Duntulm Castle
Encyclopedia
Duntulm Castle stands ruined on the north coast of Trotternish
, on the Isle of Skye in Scotland
, near the hamlet of Duntulm
. During the 17th century it was the seat of the chiefs of Clan MacDonald of Sleat
.
or dun
, known as Dun David, or Dun Dhaibhidh stood here. However, no archaeological evidence has been found for this predecessor.
The castle was built in the 14th and 15th centuries, when the area was subject to feuds between the rival MacLeod
and Macdonald
clans. The defences were improved in the 16th century, and by the early 17th century the Macdonald's had finally gained the upper hand in the area. In 1618 the Privy Council
and Sir Donald Macdonald of Sleat, "Donald Gorm Og", the 9th chief, signed a charter, requiring him to repair Duntulm. This was done, and a second tower was added. Around 1650, the castle's importance peaked, when further improvements were made, and a rectangular structure or house was built within the wall. Around 1732 the castle was abandoned, when Sir Alexander Macdonald built a new residence, Monkstadt House, 5 miles (8 km) to the south, robbing much of the castle's stone as building material.
promontory above the sea. It is further defended by a ditch along the landward side. It comprises a the vaults of a tower, which once stood to four-storeys, surrounded by an irregular curtain wall
. The later house measures around 10 by. The only entrance was via a narrow cleft in the sea cliff. The ruins of the castle are now in a very poor condition, with major falls of masonry as recently as 1990.
Trotternish
Trotternish or Tròndairnis is the northernmost peninsula of the Isle of Skye, in Scotland.One of its more well-known features is the Trotternish landslip, a massive landslide that runs almost the full length of the peninsula, some...
, on the Isle of Skye in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, near the hamlet of Duntulm
Duntulm
Duntulm is a township on the most northerly point of the Trotternish peninsula of the Isle Of Skye made up of Shulista , south Duntulm and Ghlumaig....
. During the 17th century it was the seat of the chiefs of Clan MacDonald of Sleat
Clan MacDonald of Sleat
Clan Macdonald of Sleat, sometimes known as Clan Donald North and in Gaelic Clann Ùisdein , is a Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald — one of the largest Scottish clans. The founder of the Macdonalds of Sleat is Ùisdean, 6th great-grandson of Somhairle, a 12th century Rì Innse Gall...
.
History
It is believed that, in prehistoric times, a brochBroch
A broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland. Brochs include some of the most sophisticated examples of drystone architecture ever created, and belong to the classification "complex Atlantic Roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s....
or dun
Dun
Dun is now used both as a generic term for a fort and also for a specific variety of Atlantic roundhouse...
, known as Dun David, or Dun Dhaibhidh stood here. However, no archaeological evidence has been found for this predecessor.
The castle was built in the 14th and 15th centuries, when the area was subject to feuds between the rival MacLeod
Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan, whose chief is Macleod of Macleod, are known in Gaelic as Sìol Tormoid ; the Macleods of Lewis, whose chief is Macleod of The Lewes, are known in...
and Macdonald
Clan Donald
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. There are numerous branches to the clan. Several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms; these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, and Clan...
clans. The defences were improved in the 16th century, and by the early 17th century the Macdonald's had finally gained the upper hand in the area. In 1618 the Privy Council
Privy Council of Scotland
The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King.In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of material on the political, administrative, economic and social affairs of Scotland...
and Sir Donald Macdonald of Sleat, "Donald Gorm Og", the 9th chief, signed a charter, requiring him to repair Duntulm. This was done, and a second tower was added. Around 1650, the castle's importance peaked, when further improvements were made, and a rectangular structure or house was built within the wall. Around 1732 the castle was abandoned, when Sir Alexander Macdonald built a new residence, Monkstadt House, 5 miles (8 km) to the south, robbing much of the castle's stone as building material.
The castle
The main structure of the castle is about 25 by, and stands on a basaltBasalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
promontory above the sea. It is further defended by a ditch along the landward side. It comprises a the vaults of a tower, which once stood to four-storeys, surrounded by an irregular curtain wall
Curtain wall (fortification)
A curtain wall is a defensive wall between two bastions of a castle or fortress.In earlier designs of castle the curtain walls were often built to a considerable height and were fronted by a ditch or moat to make assault difficult....
. The later house measures around 10 by. The only entrance was via a narrow cleft in the sea cliff. The ruins of the castle are now in a very poor condition, with major falls of masonry as recently as 1990.