Recording Your Heritage Online
Event ID 563560
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Recording Your Heritage Online
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/563560
Torcastle This segment of land marooned between the River Lochy's sweeping bend and the Caledonian Canal owes its name to Torr a' Chaisteil (Mound of the Castle), rebuilt c.1530 by Ewen MacAllan, 13 th Cameron chief, now a rickle of stones on a strategic bluff above the river. Remnants of a small tower survive within a larger enclosure, a ditch still visible across the landward approach. Vestiges of a chamber can still be seen in one corner, and a spiral stair in the south-east wall.
[Occupying the site of an Iron Age vitrified fort, Torcastle became, in the 11th century, the seat of the chiefs of Clan Chattan. The early keep was probably built by Alasdair Carrach (1380-1440), progenitor of the Keppoch branch of the Macdonalds, who had come into possession via his father, Lord of the Isles (but was later forfeited). It then became a pawn in the longest and bloodiest of land feuds between two clans: Cameron and Chattan (Mackintosh). Their dispute over the lands of Glenloy and Loch Arkaig lasted from the 14th century for 350 years! Having held it and lost it, the Camerons (whose former stronghold had been on Eilean nan Craobh in Loch Eil) eventually gained legal possession in 1528, through a charter of land granted by James V.]
[The provision laid down in 1531 was that Lochiel build and preserve '... in good order and repair upon the ground of the said lands a sufficient Mansion-house with a Hall, Kitchen, Officehouses, Dove Cott, Orchyard, Gardain, Hedges, and other necessary Policys agreeable to the nature of the Ground'.]
Taken from "Western Seaboard: An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Mary Miers, 2007. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk
