Ardvreck Castle

Ardvreck Castle is a ruined castle dating frae the 16t century whit staunds on a rocky knab skouting oot intae Loch Assynt in Sutherland, Scotland. Ane can win at the ruins bi driving alang the A837 whit follaes the north shore o Loch Assynt frae the veellage o Inchnadamph. History o Ardvreck The castle is thocht tae hiv been biggit aroond 1590 bi the Clan MacLeod family wha owned Assynt an the surroondin airie frae the 13t century onwarts. Deed Sutherland, the airie in whit Ardvreck is seetuated, haes lang been a stranghaud o the Clan MacLeod. The maist well-kent historical tale aboot the castle is that on 30 Apryle 1650 James, Marquis o Montrose wis capturt bi the Laird o Assynt an haudit at the castle afore bein transported tae Edinburgh for trial an execution. Montrose wis a Ryalist, fechtin on the side o King Charles again the Covenanters. Montrose wis executed on 21 Mey 1650, bi hangin, drawin an quarterin. Archibald, Marquis o Argyll, a covenanter an Montrose's rival, wis himsel executed in 1661 efter the restoration o the monarchy. Clan MacKenzie attacked an captured Ardvreck Castle in 1672, an then teuk control o the Assynt lands. In 1726 they biggit a more modren manor hoose nearby, Calda House, whit taks its name frae the Calda burn aside whit it staunds. A fire wrackit the hoose unner meesterious circumstances ane nicht in 1737 an baith Calda House an Ardvreck Castle staund as ruins the day. They are designated as scheduled monuments. Airchitectur Ardvreck Castle wis a rectangular-shaped keep comprising three storeys. Unner the castle the vaulted basement is pierced bi gunloops an the roond stair turret is corbelled oot tae brace a square caphoose. Nanetheless the wee size o the ruined touer, Ardvreck wis oreeginally a lairge an imposing structur an it is thocht that the castle incluidit a wa'd gairden an formal close. The remeens o the fundations can ay be seen an kiver a lairge airie. Aw that remeens the day is a touer an pairt o a defensive wa. Whan the watters o the loch rise very heich, the peninsula on whit the castle staunds can be cut aff frae the mainland. References Clan MacLeod, Alan MacNeil, Lomond Books Clan MacLeod (Clan History), I.F. Grant, Johnston an Bacon Books