Castle Leod facts for kids
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Castle Leod is a very old and important castle in the Scottish Highlands, near Strathpeffer. It's the main home for the Clan Mackenzie, a famous Scottish family. This castle is so special that it's listed as a "Category A" building, which means it's historically very important. Even its gardens are famous!
Contents
History
The Castle's Story Through Time
Castle Leod has a long and interesting history. It's thought to be built on the site of an even older fort from the Pictish people, who lived in Scotland long, long ago, even before the 12th century.
Early Days and the Mackenzie Family
The castle was given to John of Killin, who was the 10th Chief of Clan Mackenzie, after he fought bravely in the Battle of Flodden around 1513. Later, his great-grandson, Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, gave the castle to his brother, Sir Roderick "Rorie" Mackenzie, in 1608.
Sir Roderick married Margaret MacLeod in 1605. She was very wealthy and helped end a long-standing disagreement between the MacLeods and the Mackenzies. Since then, Castle Leod has been the main home for the Earls of Cromartie, who are part of the Mackenzie family.
Challenges and Renovations
In 1746, George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie, lost the castle and lands because he supported the Jacobite Uprising. This was a rebellion that tried to put a different king on the throne. However, the lands were given back to his son in 1784, though the title of Earl was not.
For a while, the castle was in a bad state and needed repairs. By 1814, some even said it was "Quite a ruin." But in the mid-1800s, the Hay-Mackenzie family, who were descendants of the 3rd Earl, completely fixed up Castle Leod.
In 1861, Anne Hay-Mackenzie became the first Countess of Cromartie again, bringing the earldom back to the family. Large new parts were added to the castle in 1851 and rebuilt in 1904. The roof was made waterproof as recently as 1992. Today, the castle is still home to the Earl of Cromartie and is open to visitors on certain days.
About the Castle Building
Castle Leod is a special type of castle called an L-Plan tower house. It's built from red sandstone. The oldest part of the castle might be from the 1400s. Later, another section was added, making the castle more square-shaped. This addition created more space for a larger staircase and extra bedrooms. A date, 1616, is carved on a window, but we don't know if this is when the first part was built or when the addition was made.
Some of the castle walls are incredibly thick, about 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters)! To protect the castle, there are iron grilles on some lower windows. You can also see narrow openings called "gun loops" and "arrow-slit windows," which were used for shooting at attackers.
Inside, many rooms have beautiful wood panels. You'll find old portraits of Mackenzie family members, antique furniture, and large, old maps. Many of the original features are still there. In the castle grounds, there are two very old Spanish chestnut trees. People say they were planted in 1556 by John of Killin, to celebrate Mary Queen of Scots confirming his ownership of the castle.
Outlander Connection
Castle Leod is widely thought to be the real-life inspiration for "Castle Leoch" in Diana Gabaldon's popular Outlander book series. In the books, Castle Leoch is the home of the Clan Mackenzie's leader.
When the Outlander TV show was looking for places to film, Castle Leod was considered. However, Doune Castle was chosen instead because it was easier to get to. Even so, many fans feel that Castle Leod truly represents the historical period that Diana Gabaldon writes about.
Diana Gabaldon herself told STV that she suggested Castle Leod as a filming location. She said it was perfect for the time period and had amazing grounds with huge, unique trees planted by Mackenzies over hundreds of years. Diana even planted a small rowan tree there herself!
See also
