Rait Castle
| Rait Castle | |
|---|---|
Ruins of Rait Castle | |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Earl Cawdor[1] |
| Location | |
Rait Castle | |
| Coordinates | 57°32′58″N 3°51′00″W / 57.5494°N 3.8499°W |
| Site history | |
| Built | 13th century |
| Materials | Granite[2] |
Rait Castle is a ruined hall-house castle dating from the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century, situated just south of Nairn near Inverness, Scotland.[3] It is a scheduled monument.[4]
Architecture
The courtyard to the south of the hall incorporates a steep granite outcrop and a wall standing to about 9 feet (2.7 m) in height and approximately 2.5 feet (0.76 m) thick.[2] The hall-house measures approximately 54 feet (16 m) by 22 feet (6.7 m) and stands up to 36 feet (11 m) in height.[2] The ground floor was used for storage, while the upper hall was entered from an external stair and defended by a portcullis and drawbar.[2] The walls of the castle are nearly 6 feet (1.8 m) thick.[2] A tower projects from one corner of the castle and there is a garderobe tower on the west side that projects nearly 13 feet (4.0 m).[2]
History
The castle was originally a property of the Comyn family, who took the name of de Rait.[1] Sir Alexander Rait killed the third Thane of Cawdor (chief of Clan Calder), and then fled south where he married the heiress of Hallgreen.[3] The castle later passed from the de Raits to the Mackintosh family and then to the Campbell family.[3]
In 1442,[1] when the castle passed to the Mackintoshes from the de Rait family, a feast was held at the castle between the two families which ended in the slaughter of most of the Comyns and de Raits.[5] The laird blamed his daughter, whom he chased around the castle.[5] She climbed out of a window but he chopped off her hands and she fell to her death.[5] The castle is said to be haunted by her ghost,[5] with no hands.[1]
The Duke of Cumberland is said to have stayed at the castle before the Battle of Culloden in 1746,[3] although the last recorded reference to the castle was in 1596.[2]
American singer Bonnie Raitt is a descendant of the Rait clan, and visited Rait Castle in 1990.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d Mackenzie, Steven (14 May 2013). "Haunted castle: The ruin with a colourful past". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Rait Castle". Trove. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d Coventry, Martin. (2008). Castles of the Clans: The Strongholds and Seats of 750 Scottish Families and Clans. pp. 486. ISBN 978-1-899874-36-1.
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Rait Castle (SM1235)". Retrieved 24 February 2019.
- ^ a b c d Coventry. (2008) pp. 383.
- ^ Italie, Hillel (14 July 1991). "Bonnie Raitt discovers her roots in Scotland". Lawrence Journal-World. Associated Press. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
External links
- Stand Up for Rait Castle! saveraitcastle.org