Monday, December 1, 2014

" The Most Famous Castle in Films!! "Eilean Donan Castle "Ghosts - "Spirit of the Knight." "The Lady in White" Lady Mary?

Eilean Donan "The Most Famous Castle" in Films!!!

Eilean Donan films, 
Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1948 and The Master of Ballantrae in 1953.[53] 
The castle 1979 short film Black Angel,
The Empire Strikes Back [54] Highlander (1986), 
as well as the Scottish headquarters of MI6 in The World Is Not Enough. InElizabeth:
 The Golden Age Eilean Donan stood in for Fotheringhay Castle in England.[55]


  1. Eilean Donan Castle - YouTube

    Nov 8, 2011 - Uploaded by David Pretty
    Eilean Donan is a small island in Loch Duich in the western Highlands of ... castle which has featured ...
  2. Christopher Lambert in Highlander, 1986 (feat. Eilean ...

    Nov 2, 2010 - Uploaded by Bruno Giordano
    I got off their by coincident! Still don't know why. Why was that part of the Highlander movie done at the Eilean ...
  3. 'I had tears in my eyes when I realised it was them': U.S. Air ...

    May 5, 2013
    Dan Corman had just tuned into the feed from Eilean DonanCastle when ..... chest and huge biceps in role of ...
  4. Scotland Tours & Vacation Packages | Adventures By Disney

    ... Pixar's Brave, then journey to Scotland to experience the land that inspired the film ... You'll visit Glamis ...
  5. Doune castle, Part 1 (Monty Python's castle) - YouTube

    Nov 13, 2011 - Uploaded by HazelAgnes48
    The british comedy film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a parody of the ... 1539 - Eilean Donan - Iain Dubh ...
  6. Scotland: Edinburgh, The Highlands, Mary Queen of Scots ...

    Mar 12, 2012 - Uploaded by MayaAtlantis
    ... cousin, Queen Elisabeth I of England, whose protection she had sought. ... Queen of Scots, by her nobles ...
  7. Movie, Holiday Scotland '09 - YouTube

    Sep 14, 2009 - Uploaded by moe17moe
    Castle Eilean... ... Castle Eilean Donan. ... Hood, Kevin Kostner (Robin Hood & Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio ...
  8. Banks And Braes Reel 2 (1930-1939) - YouTube

    Apr 13, 2014 - Uploaded by British Pathé
    Eilean Donan Castle. ... 90,000 historic films, all SEARCHABLE on YouTube at: .... The Coronation Of Their ...
  9. Banks And Braes Reel 2 - British Pathé

    Film ID: 2955.01; Stock: Black & White; Duration: 00:10:22:00; Time in/Out: ... Queen Elizabeth opens "King ...
  10. Lodge On Loch Lomond Wedding Video - White Balloon Films

    May 31, 2013 - Uploaded by WhiteBalloonFilms
    Filmed, edited and colour graded by White Balloon Films. ... Wedding at Loch Lomond - Elizabeth & Iain ...

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MI6 in The World Is Not Enough.



  1. The World Is Not Enough - Scottish Headquarters - YouTube

    Oct 6, 2009 - Uploaded by bondclips
    Following the funeral of King, the MI6 gang hold the wake in Scotland.
  • 19. The World Is Not Enough (1999) - YouTube

    Jun 10, 2011 - Uploaded by JamesBondIntro
    The World Is Not Enough (1999) is the nineteenth spy film in the James Bond film series, and the third to star ...

  • Highlander (1986),



    1. Watch Highlander (1986) Online | Watch Full ... - Watch32

      watch32.com/movies-online/highlander-1986-2679

      Movies: Highlander (1986) Director: Russell Mulcahy Cast: Christopher Lambert, Roxanne Hart, Clancy ...

    The Empire Strikes Back [54]
  • Watch Star Wars 5: Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back ...

