List of castles in Shetland facts for kids
Shetland is a group of islands located far north of Scotland. These islands are famous for their very old history. You can find ancient brochs (round towers) and promontory forts (forts on cliffs) built a long time ago. Later, the Vikings lived here.
Even though castles became popular in Scotland during the Middle Ages, not many were built in Shetland. Only a few castle ruins exist today. The two main castles still standing were built around the same time. They were built by the Stewart and Bruce families. These families were friends at first, but later they became enemies. There is also a much newer building called Vaila Tower. It was built in the 1800s as a fun, decorative building.
Famous Castles in Shetland
Shetland has a few interesting castle sites. Each one tells a unique story about the islands' past.
Muness Castle
Muness Castle is located on the island of Unst. It was built in 1598. This castle is a very important historical site. It is protected as a scheduled monument. This means it is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building.
Scalloway Castle
Scalloway Castle was built in 1600 in the town of Scalloway. Like Muness Castle, it is also a scheduled monument. This castle has a rich history and is a popular place to visit. It shows how people lived and defended themselves long ago.
Castle Holm
Castle Holm is a very old castle ruin. It stands on a small island within the Loch of Strom. This castle was built in the 12th century, making it the oldest castle site in Shetland. The ruins are quite small, measuring about 5.5 by 6.5 meters. A causeway, which is a raised road, connects the island to the shore. Castle Holm is also a scheduled monument.
Vaila Tower
Vaila Tower is sometimes called Mucklaberry Tower. It is located on the island of Vaila. This tower is different from the others because it is much newer. It was built in the early 1800s. People say it was first used as a watch tower. From here, the owner of Vaila House could watch for smuggling activities. Around 1900, the tower was rebuilt to look like a fancy, old-fashioned "folly". A folly is a building made mostly for decoration. Vaila Tower is a Category B listed building. This means it is a building of special architectural or historic interest.
See Also
- Castles in Scotland
- List of castles in Scotland
