Kirkwall Castle
Kirkwall Castle, also known as King's Castle, was located in
Orkney Islands
of Scotland. Built in the 14th century, it was deliberately destroyed in 1614. The last ruins were cleared in the 19th century. The castle was located around the corner of Broad Street and Castle Street in the centre of Kirkwall.
History
In the 14th century,
James VI. Robert and his supporters occupied Kirkwall Castle, along with the Bishop's and Earl's Palaces, and St Magnus Cathedral. In August, George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness led royal troops against the rebels, and Kirkwall Castle surrendered in September.[2] On 26 October 1614 the Privy Council of Scotland ordered that Kirkwall Castle be demolished, although this was not carried out until the following year.[1] The ruins stood until 1742, when James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton, granted the stones to the Town Council to build a new town house and jail. By 1865 only a 55-foot (16.8 m) section of wall, 11 feet (3.4 m) thick remained, and this was removed to improve access to the harbour. A plaque dated 1865 on Castle Street marks the site of the castle.[1]
In 2019, the tarmac on Castle Street was taken up for roadworks, and the foundations of Kirkwall Castle were uncovered underneath the road.
References
- ^ a b c "Kirkwall, Castle". CANMORE. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
- ^ Mackintosh, John (1895). The history of civilisation in Scotland. Vol. 3. A. Gardner. p. 241.