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Eilean Donan CastleLayoutEilean Donan Castle is one of the most photographed castles anywhere. It appears on the front cover of many books and calendars about Scotland. It also appears on postcards of the area, as you would expect, and also on packaging of many products from Scotland. Eilean Donan Castle has also appeared in at least nine films. So, the exterior of the castle is well known to many, but what of the inside? Crossing the bridge, the section of the castle immediately ahead of you is the Bastion. This was the entrance to the castle that was surveyed in 1714 and provided a firing platform for the cannons that been introduced in the 16th century. Beyond the Bastion, entrance to the courtyard and the main castle buildings was through a long passage. However, the entrance to the castle is now through a portcullis gate that is reached by the path to the left of the Bastion. Following the path on the right leads to the MacRae war memorial. Returning to the path that leads to the entrance, above the arch is a Gaelic inscription that translates as: For as long as there is a MacRae inside there will never be a Fraser outside. This is a reference to an ancient association between the two clans that dates back to before the MacRae’s moved into the area from Easter Ross. The path to the entrance also leads to the south-west wing that has a display telling the story and early history of Eilean Donan Castle. It is also used as another entrance to the castle with each leading into the courtyard. The main entrance enters the courtyard via the kitchen range, which includes a display showing how the kitchen would have looked at the time the castle was rebuilt in the early 20th century. Most visitors will probably see the kitchen as they were leaving the castle. Once in the courtyard, the wall of the Tower, or Keep, rises up to dwarf the entrance to that part of the castle. The tower stands on the highest point of the island, but it is worthwhile exploring the courtyard and taking in some of the surrounding views. It should also be noted that, during the rebuild of the castle, the level of the courtyard was lowered to expose the bedrock of the island. Before entering the tower, it should be noted that the use of cameras is not allowed. Access to the tower is through a door into the Billeting Room, which was believed to have been used for off-duty soldiers in the earlier castles. In 1715, the castle was garrisoned by government troops, but was later retaken by the Jacobites before the Battle of Sheriffmuir that year. Instead of soldiers the billeting room now contains items from the local area, including the castle itself, as well as some that belong to the MacRae family. There are also some of the cannonballs that were fired upon the castle in 1719 by government frigates. There is also a tea set dating from 1703 that had once been used by Dr. Johnson and James Boswell on their tour of the Hebrides in 1773. Prior to Eilean Donan Castle being rebuilt there would have been no direct access into this billeting room, but instead the tower would have been entered by climbing a ladder to the Great Hall, which is also referred to as the Banqueting Hall, on the floor above. The hall is designed to appear like the halls that would be found in medieval castles, such as the vast fireplace, but with the comfort of a more modern age. There is a fine collection of furniture in the hall, including items of Sheraton and Chippendale furniture and also a collection of Windsor Chairs that are said to be among the finest in the country. There are also a number of family items on display and portraits, as is usual with buildings like this open to the public. A number of Jacobite artefacts, including a dirk used at the Battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715 and a lock of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s hair. The next floor of the castle contains the bedrooms and was opened to the public in 1995 after these were renovated. |
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