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    Watch Star Wars 5: Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) Online Free Full Movie Putlocker. Fleeing ...
  • The Empire Strikes Back Uncut: Full Movie (Official) - YouTube

    Oct 10, 2014 - Uploaded by Star Wars
    Watch the full version of The Empire Strikes Back Uncut, a fan-made, shot-for-shot recreation of the Star ...
  • The Empire Strikes Back (1980) full movie part 1 - YouTube

    Sep 1, 2014 - Uploaded by Mirko Ninic
    Star Wars Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back movie from 1980. Great quality of video and sound. You can ...

  • 1979 short film Black Angel,


    1. Black Angel (1979) - 2 Released Clips - YouTube

      Oct 28, 2013 - Uploaded by The Lost Media Wiki
      +Randy Aven That's fine, the movie is a piece of shit, but it can be entertaining for some people. I've seen many films that are a million times  ...

    The Master of Ballantrae in 1953



    1. The Master of Ballantrae (1953 Movie - Turner Classic Movies

      www.tcm.com/.../Master-Of-Ballantrae-The-Movie-Cli...
      Master Of Ballantrae, The (1953) -- (Movie Clip) -- They May Join Us. Now in the custody of French pirates ...
    2. The Master of Ballantrae pt1 - YouTube

      Feb 12, 2012 - Uploaded by jedburgh01
      Amazingly see-through blouse on this pretty lady in a pirate film from the 50s.
    3. The Master of Ballantrae Trailer - IMDb

      Watch the latest The Master of Ballantrae Trailer on IMDb. ... The Master of Ballantrae (1953) Poster. Add to Watchlist. Having problems? Please make sure  ...
    4. The Master of Ballantrae (1953 Movie - Turner Classic Movies

      www.tcm.com/.../Master-Of-Ballantrae-The-Movie-Cli...
      Master Of Ballantrae, The (1953) -- (Movie Clip) -- White Cockade ... others, kick starting this version of Robert ...
    5. The Master of Ballantrae - MatineeClassics.com

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      The Master of Ballantrae (1953) 90 minutes Adventure Directed by William Keighley Cast: Errol Flynn, Roger ...
    6. Master Of Ballantrae, The (1953) -- (Movie Clip) -- They May ...

      ... (Jacques Berthier), photography by Jack Cardiff, in The Master Of Ballantrae, 1953. TCMDb Logo View the ...
    7. The Master of Ballantrae - YouTube

      Nov 12, 2013 - Uploaded by warnervod
      The gleam in his eye matches that of his drawn sword. Errol Flynn, the greatest of all swashbuckling stars ...
    8. The Master of Ballantrae (1953) on Veehd

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      Buckle on your swashes for this swashbuckling adventure with a highlander who fought for Bonnie Prince ...
    9. The Master of Ballantrae - Stapanul tinutului Ballantrae (1953)

      vhd.ro/.../the-master-of-ballantrae---stapanul-tinutului-...
      The Master of Ballantrae - Stapanul tinutului Ballantrae (1953) film online hd subtitrat, The Master of ...
    10. VUDU - The Master of Ballantrae

      www.vudu.com/movies/#.../9809/...Master-of-Ballantr...
      The Master of Ballantrae ... a highlander who fought for Bonnie Prince Charlie who, after various escapades, becomes a pirate. Action / Adventure. 89 min. 1953.

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    Eilean Donan films, beginning with Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1948


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    1. RUNRIG - DAVID NIVEN - BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE FILM ...

      Apr 14, 2011 - Uploaded by 1runrig
      GLENFINNAN - 1745--1756 Prince Charles initially landed from France on Eriskay in the Western Isles. He ...
    2. bonnie prince charlie - YouTube

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      Music Video Bonnie Prince Charlie. ... 3/4 The Lost Portrait ofBonnie Prince Charlie: A Culture Show Special ...
    3. Bonnie Prince Charlie 1948 trailer youtube - YouTube

      Sep 16, 2014 - Uploaded by Basia Bujko
      Historyczny dramat ostatniego akordu powstania szkockich górali z 1745 roku przeciw angilelskiej ...
    4. Watch Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948) Free Online - OVGuide

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      Watch full length Bonnie Prince Charlie Movie for Free Online. Streaming Free Films to Watch Online including ...
    5. Watch Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948) movie online full free 7p3

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    6. We are History - 2x04 Bonnie Prince Charlie: Too Scot to ...

