Dornoch Castle
The castle is almost certainly on the site of the
original Bishop's Palace of St Gilbert, who founded
the Cathedral in the early 13th century. In 1557 the
palace was given to the Earl of Sutherland by his
brother-in-law, Bishop Robert Stewart.
In 1567 the Earl and Countess of Sutherland were
poisoned at Helmsdale Castle. The Earl of
Caithness, the chief suspect, took possession of
the surviving boy-heir, the Earl Alexander. The
Murrays of Dornoch, and the Gordons, snatched
the young Earl Alexander from Dunrobin Castle
where he was being held. The Clans marched, and
four centuries of ruin began for Dornoch Castle.
During the siege of 1570 all records of the Castle -
or Palace - were destroyed, so that its earlier history
is uncertain except for what can be traced in other
documents and through legend. Some authorities
think that the Palace was originally built in the 14th
century and rebuilt and added to in the 16th century. The vaulted dungeons below
the Tower would have been part of the original construction. The present Tower and
the Tower of the Cathedral were the only two strong points to hold out during the
siege of 1570. The only other surviving portion of the Castle is the big chimney - the
Bishop's Chimney - adjoining the Tower which was the kitchen chimney in the
Bishop's Palace. The Castle was restored, only to have the residential part of the
castle pulled down in the town renovations of the 1800's. Today the Castle is a hotel.
