Rait Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rait Castle |
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Ruins of Rait Castle
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 Rait Castle
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| Coordinates | 57°32′58″N 3°51′00″W / 57.5494°N 3.8499°W |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Earl Cawdor |
| Site history | |
| Built | 13th century |
| Materials | Granite |
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Rait Castle is an old castle that is now mostly in ruins. It was built in the 1200s, which is the thirteenth century. You can find it just south of Nairn, near Inverness in Scotland. It's known as a "hall-house" castle, meaning it had a large main hall for living and gathering. Today, it is a protected historical site.
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What Rait Castle Looked Like
Rait Castle was a strong building. Its walls are almost 6 feet thick! It had two main floors. The ground floor was a basement, and above it was a large hall. People entered the hall from outside. To keep it safe, the entrance had a portcullis, which is a heavy gate that could be lowered.
- The castle's courtyard walls are still about nine feet high.
- Inside the courtyard, you can still see parts of the Chapel of St Mary of Rait.
- A tower sticks out from one corner of the castle.
- On the west side, there was a special tower for a garderobe, which was like an old-fashioned toilet. This tower stuck out almost 13 feet from the main building.
The History of Rait Castle
Rait Castle has a long and interesting past, with different families owning it over the centuries.
Early Owners and Family Changes
The castle first belonged to the Comyn family, who later became known as de Rait. One member, Sir Alexander Rait, had to leave the area after a conflict. He then moved south and married into another family.
Later, the castle passed from the de Rait family to the Clan Mackintosh. After that, it became the property of the Clan Campbell of Cawdor.
A Famous Feast and a Sad Story
In 1442, when the Mackintosh family took over the castle from the de Raits, a big feast was held. Sadly, this feast ended in a terrible fight, and many of the Comyns and de Raits were killed.
There's a sad legend about what happened next. The laird (the castle's owner) was very angry with his daughter. He chased her around the castle. She tried to escape by climbing out of a window. The story says he cut off her hands, and she fell to her death. People say her ghost, without hands, still haunts the castle today.
Later Mentions and Famous Visitors
The last official record of the castle being used was in 1596. However, it's believed that the Duke of Cumberland might have stayed there in 1746. This was just before the famous Battle of Culloden.
In more recent times, in 1990, the American singer Bonnie Raitt visited Rait Castle. She is a descendant of the old Rait clan, who once owned the castle.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo Rait para niños
