Duntulm Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Duntulm Castle |
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| Trotternish, Skye, Scotland OSGB |
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Duntulm Castle, looking out over Tulm Island and the hills of Harris in the distance
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 Duntulm Castle
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| Coordinates | 57°41′01″N 6°20′56″W / 57.6835°N 6.3489°W |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | MacDonalds of Sleat |
| Condition | Ruined |
| Site history | |
| Built | 14th-17th centuries |
| In use | Until c.1732 |
| Materials | Basalt |
Duntulm Castle is a fascinating old ruin found on the northern coast of the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It sits in a beautiful area called Trotternish, close to a small village also named Duntulm. For a long time in the 1600s, this castle was the main home for the leaders of the powerful Clan MacDonald of Sleat. Today, it's a protected historical site, meaning it's very important and looked after.
Contents
The Story of Duntulm Castle
It's thought that a very old fort, called Dun David, might have stood here even before the castle. However, experts haven't found any proof of this ancient fort yet.
Building and Clan Rivalries
The castle we see today was built a long time ago, between the 1300s and 1400s. Back then, this part of Scotland was often a battlefield. Two big Scottish families, the MacLeods and the MacDonalds, were constantly fighting over the land.
In the 1500s, the castle's defenses were made stronger. By the early 1600s, the MacDonalds finally won control of the area. In 1618, the Scottish government asked Sir Donald MacDonald, who was the 9th chief of the clan, to fix up Duntulm Castle. He did, and even added another tower!
The Castle's Peak and Abandonment
Around 1650, Duntulm Castle was at its most important. More improvements were made, and a new building was constructed inside the castle walls. But by 1732, the castle was left empty. Sir Alexander MacDonald, another chief, decided to build a brand new home called Monkstadt House, about 5 miles (8 km) south. He even took many stones from Duntulm Castle to help build his new house!
What the Castle Looks Like
The main part of Duntulm Castle is about 25 meters long and 9 meters wide. It sits on a rocky cliff made of basalt (a type of volcanic rock) right above the sea. To protect it from land attacks, there's also a ditch dug around it.
The castle once had a tall tower with four floors, but now only the lower parts remain. An irregular wall, called a curtain wall, surrounds the tower. The newer house built inside the walls is about 10 meters long and 5 meters wide. The only way to get into the castle was through a narrow gap in the sea cliff.
Sadly, the castle is now in very poor condition. Parts of it have fallen down, with big sections collapsing as recently as 1990.
A Local Legend
There's a sad story told by people who live near the castle. The legend says that the castle was abandoned because of a terrible accident. The baby son of the clan chief supposedly fell from a window and was hurt badly on the rocks below. As a punishment, the nursemaid who was looking after the baby was put into a small boat and sent out into the North Atlantic all alone.
