On a promontory overlooking Loch Ness, the ruins of Urquhart Castle are among the most visited in Scotland. In the Renaissance, the Grants carried out major works here under James IV — in a country still ravaged by clan rivalries.
The grant of James IV
In 1509, King James IV granted Urquhart to John Grant of Freuchie 'in perpetuity, on condition of repairing and rebuilding it'. The Grants then carried out, in the sixteenth century, major works, including the Grant Tower, a five-storey residential tower that remains the tallest element of the site. The castle illustrates the royal policy of pacifying the Highlands, by entrusting the old fortresses to loyal families.
Between raids and legend
But the region remained disputed: exposed to the ambitions of the MacDonalds (former Lords of the Isles), Urquhart suffered in 1545 the 'Great Raid', where MacDonald and Cameron plundered the place, carrying off even the cattle and the furniture (the inventory of the booty survives). The fortress, dismantled in 1690 so that it should serve no more, fell into ruin — and its silhouette over the dark waters of Loch Ness has become one of the emblematic images of Scotland.
What to see
- The Grant Tower (sixteenth-century keep, ~12 × 11 m).
- The strong gate with two D-shaped towers.
- The motte and the thirteenth-century shell keep, on Loch Ness.
Did you know?
During the 'Great Raid' of 1545, the MacDonalds and Camerons plundered Urquhart so methodically that the inventory of the booty has been preserved — down to the cattle and furniture carried off. A rare document that gives, in negative, the list of what a Renaissance Scottish castle contained.
Practical information
Urquhart Castle lies at Strone Point, on Loch Ness, near Drumnadrochit; a site in the care of Historic Environment Scotland, much visited. Hours liable to change; check against the official sources.
Quiz
- Which king granted Urquhart to the Grants in 1509?
- James IV
- Henry VIII
- James VI
- What did Urquhart suffer in 1545?
- The 'Great Raid' of the MacDonalds and Camerons
- An accidental fire
- A flood of the Loch
- What is the tallest element of the site?
- The Grant Tower
- A cathedral
- A lighthouse