Archaeology Notes

Event ID 664634

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/664634

NH85SE 10 89382 52527

For Rait Castle farmhouse and steading (NH 8902 5280), see NH85SE 82.

(NH 8938 5253) Rait Castle (NR) (In Ruins)

OS 6" map, Nairnshire, 2nd ed., (1906)

Rait Castle, a rare example of a small stone hall-house of the early 14th century, was examined by Stewart Cruden and Prof. Simpson in 1957. It occupies a bad defensive position, overlooked from the south by a rough irregular knoll. There are slight traces on the north side of the castle suggesting an enclosing ditch.

The hall measures approximately 54ft by 22ft and up to 36ft in height, with walls nearly 6ft thick. A round tower projects from one corner and there is a garderobe tower which projects nearly 13ft on the west side and is 8ft wide. The portion of a wall embedded in the east gable is older than the hall-house and is probably a remnant of an older manor-house. The long tenement on the west side is older, too, as it appears to have been shortened to make room for the hall-house.

Between the hall and the knoll to the south is the courtyard, the south wall of which incorporates a steep, smooth granite outcrop about 8ft high and 80ft long. It is constructed of similar materials to the hall-house and stands to a height of 9ft and 2 1/2ft thick.

The detached building, 32ft by 16ft, south-east of the hall-house, is possibly the chapel of St Mary of Rait, or Hermit's Chapel. In 1343 Nicholas the Hermit was in occupation and records exist of a chapel c. 1189-99.

The last recorded reference to a castle on this site was in 1596, excepting the mention of Castledown of Rait in 1622.

W D Simpson 1937; S H Cruden 1960; W D Simpson 1961.

Rait Castle, now undergoing restoration, and the possible remains of the chapel of St Mary of Rait, or Hermit's Chapel, are as described and planned by Simpson.

To the east of the castle there are the remains of a minor depopulated settlement, comprising several buildings with attached small enclosures, which may or may not be associated with the castle.

Visited by OS (NKB) 12 January 1967.