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Dunnottar Castle
To the south of Stonehaven in south Aberdeenshire, on a promontory at the southern end of a bay known as Castle Haven, are the remains of Dunnottar Castle. The buildings that stand there today date from the 13th through to the 17th centuries; however, given that the castle is protected on all bar one side by 160 ft high cliffs it is likely the headland was used for centuries before that. The approach to the castle from the mainland is over a narrow stretch of rock and through a well defended gate. There was a second entrance, through a postern gate that was accessed via a steep path that led up from a cave on the northern side of the promontory. Despite these natural defences, Dunnottar was the site of many sieges. Dún Fother was mentioned in the Annals of Ulster as being besieged in 681 and another took place at Dunnottar in 694; in the late 9th century the fortifications were destroyed by Vikings; the fortress that stood here is also mentioned as one possible place, the other being Forres, where Donald II died in 900. In 1276, a church was built on what is believed to have been the site of a chapel founded by St Ninian around the start of the 5th century. In 1296 Dunnottar was taken by the English, but it was taken back by the Scots, led by William Wallace, the following year; according to legend, Wallace set fire to the church with the English garrison locked inside. Dunnottar was refortified in the early 14th century under the orders of Edward III of England. The castle did not stay in English hands for long as Scots, led by Andrew Murray, captured and once again destroyed the castle. By the end of the 14th century, Dunnottar Castle was under the control of William Keith; from that time through to the 17th century, the castle was rebuilt and added to. In the mid 17th century the castle was used for the safe keeping of the Honours of Scotland, the crown jewels of Scotland. As a result Cromwell’s men besieged the castle for 8 months in 1652 with the castle being defended by only 35 men; the crown jewels were actually taken from the castle during the siege and taken to a church in Kinneff where they remained hidden until the Reformation in 1660. In 1685 Dunnottar Castle was being used as a Covenanters’ prison with 122 men and 45 women were held in a cellar, known as the Whig's Vault, without food or water. 25 managed to escape, although some were recaptured, while others died of starvation or disease; those that survived were later transported to the Colonies. |
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