Dunnottar Castle, Scotland

If we are to imagine what the ultimate defensive site for a castle might be, then a giant rock in the ocean with sheer cliffs on three sides might be the answer. It is hard to imagine a more perfect location to build a castle. That is of course, unless you live there and have to walk the many, many steps both up and down, whether leaving or returning. Not so for the nobles of course, who could make the journey on horseback from the castles stables.

Sir William Keith, the first Marischal of Scottland, inherited the land and built the stone castle at Dunnottar in the 14th Century. As the site had previously been consecrated and there was already a chapel here, he was excommunicated by the Bishop of St Andrews for building on a sacred rock. Keith succeeded in his pleas to the Pope, who agreed to reduce his sentence on payment of a suitable fee. 

The curtain wall was originally 9 meters high {29 & ½ feet). Just because the walls are high and your castle has natural defences,  doesn’t mean you skimp on defending your gate however. Dunnottar had a death trap entrance, that would need to be passed through to gain access to the castle. The guard rooms were created in the rock itself and are the first rooms you pass as you enter. As you continue up the steep narrow walk, you progress through to vaulted tunnels with doors at either end. 

The 14th Century keep or tower house, was the last line of defence, but it was also the home of the Lord of the castle and contained all the modern conveniences of the 14th Century. Originally there were interior sinks, the walls were plastered, and part covered with tapestrys, the timber ceilings were painted and the windows had wooden shutters with small leaded glass lights at the top.

The chapel is the oldest building at Dunnottar. The first chapel here was consecrated in 1276 but was burned by William Wallace in 1297. The castle was then probably an early wooden castle and was occupied by Edward I’s troops. When William Wallace attacked the castle with his army, the English garrison took refuge in the chapel and so Wallace burned it to the ground. 

In 1503, King James V visited Dunnottar and in 1562, Mary, Queen of Scots, also visited the castle when she was 19 years of age and only recently returned from France. She returned again two years later with her son, later James VI. James visited again in 1580.