The Castles of Clan Mackintosh

Clan Mackintosh is extremely powerful, and their grand homes reflect their power! They have owned numerous imposing and impressive castles, each complete with fascinating histories full of battles, monarchs, and even ghosts! We think that one of the best ways to get to know a clan is to explore the lands where they once lived, so let’s jump right in.

Where else could we start but the clan’s iconic historic seat? The site of Moy Hall, near Inverness, has been the home of Clan Mackintosh’s chiefs since the 1300s! The original Castle of Moy must have made a stunning sight, stood squarely on an island in the middle of Loch Moy, rising majestically from the depths of the water. Sadly, the castle was destroyed long ago, and only ruins remain today, but luckily, the Mackintosh family were determined to keep their territorial land. 

Instead of searching for a new spot after their castle had been lost, in 1700, the clan decided to build a new seat, and constructed a great house at the north end of the loch, which became known as ‘Moy Hall.’ 

This new base was the site of many intriguing tales and shocking events! 

Moy Hall by nairnbairn

One particularly impressive example took place in 1746, when Lady Anne Farquharson-MacKintosh, a Jacobite supporter, was hosting Prince Charles Edward Stuart at the hall, when she learned that government troops were fast advancing on the land, wanting to capture the young royal.

Lady Anne was appalled that anyone would dare to enter her territory in this way, so she immediately came up with a cunning plan to stop them. She ordered some of her men to hide themselves in the bushes along the roadside, then set off their pistols when they saw the government troops approaching. They were then to call out for their allies, Clan Macdonald, and Clan Cameron, to trick the troops into thinking they were far more dramatically outnumbered than they actually were.

Lady Anne’s men performed this task with such ferocity that the attacking forces quickly turned on their heels and ran, convinced that they had come up against the entire Jacobite Army. 

The event is now remembered as ‘the Rout of Moy,’ and beautifully shows the Mackintoshes cunning, bravery, and protectiveness over their land!

Sadly, Clan Mackintosh was not able to protect Moy Hall indefinitely, and the house suffered from a great fire in the time of the 23rd chief, Aeneas, burning completely to the ground. The chief quickly ordered that it be rebuilt, and the new building was completed in 1800. The family clearly valued their ancestral home, as they continued to improve it, commissioning the architect John Rhind to add an ominous tower and 2 large wings in the 1870s. By this point, Moy Hall had 60 rooms – a true grand mansion befitting of the prestigious Clan Mackintosh! 

Unfortunately, in the 1950s, the building was found to be riddled with dry rot. Despite attempts to restore it, in the end it had to be entirely demolished. 

Following in resilient tradition, the Mackintosh family set about making a new house on the site and hired Gordon Gunn of George Gordon and Co to build it from 1955-1957. 

This version of Moy Hall is still the clan’s official seat to this day, and we think its long, winding history perfectly demonstrates the Mackintosh spirit, strength, and resilience! 

Our next site for today is the stunning Inverness Castle, which has an equally intriguing history! The present building dates back to 1836, but castles have stood on this spot since all the way back in 1057!

It is said to have been built by Malcom III of Scotland, and entered Mackintosh hands in 1160, when the first Mackintosh chief accompanied King Malcom IV to supress an uprising in Morayshire. He quelled the revolt so impressively that His Highness rewarded him with lands in the valley of the Findhorn River and named him constable of Inverness Castle! 

Inverness Castle by Diliff

However, the Mackintoshes were not to keep hold of Inverness Castle the way they managed to with Moy. During the Scottish Wars of Independence, the castle changed hands between a number of Scottish clans, and those loyal to the English, numerous times. It also witnessed a great deal of turmoil and trouble. One particularly noteworthy incident involved a very famous royal figure! In 1562, Mary Queen of Scots was denied entry to the castle on the orders of George Gordon. Mary’s supporters were furious, and besieged Inverness Castle, managing to capture the building after 3 days, and hanging the keeper of the castle, Alexander Gordon. 

The chaos only continued as the centuries went by. In the 1700s, Prince Charles Edward Stuart and his Jacobite army captured the castle, but after their defeat at the Battle of Culloden, he ordered it to be destroyed to prevent it from falling into the government’s hands. 

The current structure was built on the site of the original castle in the 1800s and was made with striking red sandstone in a castellated style. 

It is unfortunately currently shut to public but is due to open to visitors in 2025! You can follow along with all the latest progress on their website here. 

We’re sure it will be the perfect place to connect with your Mackintosh heritage! 

Our final castle for today is blessed with a particularly rich wealth of tales and legends. 

The ruins of Rait Castle stand a few miles south of Nairn at the foot of Ord Hill. It was built in the 13th century and was originally a 2-storey building with an unvaulted basement and an upper hall. It was clearly once a powerful stronghold, as it was protected by a portcullis and drawbar, and the walls were almost 6 feet thick! 

Rait originally belonged to Clan Comyn, but Clan Mackintosh believed that they had a much stronger claim to the land.  This led to years of bitter clashes between the clans. Clan Comyn came up with an idea to end the feud once and for all; they invited the Mackintoshes to a ‘feast of reconciliation’ at the Castle of Rait, with a devious hidden agenda.

Rait Castle by Jane Aldridge

Clan Mackintosh, however, uncovered their secret plan. A popular legend says that a pair of star-crossed lovers conspired to save the Mackintoshes' lives. Supposedly, a young Comyn girl was in love with a boy from the Mackintosh clan and told him that the Comyns had planned to slaughter the Mackintoshes at the feast. The idea was that as soon as a black bull’s head was brought to the table, the Comyns would launch a fearsome attack against their ‘guests.’ The boy passed this onto his family, who quickly formed a cunning counter plan. 

They arrived at the castle pretending to be happy and eager to smooth things over with the rival Comyn clan but were actually secretly plotting their revenge. 

As the bull’s head appeared, the Mackintoshes leapt up and set against Clan Comyn, killing many of them, foiling their murderous plot, and escaping with their lives. 

The young Comyn girl, sadly, was not so lucky. Supposedly, the Comyn Chief was so enraged that he chased the terrified girl through the building. She attempted to escape by climbing out of one of the upstairs windows, but he caught her and savagely cut both of her hands off, leaving her to fall to her death. 

Ever since, her ghost has been seen among the ruins of Rait, lamenting her lost lover and brutal murder. 

We hope you have enjoyed exploring these fascinating Mackintosh sites as much as we have! Make sure to follow along for more Mackintosh content over the rest of the month and check out our Clan Mackintosh page to get more info about this grand family.

Image sources:

Moy Hall - or a part of it. Taken during the annual Moy Country Fair, a three-day display of events, activities and "country pursuits" attended by large crowds. Near to Moy, Highland council area, Scotland.  by nairnbairn, CC BY-SA 2.0

Inverness Castle by Diliff - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

Rait Castle, Nairnshire, Scotland by Jean Aldridge, CC BY-SA 2.0