Foulis Castle

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Foulis Castle

Foulis Castle is a country house about 8 km southwest of Alness in the Scottish county of Ross and Cromarty (now part of the Highland administrative division ). The plastered and whitewashed house surrounds an old tower house with loopholes . Since the 12th century at the latest, the property has belonged to the Munro clan , who always had a fortress there.

A moth from the 11th century is said to have been the first fortification in Foulis. The remains of her mound are still present on the property of the country house.

history

Entrance to Foulis Castle with golden eagles on both pillars, symbols for the Munro clan

Foulis Castle is first briefly mentioned in records from the 14th century, but it is believed that the first tower was built in 1154. In a contemporary document it can be read that Uilleam, 5th Earl of Ross , in 1350 issued a charter for Robert de Munro of Foulis over the lands of "Estirfowlys" with the "Tower of Strathskehech". It is also recorded that Euphemia, 6th Countess of Ross , Robert's son, Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis , issued two charters in 1394. One is dated May 4, 1394 and concerns "Wesstir Fowlys" and the "Tower of Strathschech", so named because the River Sqitheach flows through the nearby Strath Skiach and into the Cromarty Firth .

In a document that was signed and sealed at Foulis Castle in 1491, it says in Scottish Gaelic “casteal biorach, nead na h-iolair” (English: castle with a dark tip, eagle's nest). This is a nod to the clan chief's heraldic emblem.

In 1542 Donald MacKay of Strathnaver , chief of Clan MacKay, was imprisoned at Foulis Castle after being captured after the Battle of Alltan-Beath . According to Fraser 's Wardlaw Manuscript , written in the 17th century, it came because of Munros kindness and courtesy in dealing with Donald Mackay "to this day" to an exchange of correspondence between the Munros and the Mackays.

The castles "Tower" and "Fortalice" are mentioned in a charter of the Crown from 1587. In the times of the Clan Wars, a beacon was lit on the tallest tower of Foulis Castle to gather the clan under arms, hence the Munro slogan or assembly call "Caisteal Foghlais na theine" (Eng .: Castle Foulis on fire).

The castle was preserved until the 18th century, when it was attacked by the Jacobites in 1746 . Sir Robert Munro, 6th Baronet , died in the Battle of Falkirk in 1746 and the castle was looted and burned by the Jacobites that same year.

Robert's son and next clan chief, Sir Harry Munro, 7th Baronet , came home from captivity only to find that the castle had been set on fire and almost completely destroyed. The Jacobites were defeated by government forces only a few months later at the Battle of Culloden . Sir Harry Munro planned to have the castle rebuilt while preserving as much of the original building as possible. But the Battle of Culloden had completely eliminated the clan system of the Scottish Highlands and there was no longer any need for such a defensive structure. Like many castles back then, Foulis Castle was rebuilt as a large country house as we know it today. It was built from 1754 to 1792. Foulis Castle is still the home and seat of the Munros clan chief, Hector W. Munro of Foulis . But the Baronets Munro of Foulis-Obsdale live in London today .

Historic Scotland has listed Foulis Castle as a Category A Historic Building.

restoration

Some of the old fortifications of the original castle under the later wall construction

Unfortunately, there is no record of what the fortifications at Foulis Castle looked like before 1746. But Captain and Mrs. Munro discovered much about the castle and what the fortifications looked like before 1746 during the various stages of the restoration. They think the castle was probably surrounded by a number of smaller settlements, possibly fortified nature. They found ample evidence in 1957–1959 that horses and cattle were kept in the courtyard and that the castle was a self-sufficient society that could withstand a siege if attacked.

Certainly the foundations of the castle are huge, as the former clan chief found out during the three restoration phases - 1957–1959, 1977–1979 and finally 1985–1986. The Tower House was obviously a "fortress" as its walls were an impressive 1.67 meters thick at site level. An interesting discovery was made in May 1985 when repairs were being carried out on part of the buildings in the courtyard: four “loopholes in the shape of an inverted keyhole”, dating from the beginning of the 16th century, were discovered behind four wedge-shaped, walled-up openings. These openings point north, south, east and west in the 1.67 meter thick wall. Above is a stone ceiling with a barrel vault .

This building, which once stood at a distance from the castle, was certainly built as a small defensive fort with a 360 ° field of fire against a possible enemy attack.

Sometime later, perhaps after 1746 and when the clan chief felt that the likelihood of attack had decreased, the building was used for other purposes. Three of the openings were completely closed, the fourth partially, so that a narrow slot 15 centimeters wide and 76 centimeters long remained in which a 19 millimeter thick iron rod was built. So light and some air came into the room and you could pass food to the unhappy prisoner who was sitting there. It was probably the castle's prison. According to Munros records, some of the stone walls of the original castle were found beneath the plastering of what is now the country house in Foulis.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f Martin Coventry: Castles of the Clans: The Strongholds and Seats of 750 Scottish Families and Clans . 2008. ISBN 978-1-899874-36-1 . P. 441.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g R. W. Munro: Mapping the Clan Munro . Clan Munro Association. Printed by Lindsay & Co, Edinburgh 1987.
  3. ↑ Alexander Mackenzie: History of the Munros of Fowlis . 1898. pp. 40-43.
  4. ↑ James Fraser: Chronicles of the Frasers: the Wardlaw manuscript entitled 'Polichronicon seu policratica temporum, or, The true genealogy of the Frasers, 916-1674 . 1674. Republished by William Mackay, 1905. pp. 132-135.
  5. ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .

Web links

Commons : Foulis Castle  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 57 ° 38 ′ 42 "  N , 4 ° 21 ′ 55"  W.