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      David Oxley has just 12 hours to raise the clans, march on London, overthrow the monarchy and put himself on ...
    7. Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948) - iMovies.ge

      Bonnie Prince Charlie. 1948. დრამა, ბიოგრაფიული, ისტორიული. UK. 136 Min. Currently 4.3/5 Stars. 1; 2; 3; 4; 5. IMDb 4.4 (116). დამამატე ...
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      Watch Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948) movie online full free 7p3. Watch Instantly or Download "Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948) Full Movie HD" http://tinyurl.com/  ...
    9. 4/4 The Lost Portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie: A Culture ...

      Mar 4, 2014 - Uploaded by Aeron Artlantis
      https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... First broadcast: Feb 2014. In 2009, art detective Dr Bendor Grosvenor ...
    10. Bonnie Prince Charlie - YouTube

      Sep 8, 2010 - Uploaded by Mad Monarchist
      Prince Charles Edward Stuart, "the Young Pretender", "Bonnie Prince Charlie" etc was the grandson of the ...



    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Eilean Donan
    Eilean Donan Castle
    Eilean Donan Castle
    Location
    Eilean Donan is located in Ross and Cromarty
    Eilean Donan
    Eilean Donan
    Eilean Donan shown within Ross and Cromarty
    OS grid referenceNG880260
    Names
    Gaelic nameEilean Donnain
    Meaning of nameIsland of Donnán
    Area and summit
    Highest elevation3 metres (9.8 ft)
    Population
    Population0[1]
    Groupings
    Island groupLoch Duich
    Local AuthorityHighland
    Flag of Scotland.svg Lymphad3.svg
    Eilean Donan (Scottish GaelicEilean Donnain) is a small tidal island where three lochs meet, Loch DuichLoch Long and Loch Alsh, in the western Highlands ofScotland; since the castle's restoration in the early 20th Century, a footbridge has connected the island to the mainland. A picturesque castle that frequently appears in photographs, film and television dominates the island, which lies about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from the village of Dornie.
    Eilean Donan is part of the Kintail National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland.[2] In 2001, the island had a recorded population of just one person,[3] but there were no "usual residents" at the time of the 2011 census.[1]
    Eilean Donan, which means simply "island of Donnán", is named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint martyred in 617. Donnán is said to have established a church on the island, though no trace of this remains.[4]
    The castle was founded in the thirteenth century, and became a stronghold of the Clan Mackenzie and their allies the Clan Macrae. In the early eighteenth century the Mackenzies' involvement in the Jacobite rebellions led in 1719 to the castle's destruction by government ships. Lieutenant-Colonel John Macrae-Gilstrap's twentieth-century reconstruction of the ruins produced the present buildings.[4]

    History[edit]

    It is possible that an early Christian monastic cell was founded on the island in the 6th or 7th century, dedicated to Donnán of Eigg, an Irish saint who was martyred onEigg in April 617. No remains of any Christian buildings survive, though fragments of vitrified stone, subjected to very high temperatures, have been discovered indicating the presence of an Iron Age or early medieval fortification.[5][6]

    Origins of the castle[edit]

