Dunnottar Castle, Scotland, Part 2

Last Tuesday, I posted the first part of this information about Dunnottar Castle.

Dunnottar was another one of my favorite places I've visited in Scotland. It's such a dramatic ruin within an incredible landscape.

Many of the kings and queens visited or stayed at Dunnottar, and there is an interesting story about the Honours of Scotland (above) and Dunnottar.

The English General Overton, by the order of Oliver Cromwell, attacked Dunnottar in 1651, trying to seize the Honours of Scotland, which consists of the royal crown, a scepter and a sword. (These are now kept in Edinburgh Castle and I was able to see them on my previous visit.) Cromwell wanted the Honours, an important symbol of monarchy, destroyed. George Ogilvy and those defending Dunnottar held out for 8 months, but finally were forced to surrender under heavy cannon fire. Overton was not able to get his hands on the Honours because Anne Lindsay smuggled them away. They were taken to Kinneff Church and buried inside where they remained for 11 years until they could safely be brought out again and taken to Edinburgh Castle.

This is one of the few undamaged and furnished rooms in Dunnottar Castle. The inscription over the fireplace reads: "In commemoration of the defense of the Honours of Scotland from September 1651 to May 1652 by George Ogilvy of Barras, Governor of Dunnottar and of the help given by his wife Elizabeth Douglas and by her kinswoman Anne Lindsay."

In 1685, 122 men and 45 women were imprisoned, and many died, in the Whigs Vault dungeon. It is a very spooky, dark place.

The Keiths held the castle until 1715 when the 10th Earl Marischal, George Keith’s possessions were seized as a result of his involvement with the Jacobite uprising. He was charged and convicted of treason. Following this, the castle lay in ruins and unused until the Cowdray family purchased it in 1925. They made repairs and opened it to the public. Their descendants are still the owners.

This is the 16th Century Chapel, above.

As we were leaving the castle, we took a narrow bridge into a steep sheep pasture where we had stunning views of the castle from a different angle, cliffs high above the sea.

Dunnottar Castle is definitely one of the most memorable places I've visited in Scotland. Thank you for going on this journey with me back to Dunnottar. I hope you enjoyed it!
:)
Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

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My Notorious Highlander: Chief Torrin MacLeod vows to possess and wed the spirited lady who stole his heart the previous winter. But Lady Jessie MacKay wants naught to do with the dangerous warrior, no matter how devilishly handsome and charming he is. When Torrin arrives unexpectedly at Jessie's home, along with Gregor MacBain, a man Jessie was formerly handfasted to, she is thrown off-kilter. She never wanted to see either man again, but now they are vying for her hand. Torrin promises to protect her from the devious MacBain, but how can she trust Torrin when she has witnessed how lethal he is?

The more time Torrin spends with the strong and independent Jessie, the more determined he is to win her heart. Once she allows him a kiss, he feels her passion flame as hot as his own. After she knows Torrin better, Jessie finds herself falling for the fearsome Highlander. But the odds are stacked against them. The sinister MacBain is bent on kidnapping Jessie, making her his bride and killing Torrin, while Jessie's conniving younger brother, Haldane, is determined to use Jessie to take over the castle in his older brother's absence. Jessie fears she can never be with the man she loves, while Torrin will do everything in his power to ensure they are together forever. In his heart, she is the only lady for him.   

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