Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven/Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Sitting atop craggy cliffs overlooking the churning ocean lie the ruins of Dunnottar Castle, which are impressive and haunting.  The site of the castle—and the castle itself—has an incredibly rich and varied history.  Here we go . . .According to the website provided below, the area was first inhabited by Picts; during the 5^th Century a saint chose Dunnottar as a site for a church; the Vikings came along and attacked/destroyed the castle during the 9^th century; the castle then became a Catholic settlement in the 12^th century; a 15^th century poet wrote that William Wallace (Braveheart) set the castle chapel on fire with a garrison of English soldiers inside; the castle was home to one of the most powerful families in Scotland starting during the 14^th century; kings and queens stayed at the castle; the Honours of Scotland were hidden at the castle; the castle was the site of major battles during the ‘rule’ of Oliver Cromwell; in 1685, 165 people were imprisoned in the Whig Vault at Dunnottar for refusing to acknowledge the King’s supremacy over religion; the last Earl that owed Dunnottar Castle was convicted for treason in 1715 for his role in the Jacobite  rising and the government seized the castle; the castle was neglected until purchased in 1925, had some repair and was opened to visitors.  Phew!  So, that’s it in a nutshell.

I loved wandering around the ruins of Dunnotttar.  It is hardly a moldering heap, but a beautiful collection of structures and features.  To get to the ruins, you have to descend many stone steps and pass through a tunnel—I was completely enchanted.  There were few visitors the day I visited, making the site particularly eerie; I couldn’t stand to be in the vaults/dungeons for very long.

To learn more about this impressive castle, check out:

http://www.dunnottarcastle.co.uk/history2.cfm