    In the earlier thirteenth century, during the reign of Alexander II (ruled 1214–1249), a large curtain-wall castle (wall of enceinte) was constructed that enclosed much of the island.[4] At this time the area was at the boundary of the Norse-Celtic Lordship of the Isles and the Earldom of Ross: Eilean Donan provided a strong defensive position against Norse expeditions.[7] A founding legend relates that the son of a chief of the Mathesons acquired the power of communicating with the birds. As a result, and after many adventures overseas, he gained wealth, power, and the respect of Alexander II, who asked him to build the castle to defend his realm.[8]
    At a later date the island became a stronghold of the Mackenzies of Kintail, originally vassals of Uilleam, Earl of Ross.[4] At this early stage, the castle is said to have been garrisoned by Macraes and Maclennans, both clans that were later closely associated with the Mackenzies.[9] Traditional Mackenzie clan histories relate that Earl William sought advantage from the Treaty of Perth of 1266, by which King Magnus VI of Norway ceded the Hebrides to Scotland, and demanded that his kinsman Kenneth Mackenzie return the castle to allow his expansion into the islands; Mackenzie refused, and Earl William led an assault against Eilean Donan that the Mackenzies and their allies repulsed.[10]
    The Mackenzie clan histories also claim (with little, if any, supporting contemporary evidence), that Robert the Bruce sheltered at Eilean Donan during the winter of 1306 to 1307; the castle escaped any other involvement in the Wars of Scottish Independence.[11] In 1331 Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, sent an officer to Eilean Donan to warn the occupants of his forthcoming visit. In preparation 50 wrongdoers were rounded up and executed, their heads being displayed on the castle walls to Moray's approval.[10] By the middle of the 14th century the Mackenzies are said to have been on the losing side in the ongoing feuding with the Earls of Ross; Earl Uilleam III granted Kintail to Raghnall mac Ruaidhri, Lord of Garmoran in 1342. With the assistance of Leod Macgilleandrais, the Earl allegedly apprehended Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd of Kintail, and had him executed in 1346 at Inverness. Through this period Eilean Donan is said to have been held by Duncan Macaulay for the Mackenzies, against the Earl and his allies.[12] Kenneth's young son Murdo Mackenzie supposedly evaded the Earl's attempts to eliminate him, and on the return of David II from exile Murdo Mackenzie was allegedly confirmed in the lands of Kintail and Eilean Donan by a charter of 1362 (of which, however, no trace survives to the present day).[13][14] At some point in the earlier 14th century it is thought that the Clan Macrae began to settle in Kintail as a body, having migrated from the Beauly Firth, and there gained the trust of the Mackenzie lairds through possible kinship and an advantageous marriage. The Macraes began to act as Mackenzie's bodyguards, acquiring the soubriquet "Mackenzie's shirt of mail".[15]

    Clan feuding[edit]


    Aerial view of Eilean Donan
    James I, determined to pacify the Highlands, journeyed to Inverness in 1427 and invited the principal chiefs to meet him there. Allegedly among them was the young Alexander Mackenzie, 6th Earl of Kintail. James then arrested him, along with the other chiefs, on their arrival. Mackenzie clan histories relate that, although several chiefs were executed or imprisoned, Alexander, due to his youth, was instead sent to Perth to attend school. Alexander's uncles attempted to seize control of Kintail, but the constable Duncan Macaulay continued to hold Eilean Donan on his behalf. Fionnla Dubh mac Gillechriosd, considered by clan historians to be the founder of the Clan Macrae in Kintail,[16] was dispatched to fetch the young laird back.[17] During his lairdship Alexander appears to have supported the monarchy against the MacDonald Lords of the Isles and was allegedly rewarded by another charter of Kintail in 1463.[18] Alexander died in about 1488 at a great age, and was succeeded by Kenneth Mackenzie, 7th of Kintail, victor of theBattle of Blar Na Pairce against the MacDonalds.[19] Kenneth died a few years later and was succeeded first by his eldest son, then on his death in 1497 by his second son,John of Killin, who was still a minor. His uncle, Hector Roy Mackenzie, attempted to usurp the Mackenzie lands and installed his own constable in Eilean Donan; Malcolm Mac Ian Charrich Macrae.[20] Hector's lawless activities caused the Mackenzies to be branded rebels, and in 1503 the Earl of Huntly offered to deliver Eilean Donan to the king, and to hold it on his behalf. James IV supplied a ship to support the enterprise.[21] Eventually John compelled his uncle to relinquish his claim, and Hector agreed to hand over Eilean Donan. The constable refused however, and John's supporters laid siege. Malcolm Mac Ian Charrich was eventually persuaded by Hector to relinquish the castle, after which he was dismissed as constable and Christopher Macrae (Gillechriosd Mac Fionnlagh Mhic Rath) was appointed in his place in around 1511.[20][22] John of Killin obtained a further charter of Kintail and Eilean Donan in 1509.[4]
    In 1539 Donald Gorm Macdonald of Sleat ravaged the lands of MacLeod of Dunvegan on Skye, and then attacked the Mackenzie lands of Kinlochewe, where Miles (Maolmure), brother of Christopher Macrae, was killed. After a series of retaliatory raids, Donald Gorm learned that Eilean Donan was weakly garrisoned and launched a surprise attack.[23] In fact only two people were in the castle: the recently appointed constable Iain Dubh Matheson and the warden. Duncan MacGillechriosd of the Clan Macrae, son of the former constable, arrived at the start of the attack and killed several MacDonalds at the postern gate.[24] Arrows launched by the attackers killed Matheson and the warden, but MacGillechriosd managed to hit Donald Gorm with his last arrow, fatally wounding Gorm, and the Macdonalds retreated.[25] Duncan MacGillechriosd expected to be appointed as the new constable but was considered too headstrong: the local clergyman John MacMhurchaidh Dhuibh (John Murchison) was appointed as a compromise between rival Macrae and Maclennan interests. Furious at this treatment, MacGillechriosd left Kintail and joined the service of Lord Lovat, though he eventually returned to settle at Inverinate. Meanwhile an aggrieved Maclennan apparently shot MacMhurchaidh in the buttocks with an arrow.[26]
    MacGillechriosd's son Christopher Macrae became constable of Eilean Donan in turn, and held the castle during yet another clan feud, this time between the Mackenzies and the MacDonalds of Glengarry.[27]Feuding broke out in 1580 and continued for almost 25 years. In around 1602 Eilean Donan was the base for a sea skirmish at the narrows of Kyle Rhea led by Christopher's son Duncan. During the action the MacDonalds were driven on to the Cailleach Rock at the eastern tip of Skye, and Angus the son of MacDonald of Glengarry was killed.[28] Christopher was succeeded as constable by the Rev. Murdoch Murchison, minister of Kintail.[29]

