Castle of Old Wick facts for kids
The Castle of Old Wick is an old, ruined castle found near the town of Wick in Caithness, Scotland. It's a historic site that tells a story about the past.
What the Castle Looked Like
The Castle of Old Wick sits on a narrow piece of land that sticks out into the sea. This land is called a peninsula. High sea cliffs surround the castle, making it naturally protected.
On the land side, two deep ditches, called moats, helped protect the castle. Today, only the main square tower is left. It used to be four floors tall, but now only three floors remain.
- The ground floor* of the tower held the kitchen and storage rooms.
- The first floor* was the main hall, where people gathered. It had an entrance on the southeast side.
- The upper floors* were where the lord of the castle and his family lived.
A narrow courtyard stretched towards the middle of the peninsula. Buildings like barracks for soldiers, a brewery, and a chapel stood on both sides of this courtyard. Beyond the second moat, a strong defensive wall added more protection. This wall also formed the back of some buildings.
To get to the castle from the mainland, people crossed a drawbridge. This bridge went over a wide ditch carved into the rock. A gatehouse and another strong wall guarded the entrance.
A Glimpse into History
The exact early history of the Castle of Old Wick is a bit unclear. People once thought it was built in the 1100s by Harald Maddadson. He was an important leader, known as the Jarl of Caithness and Orkney. However, the parts of the castle that are still standing today seem to have been built later, around the 1300s.
Early Owners
We know that a man named Reginald le Chen owned the castle in the early 1300s. In 1345, his daughter Mary married Nicholas Sutherland. This marriage meant the castle then became part of the Sutherland family's property.
Later, in the 1400s, the castle changed hands again through marriage. Christian, who was the daughter of Alexander Sutherland of Duffus, married William Oliphant. This brought the castle into the Oliphant family.
Conflicts and Changes
In 1526, Andrew Oliphant of Berrideale sold the castle to his uncle, Lord Oliphant. Years later, in July 1569, Lord Oliphant and his people faced an attack. They were surrounded and fought against John Sinclair, Master of Caithness.
The castle eventually came into the hands of the Clan Sinclair in 1644. After George Sinclair, Earl of Caithness, passed away without children, the castle went to John Campbell, Lord Glenorchy.
Lord Glenorchy then sold the castle to the Dunbars of Hempriggs in 1690. The Dunbar family owned the Castle of Old Wick for a very long time, until 1910.
