Dornoch Castle, situated in the sea-side town of Dornoch was built in the fifteenth century by the Bishop of Dornoch Cathedral. Dornoch is famous for its golf-course and beach. It is on the coast of Caithness, fifty miles north of Inverness.
A Brief History
Due to loss of records over the centuries, it is not clear when the castle appeared at Dornoch. The first possible date for a building on the site is around 1235, when the Bishop Gilbert moved to the town and may have required a stronghold palace to sit opposite the cathedral. Bishop Gilbert belonged to the preeminent ‘De Moray’ clan; Flemish immigrants who had settled in Duffus. The lands of Dornoch had belonged to the estate of Skibo and become to be property of the church. The Sutherland/Moray connection is still noticeable in local shared surnames such as Duff, Dunbar, Sinclair, Murray and Sutherland . A connection between the areas that would have been easier when sea-travel was more common. From the Moray Coast, Sutherland is plainly visible. This travel by sea is re-enforced by the fate of Gilbert’s brother Richard. Gilbert left the titles to Richard who died in 1245, apparently killed by pirates.
In 1557, the Bishop’s Palace was given to the Earl of Caithness by his brother-in-law, Bishop Robert Stewart. By this time, the building had been extended, three high towers enclosed a south-facing courtyard. In 1570, a dispute over the future of the young Earl Alexander caused a bloody and violent siege of the castle. The Earls of Caithness had secured guardianship over the boy and had engaged him to be married to their female heir, a girl twice his age.
The Murrays of Dornoch were unhappy with this consolidation of power between two powerful families and daringly stole the young Earl Alexander away from the castle, across the Meikle Ferry to lodge safely with the Earl of Huntly. The son of the Earl of Caithness gathered his clan and allies and attacked the town. The townsfolk held out for over a week but eventually the castle and cathedral were sacked. William Sutherland of Evalix is said to have broken open the tomb of Bishop Gilbert and thrown his remains to the wind. But a well-known curse is said to have affected William. The foot that he used to break open the coffin is said to have rotted away. Considered to be punished by God, William was shunned and died alone, apart from, as the story goes for the company of the Devil.
As a peace settlement, The Laird of Duffus demanded three Murrays as hostage. He promptly beheaded them. But the Laird then sickened and at last died as the curse seemed to strike again.
As a final punishment, when the Earl of Caithness returned and discovered the events that his son had initiated, he threw him into a dungeon for the desecration of the cathedral and palace. The son eventually died seven years later.
In 1573 the Earl Alexander, now in his early twenties, divorced his Caithness wife and married Lady Jane Gordon, Countess of Bothwell. A few years earlier Lady Jane had divorced the Earl of Bothwell with the intention of marrying Mary, Queen of Scots after the murder of Lord Darnley. The Earls of Sutherland lived in their "fair Castel" for nearly 150 years.
By 1720 the Castle seems to have needed extensive repairs and Lord Strathnaver spent 2,300 marks on renovations. But in 1760 it was in a derelict state again. Bishops Forbes visited Dornoch and reported that the
building was in a ruined condition and a blacksmith had set up his forge in the basement. The damage is attributed to the Jacobite soldiers of the Earl of Cromarty, an ardent supporter of Prince Charles Edward Stuart. He billeted his troops there and set up a forge for the making and repairing of weapons.
Although still owned by the Earls of Sutherland, the buildings were altered during renovations of the townscape. The castle then through a number of incarnations including a school, a sheriff court and finally a jail. The building was sold by the Earls in 1922. Many renovations were then made and in 1947, the building became a hotel. This work continues now with the new owners who took over in June of 2000. They have restored much of the former glory to this fascinating historic building. A new restaurant and bar have been completed and all bedrooms have been tastefully refurbished. The Castle is again a focal point of the town.
Visiting
Dornoch Castle is open through-out the year. It has a public bar and a comfortable cafe and restaurant. It is a very popular venue for weddings.
Contact
tel 01862 810216
fax 01862 810981
e enquiries@dornochcastlehotel.com
web www.dornochcastlehotel.com