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Urquhart Castle.
| Castle Urquhart (pronounced "urkhurt") stands on a rocky promontary on the north shore of Loch Ness. t was originally built for Alan Durward , son-in-law of Alexander 2nd , in the 13th century. It was captured by the English in 1296 . Ownership changed hands several times until in 1308 Robert the Bruce gave it to his nephew , Sir Thomas Randolph.
The complex interplay of Scottish history led to further conflict around Urquhart Castle in 1513, and in 1545 it was besieged and subsequently plundered by the western clans. Repairs followed, but the castle fell into decline, playing little part in the Civil War in the 1640s. In 1689 Urquhart Castle saw its last action, when a small garrison supporting the Protestant Monarchy of William and Mary held off a much larger Jacobite force. The garrison later left, blowing up much of the castle as they did so; and signs of this can still be seen around the gatehouse. Its main role since has been to serve the local community as a convenient quarry, which explains why so much of the structure has gone. |
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