Dunscaith Castle
| Dunscaith Castle | |
|---|---|
 Dunscaith Castle |
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| Creation time : | Early 14th century |
| Castle type : | Höhenburg / Spornburg |
| Conservation status: | ruin |
| Geographical location | 57 ° 8 '11.4 " N , 5 ° 58' 32.8" W |
Dunscaith Castle (also Dun Sgathaich , Dun Scaich or Tokavaig ) is a ruined castle in the municipality of Sleat, about 40 km southwest of Portree on the Isle of Skye in Scotland .
history
Archaeological finds show a castle from the 11th century on the same site. This belonged to the Clan MacDonald of Sleat, a branch of the Clan MacDonald . There is written evidence that the MacLeod clan took over the castle in the 14th century and appointed allies from the MacAskill clan as guardians. In the early 15th century, Dunscaith Castle was again taken over by the MacDonald clan.
In one of the attempts to break the power of Clan MacDonald, which at that time was already the most powerful clan in Scotland and whose head was Lord of the Isles , Dunscaith Castle was occupied by the troops of King James I around 1430 . After their departure, King Jacob again gave the castle to the MacDonald clan.
In the early 17th century, Clan MacDonald abandoned the castle and left it to decay.
Construction phases
The castle is located on a rock about 15 meters high in the sea, which is separated from the mainland by a gap of almost ten meters. The original access via this gorge consisted of a drawbridge protected on both sides by walls . After the drawbridge there was a gate, after which a staircase, also walled on both sides, led to the actual castle.
Parts of the original castle wall are still preserved on the lake side. The wall is about two meters thick, made of rubble of various sizes and built with one of the earliest preserved lime mortars in this region. The remaining buildings of the early castle, including a dungeon or a residential tower must have heard are, only to realize still based grass-covered hills.
The drawbridge that exists today as well as the remaining walls and parts of the building date from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The inner courtyard with a fountain and in the southeast the remains of a staircase that must have led to a tower or a battlement can be clearly seen .
literature
- Mary Miers: Western Seaboard. An Illustrated Architectural Guide . Rutland Press, Edinburgh 2007.
Web links
- C. Garner, P. Wright: Dun Sgathaich Castle. Dark Isle, 2006, accessed September 21, 2014 .
- Entry on Dunscaith Castle in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database