Inverness Castle

The Inverness Castle seen today was constructed in 1836 on the site overlooking the River Ness. It is thought that there has been a castle on the hill since c. 1100, originally of timber and turf construction.

Macbeth’s Castle?

It is thought that the castle in Inverness could have been the stronghold of Macbeth. Although many of us have read the Shakespeare play, the story of the Scottish King was far from the truth.

Macbeth’s father was Findláech mac Ruaidrí, Mormaer of Moray. He ruled the area surrounding Inverness with his wife, who was believed to be the daughter (or possibly the granddaughter) of King Malcom II. Historians are unsure of their exact relation due to some confusion in the decoding of ancient manuscript.

By 1034 Malcom II’s grandson Duncan had been declared King of Alba. In 1040 Duncan led his army in Moray, where he met Macbeth. During the battle Macbeth killed Duncan and took the crown of Scotland. Macbeth reigned as king until his death in 1057.

Robert the Bruce

Robert I of Scotland is known for his his defence against the English, but few know about his attack on many Scottish castles to return them to his control. This included Inverness which was burnt to the ground on his journey to the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

After Bruce had destroyed the castle which stood in Inverness a stone replacement was built. The exact date is not known, but it is thought to have been during early 15th Century.

Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary travelled to Inverness around 1562. She found the castle gates shut in her face; the constable of the castle, George Gordon, would not permit her entry. She gathered the Clans Munro and Fraser around her, and they besieged and captured the castle for the princess.

The Civil War in Inverness

The castle was held by the Parliamentarians. The residents of Inverness were threatened on several occasions, once in 1645 by James Graham (1st Marquess of Montrose) and again in 1649 by a much larger force. This force was led, under several generals, to Inverness where they laid siege to the castle and eventually proved they were stronger. They took control of the castle and raised the town's fortifications. Shortly after they captured the castle, Parliamentarians led a force on Inverness and most of royalists returned to Ross-shire, from whence they came. The Parliamentary force were called away to an uprising in the south, so Inverness escaped yet another battle.

The 19th Century Castle

During the Jacobite revolution of 1746, the castle fell to Bonnie Prince Charlie. He levelled the castles with explosives, leaving the site empty until the 1800s.

The castle seen today overlooking the river was built by William Burn in 1836. It was built to serve as the county hall, rather than for the defensive purposes of previous structures on the site.

Inverness Castle Today

Not only can Inverness Castle be found on the back of a £50 note, it also still plays a vital role in the running of the city today. The Castle holds the Inverness Sheriff Court which provides court services to the local area. The court rules on such cases as bankruptcy and fines.