie , in the early 17th century. Since that time the castle has been the seat of the Earls of Cromartie.

In 1746, George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie , forfeited the property to the Crown because he supported the failed Jacobite Rebellion in 1745. His son got the property back in 1784, but not the title. Earlier this century the castle was in decline because the property was heavily burdened with debt. In 1814 it was said that the castle was "completely in ruins (...), abandoned and populated only by crows", even if this was more likely to apply to the top floors.

In the middle of the 19th century the Hay-Mackenzies had Castle Leod extensively renovated. The descendants of the 3rd Earl, the Hay-Mackenzies, were also reinstated in the Earldom Cromartie when Anne Hay-Mackenzie married George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland , in 1861 . In 1851 extensive extensions were added on the north side of the castle, which were renewed in 1904. The roof was not sealed until 1992. The castle remains the seat of the Earls of Cromartie and is open to the public on certain days.

architecture

A compact residential tower with an L-shaped floor plan, built of red sandstone , forms the oldest part of the castle and is probably based on a building from the 15th century. An extension was later added to the inner corner of this building, creating a structure with a square floor plan. The extension contained a larger staircase and additional sleeping chambers. The year of construction 1616 is struck in a dormer window, but it is not known whether this relates to the actual construction phase or to the extension. The extension was built over the parapet of the original facade and has a more decorative style.

In some parts the walls of the castle are 1.8–2.4 meters thick. Other defenses are the iron bars on some windows and some distributed loopholes . The rooms, some of which have wooden paneling, are decorated with many portraits of the Mackenzies from centuries past, as well as with old furnishings and large, old maps. Many original details can be found throughout the castle. There are two sweet chestnuts on the property , which are said to have been planted by John of Killin in 1556 to remind of the confirmation of his claim to Castle Leod by Mary Queen of Scots.

Fire and stone

Castle Leod is widely considered to be the inspiration for Castle Leoch , seat and home of the laird of Clan Mackenzie, in Diana Gabaldon's historical novel series " Fire and Stone ". It was thought of recording the corresponding television series there, but Doune Castle was chosen because of its greater convenience. This may surprise viewers who know Castle Leod as the seat of Clan Mackenzie, especially since the castle represents exactly the historical period Diana Gabaldon wanted to portray.

Diana Gabaldon told STV , “When the TV show was looking for locations, I suggested Castle Leod as an option. It goes without saying that it corresponds exactly to the period described, has a great property with a park with enormous, exotic trees that have been planted over the centuries by the Mackenzies and their visitors. "( Diana Gabaldon herself planted a" very modest " mountain ash as her" own small contribution "to the story.)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  2. ↑ Garden and Designed Landscape - entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  3. ↑ a b c Castle Leod: Site history . In: An Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland . Historic Scotland. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  4. ↑ a b c d e Castle Leod . In: Canmore . Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  5. ^ Neil Drysdale: Diana Gabaldon talks to STV about her love for Scotland and Castle Leod . STV Glasgow Online. March 29, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2017.

Web links

Commons : Castle Leod  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 57 ° 35 ′ 55 ″  N , 4 ° 32 ′ 6 ″  W.