Inverness Castle facts for kids
Inverness Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Inbhir Nis) is a famous building in Inverness, Scotland. It sits high on a cliff, looking over the River Ness. The castle you see today is made of red sandstone. It was built in the 1800s by several architects. Until recently, it was used as a court building. Since March 2020, the court has moved to a new place.
There has been a castle on this spot for many hundreds of years. In April 2017, the north tower of the castle opened to visitors. You can now go up the tower to enjoy amazing views. Only the castle grounds and the north tower are open to the public. The rest of the castle is not open for visits.
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A Long History
Castles Through Time
Many castles have stood on this site since the year 1057. It is believed that Malcolm III of Scotland built the first Inverness Castle. Later, King Robert I of Scotland partly destroyed it.
In 1428, James I of Scotland wanted to bring the Highlanders under his rule. He invited fifty clan leaders to a meeting at Inverness Castle. However, the King had them arrested and imprisoned. Some leaders faced serious consequences right there. Among those arrested were Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross, a powerful lord, and his mother. Lord Alexander was held for a year. After his release, he returned to Inverness with 10,000 men. He burned the town but could not capture the castle.
The castle was also involved in the Raid on Ross in 1491. Repairs were made to its towers in 1498. In 1509, James IV of Scotland made Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly the permanent keeper of the castle. He also made him the sheriff of Inverness.
Mary, Queen of Scots and the Castle
In 1548, a new castle with a tower was finished by George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly. He was in charge of the castle until 1562. That year, Mary, Queen of Scots came to Inverness. The castle gates were closed against her. The Clan Munro and Clan Fraser were strong supporters of Mary. They helped her by taking Inverness Castle.
A historian named George Buchanan wrote about this event. He said that when the Queen was in danger, many brave Scots came to help her. Especially the Frasers and Munros, who were known as the bravest clans in the north. These clans captured Inverness Castle for the Queen. She later had the governor, a Gordon, removed for refusing her entry.
While Mary, Queen of Scots was in Inverness, she bought gunpowder and tartan clothes for her household.
Other Important Events
Inverness Castle faced other attacks over the years. These included sieges in 1562, 1649, 1650, 1689, 1715, and 1746.
In 1565, Mary, Queen of Scots, and Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley appointed Hucheon Rose as the castle keeper. Later, the Earl of Huntly became the keeper.
In 1621, King James ordered that Inverness Castle should be repaired. A large part of it had fallen down. However, the repairs did not happen at that time.
On the £50 Note
An image of Inverness Castle can be seen on the back of the £50 note. This special note was first released by the Royal Bank of Scotland in 2005.
The Castle Today
The Inverness Castle you see now was built in 1836. It stands on the same spot as the older castles. To make the new castle better, a system for gas, light, and water was added.
Gallery
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A pipe band at Inverness Castle in 2014
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Inverness Castle in winter with a statue of Flora MacDonald
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Inverness Castle
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Inverness Castle seen from across the River Ness
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