Rothesay Castle
Rothesay Castle is a ruined castle on the Scottish island of Bute . It is located in the center of Rothesay , the island's capital. The entire complex is classified as a Scheduled Monument . Architecturally, Rothesay Castle is counted among the most interesting Scottish castles and is an excellent example of fortress construction in the 13th century.
history
The site of Rothesay Castle was once a fort of unknown date, protected by a wooden palisade. In the 12th century, a round stone fortification was built on the basis of the previous system, whose walls, up to three meters thick, are still preserved today up to a height of around ten meters and form the heart of Rothesay Castle. The complex served as a defense against the Vikings and was taken several times in the following centuries. In the first two decades of the 13th century, a small defense tower with a castle gate was added outside the enclosure. Around 1263, the four towers integrated into the outer wall followed. Rothesay Castle was one of the preferred castles of the Scottish Kings Robert II and Robert III during the 14th century . It then lost its importance until Jacob IV began using Rothesay Castle more frequently again in 1488. He initiated a redesign of the battlements and the erection of the north facing keep with the new castle gate, which was carried out between 1512 and 1514. The ruins of the residential buildings in the inner courtyard and the castle chapel dedicated to Archangel Michael also date from this period . The largest of the outer towers, which until then represented the largest living area, was converted into a pigeon tower . After the outdoor facilities were expanded in the 1650s, Rothesay Castle was finally destroyed by the troops of Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll in the course of the Monmouth Rebellion against James II and burned down. In the following centuries the ruins fell into disrepair until John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute , had excavations carried out from 1816 onwards and tried to protect the castle against the ongoing decline. The work was continued by his successor, John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute , and completed around 1900.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Scheduled Monument - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ Entry on Rothesay Castle in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
Web links
- Entry on Rothesay Castle in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database
Coordinates: 55 ° 50 ′ 11.3 " N , 5 ° 3 ′ 18.4" W.