Dingwall Castle was a medieval fort and royal castle in the town of Dingwall, eastern Ross-shire, Scotland.
The castle is believed to have been established by Norse settlers in the area in the 11th century. [1]
During the Wars of Scottish Independence the castle was garrisoned by the forces of Edward I of England. However it was later captured by Scottish forces for Robert the Bruce led by Uilleam II, Earl of Ross. [1]
From the castle, the Earl of Ross (chief of Clan Ross) led the men of Ross to fight against the English at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. As a reward in 1321 King Robert granted Dingwall Castle with the town and lands of Dingwall to the Earl of Ross. [1]
In 1370 a feud arose between William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland (chief of Clan Sutherland) and Iye Mackay, 4th of Strathnaver (chief of Clan Mackay). A meeting was arranged for them to meet at Dingwall Castle to resolve their issues. [2] However, Iye Mackay and his son Donald Mackay were both murdered in the castle while they were asleep by Nicholas Sutherland, 1st of Duffus, brother of the Earl of Sutherland. [2] See page: Iye Mackay, 4th of Strathnaver for a detailed explanation of the feud.
Sometime at the beginning of the 15th century a duel is said to have taken place between the governor of the castle, who had been appointed by Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany and Thomas Munro, brother of Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis (chief of Clan Munro). The two met at the village of Maryburgh and after an argument dirks were pulled and a duel took place in which Thomas Munro killed the governor of Dingwall Castle. [3] The Scottish Castles Association states that the new governor of the castle was "assassinated" by one of the Munroes and replaced by a Mackay. [4]
In 1411 Domhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles (chief of Clan Donald) captured Dingwall Castle as part of his pursuit of his claim to the earldom of Ross by right of his wife, Mariota Leslie. This took place shortly before the Battle of Harlaw. [5]
In 1436 the next successive Clan Donald chief, Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross was officially recognized as the Earl of Ross and took up his residence at Dingwall Castle. His son, John of Islay, Earl of Ross was not as successful; the Earldom of Ross was confiscated and the castle became a royal possession once more in 1475. [1] John Munro, 11th Baron of Foulis was then made governor of the castle, who in turn was succeeded by Andrew Munro, 2nd of Milntown. [4] The next governor in 1488 was Sir James Dunbar. [4]
In 1507 Andrew Stewart, Bishop of Caithness carried out improvements after the castle had been assaulted by the MacDonalds and Mackenzies, [4] and a new great hall was built. [6] Later governors were John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl (1516 - 1522), John Earl of Moray - brother of James V of Scotland, David Sinclair - until 1550, George Munro, 4th of Milntown also known as "of Docharty" in 1561, Sir Andrew Keith, (Lord Dingwall), in 1584, Sir John Preston, later Earl of Desmond, in 1605. [4]
The Crown abandoned Dingwall Castle in about 1600 and it eventually fell into a ruin. The castle ceased to be maintained after the death of King James VI of Scotland in 1625. [4] It was used as a quarry until 1817 when it was finally levelled and only a few fragments remain. [1] The remains are protected as a scheduled monument. [7]
A tunnel still exists that runs from the site of Dingwall Castle to the basement of nearby Tulloch Castle. The tunnel has now collapsed, but it is possible to view this passageway through an air vent on the front lawn of Tulloch Castle's grounds. [8] [9] [10]
Clan Ross is a Highland Scottish clan. The original chiefs of the clan were the original Earls of Ross.
Clan Mackay is an ancient and once-powerful Highland Scottish clan from the far North of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Kingdom of Moray.
The Munros of Milntown were a family cadet branch of the Highland Clan Munro. As the earliest recorded cadet branch of the Munro chiefs, the Munros of Milntown were the 'senior' cadet branch of the clan, and spawned many cadet branches. They were frequently recorded as 'Monro' as well as Munro. The Munros of Milntown are notable for being involved in events concerning the history of the late Middle Ages in the Scottish Highlands.
