Monument record MHG17632 - Cromarty Castle

Summary

No summary available.

Location

Grid reference Centred NH 7924 6711 (60m by 60m) (Buffered by site type)
Map sheet NH76NE
Geographical Area ROSS AND CROMARTY
Old County ROSS-SHIRE
Civil Parish CROMARTY

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

The sheriffdom of Cromarty first appears on record in 13th century; in 1470 Urquharts, hereditary sheriffs since mid-14th century, were granted royal permission to build a tower or fortalice on motte of Cromarty and to equip it with suitable defences. Judging from the evidence of later architectural drawings and descriptions, the stone castle that was erected in later 15th century appears to have been a very substantial L-plan tower, bigger and more sophisticated than any surviving late medieval structure in this area. An extensive range of domestic buildings was added in 1632 by father of the great Sir Thomas Urquhart, but proposals to rehabilitate castle as a barracks after 1745 Rebellion came to nothing and castle was demolished 1772 during construction of Cromarty House.
H Miller 1887; W Macfarlane 1900; W M Mackenzie 1922; 1948; RCAHMS 1979; G Stell 1986.

Location cited as NH 787 675; classified as motte.
P A Yeoman 1988.

Demolished 1772

Sources/Archives (9)

  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Yeoman, P A. 1988. 'Mottes in Northeast Scotland', Scot Archaeol Rev Vol. 5 1988, p.125-33. Scot Archaeol Rev. 125-33. 131, no. 63.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Mackenzie, W M. 1950. 'Old Cromarty Castle', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 82 1947-8, p.60-8. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 60-8. 60-8; plans.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Clark, J T (ed.). 1900. Genealogical collections concerning families of Scotland. Vol. 2, 375.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Mackenzie, W M. 1922. The old sherriffdom of Cromarty.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Miller, H. 1889. Scenes and legends of the north of Scotland: or the traditional history of Cromarty. 2nd ed.. 129-35.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: National Monuments Record of Scotland. n.d.. National Monuments Record of Scotland survey of private collections. Inventory to Craigston Castle plans-P11.
  • --- Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1979. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. The archaeological sites and monuments of the Black Isle, Ross and Cromarty District, Highland Region. . 21, No. 129.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Slade, H G. 1993. Old Cromarty Castle.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Stell, G. 1986. Architecture and society in Easter Ross before 1707. SHG1943. 99-132. 103.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

May 13 2016 12:00AM

Comments and Feedback

Do you have any questions or more information about this record? Please feel free to comment below with your name and email address. All comments are submitted to the Heritage Portal maintainers for moderation, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible. Comments, questions and answers that may be helpful to other users will be retained and displayed along with the name you supply. The email address you supply will never be displayed or shared.