The Scottish Castles of Clan Sinclair

The most striking castle associated with Castle Sinclair is the clan seat at Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, 3 miles north of Wick, perched on the rocks on the east coast of Caithness. The double name of the castle reflects the fact that the ruins comprise the original castle – known as Castle Sinclair – at the core, along with later additions, which changed the site so substantially that it was renamed to Castle Girnigoe. Today, the name “Sinclair Girnigoe” reflects both stages in the history of the site and its important link to the Clan.

Whilst today the ruined location may seem impractical and remote, originally the L-shaped tower house was protected at its landward end by a deep ditch and drawbridge, and would have been served by a small sheltered harbour.

In 2002, the ruins were placed on the World Monuments Fund’s watch list of the 100 most endangered sites in the world – one of only a handful of sites in the UK, and the only Scottish castle. Today the site is open to the public thanks to funding from the WMF and the Clan Sinclair Trust. Founded in 1998 and with King Charles as its patron, the Trust has carried out archaeological research into the castles’ history, and work to preserve the ruins for future generations.

Rosslyn or Roslin Castle is the ancestral home of the St Clair family and is situated around 9 miles south of Edinburgh, just a few hundred metres away from the chapel made famous by Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” for its alleged links to the Knights Templar and the Holy Grail (we won’t give any more away!).

The oldest part of the castle is the lantern tower, probably built in 1304 in the aftermath of the Battle of Roslin. The castle was extended throughout the 14^th and 15^th centuries by Sir Henry St Clair, the second Earl of Orkney, and his descendants. In a nice nod to the Clan’s origins, many of the 15^th century elements are influenced by French building techniques such as round buttresses. A description of the castle around this time describes “gold and silver vessels” in “halls and chambers hung with embroidered hangings” in keeping with the high status of the family. The castle was damaged by several fires, and despite further work in the 1500s it was described as “haggard and utterly dilapidated” in 1788. It wasn’t until 1984 that restoration was completed by the Earl and Countess of Rosslyn.

The castle is not open to visitors but can be rented as holiday accommodation – maybe somewhere to stay on your next visit to Midlothian?

Located 2km south of Dunbeath in south-east Caithness, today the castle is the private residence of Stuart Wydham Murray-Threipland, a direct descendant of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s personal physician. However its dramatic earlier history is closely linked to the Sinclair Clan. The first castle on the site was closely linked to the Earl of Caithness and the first laird in the 15^th century was Alexander Sutherland. Dunbeath Castle became the property of Clan Sinclair when Alexander’s daughter Marjory married William Sinclair, Earl of Orkney – he became the first Sinclair Earl of Caithness. The Sinclairs replaced the earlier structure with a four-storey tower house, but in 1650 it was attacked by the Royalist forces of James Graham, 1^st Marquess of Montrose – its owner Sir John Sinclair had ridden to Edinburgh to warn of Montrose’s arrival, leaving his wife in charge of defending the castle. This was a mistake, as she soon surrendered and Montrose occupied the castle. However, after his subsequent defeat in the Battle of Carbisdale later that year, the castle was recaptured by the Sinclairs. When Vice Admiral Sir Edwyn Alexander-Sinclair sold the castle in 1945, this marked the end of 350 years of occupation by the Sinclair Family.

The Castle of Mey is best known as the holiday home of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who purchased the castle in 1952 and restored it from a derelict state. Located on Caithness’ north coast, on fine days there are views all the way to the Orkney Isles from the Tudor Gothic style castle and its gardens. The original castle was probably built between 1566 and 1572 by George Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness and includes a dominating tower with a series of tall ranges to the side and rear creating a three-sided courtyard open to the north and the sea. On George’s death the castle passed to his younger son William, the founder of the Sinclairs of Mey, and later became the seat of the Earls. It was at this time the name was changed to Barrogill. The castle passed out of the family in 1889 on the death of the 15^th Earl, passing through several owners until it was purchased by the Queen Mother, who restored the original name. If you visit today, you will see several portraits of the Sinclair Earls of Caithness which she hung up around the castle.

Kirkcaldy in Fife might seem like a surprising place to find a castle with a link to the Sinclairs, but Ravenscraig Castle has a close link to more than one prominent Scottish line of the Clan. Built in the 15^th century as a home for Mary of Guelders, the wife of King James II, both Mary and James were very involved in the design – it was one of the first Scottish castles to be built to withstand cannon fire and provide for artillery defence. In 1471, James III gave the castle to William Sinclair, Earl of Orkney and Caithness, in exchange for the Earldom of Orkney and associated lands which James annexed from Norway to the Scottish Crown. The Sinclairs completed the construction of the castle. In 1650-1 the castle was invaded by English forces under Oliver Cromwell, but was returned to Sinclair ownership – first under the descendants of the Earl of Caithness, and later to the St Clair-Erskines, Earls of Rosslyn. In 1896 it was sold to linoleum magnate Sir Michael Nairn. During The First World War the castle was used as an ammunition depot, and then in 1929 the castle and 85 acres of the surrounding land were given to the town of Kirkcaldy as a public park. The castle is now owned by Historic Scotland.