Eilean Donan castle
Not the most interesting view of Eilean Donan ever recorded, but then 19th century engravers only had a pile of stones to work with, while 20th and 21st century photographers have the reconstructed castle with which to create the perfect photograph!
Eilean Donan was a MacKenzie property and when the MacRaes migrated to Kintail in the 14th century, they assumed the role of 'protectors' of the MacKenzies and then Constables of Eilean Donan from 1511. In 1539 the castle was attacked by a force of 50 Macleod galleys led by Donald 'Gruamach' (The Gloomy!) Macdonald of Sleat, in support of his claim to the Lordship of the Isles, but the battle came to a stop when Donald was shot and killed by an arrow fired from the castle by Duncan Macrae (well, Duncan claims it was his arrow anyway!).
In the summer of 1719 Eilean Donan featured in “The Little Rising”, the Jacobites using it as their supply base. Three hundred Spanish troops (many more had been hoped for) were landed and along with about 700 Scots, set off by bus for Inverness. (OK then, no bus!) They only got a few miles up Glen Shiel before running into a Hanovarian army coming the other way. The resulting battle was inconclusive, but it was the end of the rebellion. Meanwhile the government (you shouldn't call them 'English'!) warships Worcester, Enterprise, and Flamborough bombarded Eilean Donan, and then sent a party ashore to blow up the remains with the gunpowder the Jacobites had stored inside.
Almost 200 years later the castle was bought by John Macrae-Gilstrap, who rebuilt the castle in the form you see it today, which is reasonably close to its original appearance, except of course for the bridge - a modern convenience made necessary by the demise of the local galley service!
Eilean Donan castle
Not the most interesting view of Eilean Donan ever recorded, but then 19th century engravers only had a pile of stones to work with, while 20th and 21st century photographers have the reconstructed castle with which to create the perfect photograph!
Eilean Donan was a MacKenzie property and when the MacRaes migrated to Kintail in the 14th century, they assumed the role of 'protectors' of the MacKenzies and then Constables of Eilean Donan from 1511. In 1539 the castle was attacked by a force of 50 Macleod galleys led by Donald 'Gruamach' (The Gloomy!) Macdonald of Sleat, in support of his claim to the Lordship of the Isles, but the battle came to a stop when Donald was shot and killed by an arrow fired from the castle by Duncan Macrae (well, Duncan claims it was his arrow anyway!).
In the summer of 1719 Eilean Donan featured in “The Little Rising”, the Jacobites using it as their supply base. Three hundred Spanish troops (many more had been hoped for) were landed and along with about 700 Scots, set off by bus for Inverness. (OK then, no bus!) They only got a few miles up Glen Shiel before running into a Hanovarian army coming the other way. The resulting battle was inconclusive, but it was the end of the rebellion. Meanwhile the government (you shouldn't call them 'English'!) warships Worcester, Enterprise, and Flamborough bombarded Eilean Donan, and then sent a party ashore to blow up the remains with the gunpowder the Jacobites had stored inside.
Almost 200 years later the castle was bought by John Macrae-Gilstrap, who rebuilt the castle in the form you see it today, which is reasonably close to its original appearance, except of course for the bridge - a modern convenience made necessary by the demise of the local galley service!