Inverness Castle Scotland Sits on a cliff overlooking the River Ness, in Inverness, Scotland
Inverness Castle Scotland Sits on a cliff overlooking the River Ness, in Inverness, Scotland. The red sandstone structure evident today was built in 1836 by architect William Burn. It is built on the site of an 11th-century defensive structure. Today, it houses Inverness Sheriff Court. There has been a castle at this site for many centuries. The castle itself is not open to the public but the grounds are. A succession of castles has stood on this site since 1057. The castle is said to have been built by Máel Coluim III of Scotland, after he had razed to the ground the castle in which Macbeth of Scotland according to much later tradition, murdered Máel Coluim's father Donnchad I of Scotland, and which stood on a hill around 1 km to the north-east. The first Inverness Castle was partially destroyed by King Robert I of Scotland and a replacement castle was sacked in the 15th century by the Clan Donald during the Siege of Inverness (1429). The castle was occupied during the Raid on Ross in 1491. In 1548 another castle with tower was completed by George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly (1514–1562). He was constable of the castle until 1562. The castle was later taken by the Clan Munro and Clan Fraser who supported Mary Queen of Scots during the Siege of Inverness (1562). Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis, chief of the Clan Munro was a staunch supporter and faithful friend of Mary Queen of Scots and he consequently was treated favourably by her son James VI.
Size: 5131px × 4036px
Location: Inverness Castle Scotland Sits on a cliff overlooking the River Ness, in Inverness, Scotland
Photo credit: © Rik Hamilton / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., 1, 1057., 11th-century, 1836, architect, built, burn., castle, castles, centuries., cliff, coluim, court., defensive, donnchad, evident, father, ground, grounds, hill, houses, iii, inverness, km, macbeth, murdered, ness, north-east., open, overlooking, public, razed, red, river, sandstone, scotland, scotland., sheriff, site, sits, stood, structure, structure., succession, today, tradition, william, áel
