The Fall of Strome Castle by Alan Herriot
Situated on this rocky promontory, Strome Castle once bore witness to
Royal bias, bitter clan rivalry, before being blown up in 1602
Although archaeological
excavations have revealed the possibility of a prehistoric site
occupying the promontory prior to the building of the castle, the first
formal record dates from 1742, only a few years after the castle was
built. It was at this time that the castle and its associated lands,
originally part of the earldom of Ross, were given to Allen Cameron of
Lochiel. Despite confirmation of the event by a Glengarry. This paved
the way for the bitter clan rivalry that was to follow.
In addition to political quarrelling, the castle was also a focal
point of clan rivalry due to its strategic location, between the
MacDonald territory of Lochcarron and Lochalsh and the rival MacKenzie
land of Kintail. The years 1593- 1602 saw a continual struggle for
control of the site, which ultimately came to a head when the castle was
destroyed in 1602. The castle was under siege by the MacKenzies once
again. They were about to admit defeat when they had a stroke of luck.
According to a contemporary chronicler, some 'silly women' from the
MacDonald clan left the castle to draw water from the well, 'they were
so fearful and the light so bad' they accidentally poured the water into
the gunpowder vat instead of the water container. When the MacDonald men
discovered this disaster, they 'cursed the women loudly' but their
curses backfired. A MacKenzie prisoner in the castle heard the commotion
and, managed to escape to his own camp, he spread the news, which
prompted a final attack from the clan chief MacKenzie of Kintail. The
defenders had to admit defeat, as their cause was now hopeless. The
MacDonald's surrendered on the condition that their lives and baggage
were spared. Once the clan had left the castle, MacKenzie blew it up,
and it has remained in ruins ever since.
Dumbarton Rock From
Bowling, 1865 by Thomas Dudgeon.
Dumbarton Rock from Bowling 1865 by Thomas Dudgeon.
Looking from Bowling down the River Clyde to Dumbarton and Dumbarton Rock,
the ancient fortress. Dumbarton Rock protected the River Clyde against
invading Vikings until its fall. In the painting, Greenock can be seen on
the left shore of the River Clyde and past Dumbarton Rock the highlands
can be seen in the distanceA View of Edinburgh Castle by Herbert
Menzies Marshall.