The Battle of Bealach nam Broig was fought between Scottish clans from the lands of north-west Ross, against north-eastern clans of Ross who supported the Earl of Ross. The actual date of the battle is debated, it probably occurred in 1452 but the Conflicts of the Clans suggests a date as early as 1299.
Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis, and 18th chief of the Clan Munro was a 16th-century Scottish chief. He was known as Robert Mor on account of his large stature. He was the eldest son of Robert Munro, 14th Baron of Foulis. Although this Robert Munro is traditionally 15th Baron and 18th overall chief of the clan, he is only the 8th Munro chief that can be proved by contemporary evidence.
The Battle of Dingwall was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in the year 1411, in Dingwall in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan Mackay and the Clan Donald.
The Battle of Alltan-Beath, also known as the Battle of Ailtan-Beath, was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in 1542 in the village of Knockarthur, in Sutherland, in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between men of the Clan Mackay and men of the Clan Sutherland whose chiefs were the Gordon, Earls of Sutherland.
The Battle of Garbharry was a Scottish clan battle fought in the year 1555. It was the last battle to be fought between the Clan Mackay and Clan Sutherland. It was fought "beside the water of Garbharry", at "the foot of the hill called Beinn-mhor, in Berriedale". This has been recognised as the area around Garvery Hill, including Big and Little Garvery Burn, just south of Morven, where presumably some of the soldiers drowned.
Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis was a 14th – 15th century Scottish soldier and said to be 12th chief of the Clan Munro in the Scottish Highlands. He was seated at Foulis Castle in Ross-shire, Scotland. Although he is traditionally the 9th Baron and 12th overall chief of the clan, he is only the 2nd Munro chief that can be proved by contemporary evidence.
John Munro of Foulis was a Scottish clan chief of the highland Clan Munro in Rosshire, Scotland. He is by tradition the 11th Baron of Foulis and 14th overall chief of the clan. However, he is actually only the 4th chief of the Clan Munro who can be proved by contemporary evidence.
Clan Munro is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically the clan was based in Easter Ross in the Scottish Highlands. Traditional origins of the clan give its founder as Donald Munro who came from the north of Ireland and settled in Scotland in the eleventh century, though its true founder may have lived much later. It is also a strong tradition that the Munro chiefs supported Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The first proven clan chief on record however is Robert de Munro who died in 1369; his father is mentioned but not named in a number of charters. The clan chiefs originally held land principally at Findon on the Black Isle but exchanged it in 1350 for Estirfowlys. Robert's son Hugh who died in 1425 was the first of the family to be styled "of Foulis", despite which clan genealogies describe him as 9th baron.
The Mackays of Aberach also known as the Clan Aberach are a Scottish family and a branch of the ancient Clan Mackay of the Scottish Highlands. They were the senior cadet branch of the Clan Mackay and were seated at Achness, in Strathnaver, which is in modern-day Sutherland. In Scottish Gaelic they are known as the Sleaght-ean Aberigh.
Angus Du Mackay, 7th of Strathnaver was the seventh chief of the Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan. He is recorded in the 15th-century Scottish chronicle, Scotichronicon, as Enneas-en-Imprissi meaning Angus the Absolute due to his power of commanding 4000 men.
Iye Du Mackay, 12th of Strathnaver, was the chief of the Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan, from 1550 to 1572.
Iye Mackay, 4th of Strathnaver was the chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. He was murdered along with his eldest son Donald at Dingwall Castle during a feud with the Earl of Sutherland, chief of the Clan Sutherland.
Donald Mackay, 5th of Strathnaver, was the fifth chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
Angus Roy Mackay, 9th of Strathnaver, was the ninth chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
Iye Roy Mackay, 10th of Strathnaver, was the tenth chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
John Mackay, 11th of Strathnaver, was the eleventh chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
Donald Mackay, 11th of Strathnaver, was the eleventh chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
Quoting: Gordon, Sir Robert (1813). A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland. p. 58.
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