"Why should we strive, with cynic frown, to knock their fairy castles down?" ~ Eliza Cook

Dunnottar was seized again by the English in 1336...

remodeled by Edward III...

and then retaken by the Scots...

only to be burned... 
as was custom following a victory.

What remained at the end of the 14th century...

was taken over by Sir William Keith...

who built the Keep, or the tower...

which are the parts of the castle still standing.

In 1652...

Dunnottar was the only place in Scotland still flying the royal flag...

but Cromwell's army was closing in and wanted to get their hands on...

The Honours of Scotland.

This is my favorite part of the story...

because leave it to the women to save the jewels!

It is reported that the King's private papers... 
had been smuggled out...

hidden in a belt around the waste or sewn into the cloak of Anne Lindsay,
related to Ogilvy, governor of Dunnottar at the time,

as she walked right through the English lines.

However...
the explanation for the crown, sceptre and sword...

involved them being lowered over the side of the castle...

to Mrs. Grainger, wife of a minster in the nearby village of Kinneff...
who was visiting the castle...

and supposedly down by the water gathering seaweed.


The Honours of Scotland...
hidden beneath the weeds...
were carried away from danger...
and buried in the kirk for eleven years...
until the monarchy was restored.


They are now on display at Edinburgh Castle.


Dunnottar became a military depot for 40 years...
after the damage was too much for the Earl Marischal to repair.
Around the same time...
Charles II outlawed Presbyterianism...
which happened to be the religion of most Scots and the Earl himself.
The Covenanters, as they were known...
had to worship in secret.

When they refused to accept the new prayer book of the King...
they were sent...

to this room on May 24, 1685...
 and remained there until the end of July.
Definitely puts a dark damper on the history of the castle.

Back outside...
within the quadrangle...

is the well, or cistern...

found to be 7.6 meters deep, with treasures below:
a French sword, four brass pans, five cannon balls and silver teaspoons.


As the sun lowered in the west...
we knew the hike back to town would be best done in daylight.
The guys decided that we should take the path less travelled...
and walk along the beach.

 I must admit...

the view from the shore...
was worth every step...
down the slippery slope...
across the large rocks...
 and up the slippery slope...
to the path of safety.


Meanwhile...
 as we crested the side of the hill...

the sun was setting... 
as an impressive backdrop... 
for the Stonehaven War Memorial.


Dunnottar made a liar out of me...
I did not think of myself as a castle person...
you know...
empty stone walls, historical details, blah, blah, blah...
but I am hooked.


Fortunately...
there are plenty of these incredible castles to explore...
with their own stories to tell...
here in beautiful Scotland!


Have a wonderful Thursday.
Are you ready for 11/11/11?