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Rait Castle

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Rait Castle
Ruins of Rait Castle
Rait Castle is located in HighlandRait CastleRait Castle
Coordinates57°32′58″N 3°51′00″W / 57.5494°N 3.8499°W / 57.5494; -3.8499
Site information
OwnerEarl Cawdor
Site history
Built13th century
MaterialsGranite
Ruins of Rait Castle in winter

Rait Castle is a ruined hall-house castle dating from the thirteenth century, situated just south of Nairn near Inverness, Scotland. It is a scheduled monument.

Architecture

The remains of the courtyard walls are nine feet high and also contain the remains of the Chapel of St Mary of Rait. The building was a two story building, measuring 20 metres by 10 metres. It had an unvaulted basement and an upper hall. The hall was entered from the outside and was protected by a portcullis and a drawbar. The walls of the castle are nearly 6 feet thick. A tower projects from one corner of the castle and there is a garderobe tower on the west side that projects nearly 13 feet.

History

The castle was originally a property of the Comyn family, who took the name of de Rait. Sir Alexander Rait killed the third Thane of Cawdor (chief of Clan Calder), and then fled south where he married the heiress of Hallgreen. The castle later passed from the de Raits to the Mackintosh family and then to the Campbell family.

In 1442, 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. The laird blamed his daughter, whom he chased around the castle. She climbed out of a window but he chopped off her hands and she fell to her death. The castle is said to be haunted by her ghost, with no hands.

The Duke of Cumberland is said to have stayed at the castle before the Battle of Culloden in 1746, although the last recorded reference to the castle was in 1596.

American singer Bonnie Raitt is a descendant of the Rait clan, and visited Rait Castle in 1990.

References

  1. ^ Mackenzie, Steven (BBC Highlands and Islands reporter). Haunted castle: The ruin with a colourful past, 14 May, 2013 bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  2. ^ Rait Castle - Archeological Notes rcahms.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. Historic Environment Scotland. "Rait Castle (SM1235)". Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  5. Save Rait Castle saveraitcastle.org. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  6. ^ Rait Castle - Architecture saveraitcastle.org. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  7. ^ Coventry. (2008) pp. 383.
  8. Italie, Hillel (14 December 1991). "Bonnie Raitt discovers her roots". Lawrence Journal-World. Associated Press. Retrieved 24 December 2016.

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