Urquhart and Glenmoriston
Olden Times in a Highland Parish

[467]    

DESCRIPTION OF URQUHART CASTLE

BY ALEXANDER ROSS, F.R.I.B.A., F.G.S.,   PROVOST OF INVERNESS

THE Castle is built on the rocky promontory of Strone, which is separated from the hill of Cnoc-na-h-Iolaire by a low-lying neck of land. The promontory is further cut off from the mainland by a dry moat about 80 feet wide, and of considerable depth, forming with the natural escarpment of the rock on which the Castle stands a very effectual defence, the height from the bottom of the moat to the base of the walls of the Castle varying from 30 to 50 feet. The moat does not seem to have been cut down to the level of the loch, and now its original depth is very much reduced by the large quantity of debris which has fallen into it.

Passing along the neck of land and over the moat, we reach the rock on which the Castle stands — a mass of sandstone conglomerate, about 500 feet long by 160 broad, and having an area of about two acres. The general conformation resembles an hour-glass, the longer axis lying S.W. and N.E. The surface of the rock is very rugged and uneven, standing at the north end from 20 to 30 feet out of the water, while at the south it reaches a height of about 80 feet. The rock stood about 6 feet higher out of the water before the Caledonian Canal operations raised the level of the loch. It presents a precipitous face all round, except at the centre of the east side facing the loch, where there is an indentation, with a gravelly slope down to a small cove, which forms a convenient landing place for boats. Here stood the water gate, the landward entrance being opposite to it on the western side. The Castle was approached from the land by a raised roadway between two parapet walls, which, at a point about 60 feet from the main gateway, crossed the moat by a draw bridge 15 feet wide. From the drawbridge there is a rise of about 6 feet to the gateway. The approach from the bridge to the gate does not strike directly on the doorway, but on the northern tower, which commanded the approach, and prevented a direct rush at the gate.

[468] The old gate-house must have been an imposing structure, measuring about 40 feet by 50 on plan, and rising two stories in height. The gateway is in the centre, and is flanked by massive round towers on either side, 21 feet diameter. The portal was a circular arch about 9 feet 9 inches wide, and immediately in front of it are the grooves for the portcullis, with a bartizan and window over.

The entrance leads through a long vaulted passage in the gatehouse, with stone arch ribs, at intervals, of carefully dressed freestone. On the ground on either side of this passage are the guard-rooms, each measuring 25 feet, by 13 feet, with corresponding vaulted rooms over. These rooms are finished with semi-circular ends, forming externally the flanking towers before referred to.

From the chamber on the north side of the gateway opens a second chamber, with the remains of a stair leading to the ram parts, and probably also to the passage to the sallyport on the north side of the main gate; but this part is much dilapidated, and the arrangements are not quite clear. The mason work of the gatehouse and adjoining walls is very good, the finishings, quoins, arch ribs, &c., being of well-dressed freestone. The mortar also is remarkable, for though the building has evidently been destroyed by gunpowder, and large masses thrown into the air and made to turn complete somersaults, yet there is a large portion of the circular wall, portcullis case, chimney flues, and curtain wall, lying as it fell in a complete unbroken mass in front of the gateway.

Passing through the arched passage we reach the outer bailey or court, and in front of us on the opposite side is the water gate leading down to the small cove before referred to. On our right the rock rises towards the S.W. about 30 or 40 feet to a platform on which there seems to be some traces of a pentangular tower or other building for defence. The curtain wall on the west side from the gateway is pretty complete all the way to the extreme height at the south end. Traces of foundations are also to be seen leading along the south and east (or loch) side of the plateau, and there seems to have been detached towers or guard-rooms at various points, connected by curtain walls— portions of which still stand, and the foundations of the remainder of which can be traced all along the edge of the cliff. Continuing along the eastern face, we come to the water gate, which is a small door or postern in the outer main wall which was carried continuously round the edge of the plateau. At this point a division wall appears to have run across the narrow waist of the fortress, separating the outer from the inner court. In the inner court next the donjon were situated the larger portion

[469] of the barracks and domestic buildings, remains of which are still seen, Borne of them being clay-built, of inferior construction, and of comparatively recent date. The outer walls here converge towards the donjon, giving this court a triangular shape.

The donjon tower stands at the apex, or extreme N.E. end of the triangle, and measures externally 40 feet, by 36 feet, and is about 50 feet high. The walls of three sides only remain, those of the southern face having completely disappeared, excepting a small portion of the ground floor immediately over the vault. Since page 211 supra passed through the press, the Author has discovered a letter from his ancestor, John Mackay of Achmonie, to Brigadier Grant, dated 19th Feb., 1715, in which Achmonie states: "The Castell off Urquhart is blowen down with the last storme off wind, the south-west sydo theroff to the laich woult [low vault].”The tower consists of four storeys. Underground is the vault, which measures 16 feet 6 inches by 14 feet 6 inches, and is entered from a small postern on the N.E. face. In the vault there is a small loop-hole or window, which opens under the entrance doorway from the court to the tower. From the north side of the recess between the postern gate and the entrance to the vault rises a small stair to the hail above. The floor of the hail is level with the court, from which it is entered by a door on the west side. From the hall a wheeling stair leads to the next apartment over, and thence to the third storey, the roof of which was vaulted in stone at the level of the parapet walls, as evidenced by the portion of vault still remaining on the north side. Under this arch is the only fireplace discoverable in the keep of the Castle. A roof chamber probably existed over the vaulted one, but as no part of this remains, we can only conjecture the use made of the roof space.

Fortunately, enough remains of the walls, corbelling, and turrets to enable us to judge of the general character and style of finish. The tower had square turrets projecting about a foot over the wails at the four angles. These turrets were finished with gables and saddle-back roofs. The corbelling ran round the tower, and a bartizan projected over the main doorway, with machicolations through which missiles were discharged. As the plan of site shows, the tower was not square, but five-sided, a portion of the eastern face being curtailed to suit the contour of the rock on which it is founded.

From the N.E. angle of the tower ran the great wall of the fortress right up to the main gateway, and thence on to the S.W. angle, thus presenting a strong and continuous barrier on the landward side. From the keep to the gateway the walls are still well preserved, being of great thickness, with battlements, and path along top. [470]   A curious knoll or mound is raised in the centre of the court between the gateway and the keep, the top being rectangular in form and about 30 feet high. Whether it is the site of a chapel or place of execution it is difficult to say. There are apparent traces of the foundations of a building on it.

The Castle, having a life of 600 years at least, has no doubt undergone many changes, and has had large portions of its walls built and rebuilt during its existence. It is therefore difficult to assign exact dates to the various parts; but, judging from architectural evidence, the oldest portions now standing are the donjon tower, the gateway, the curtain walls on the land side, and some fragments of walls on the south-east side, particularly near the water gate and thence on to the tower. These probably belong to the period of Edward the First, although I am inclined to think that the tower itself has undergone some modification in its upper work since that period.

The barracks built in the inner court and against the east wall, and indicated by dotted lines on the plan, are distinctly of later date, and may have been the work of John the Bard, who was taken bound by his charter of 1509 to execute certain improvements. (See page 79 supra).

Appendix A