    17th century[edit]


    Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth, was brought up at Eilean Donan by Rev. Farquhar Macrae
    The Rev. Farquhar Macrae, son of Christopher Macrae, was born at the castle in 1580. After attending Edinburgh University and taking holy orders, in 1618 he was appointed constable of the castle and minister of Kintail on the death of Murdoch Murchison.[30] Colin Mackenzie of Kintail was created Earl of Seaforth in 1623. He lived mainly at Chanonry of Ross in Fortrose, but made regular visits to Eilean Donan where the constable was required to entertain him and his retinue of between 300 and 500 retainers, as well as the neighbouring lairds.[31] In 1635 George Mackenzie, 2nd Earl of Seaforth, appointed Farquhar as tutor to his six-year-old son Kenneth, who was subsequently raised at Eilean Donan.[32]
    In the civil wars of the mid 17th century the Earl of Seaforth sided with Charles I. In 1650, after the king's execution, the Parliament of Scotland ordered a garrison to Eilean Donan. The local people did not welcome the garrison. When a party of 30 soldiers came out from the castle to request provisions from the local people, a band of 10 men who opposed their demands met the occupiers. An argument broke out, which led to the garrison men being driven off with several casualties. Shortly thereafter the garrison departed.[33] The following year the Earl's brother, Simon Mackenzie of Lochslin, gathered troops for the royalist cause around Eilean Donan. For reasons unrecorded, he fell out with Farquhar Macrae and demanded his removal from the castle. Farquhar initially resisted, and despite interventions by the young Kenneth, had to be marched out by Lochslin and George Mackenzie (later Earl of Cromartie). He was finally persuaded to leave without violence, stating that he was too old to dwell in the cold castle.[34] Farquhar was thus the last constable to dwell in Eilean Donan until its reconstruction, although he retained the ministry of Kintail until his death in 1662, at the age of 82.[35]
    After this time, the castle was briefly occupied by the Earl of Balcarres and his wife,[36] who were in the Highlands in support of the Earl of Glencairn's royalist uprising, although Balcarres later disagreed with Glencairn and departed.[37] In June 1654 General MonckOliver Cromwell's military governor in Scotland, marched through Kintail while suppressing the uprising. His troops destroyed much property, and stole 360 of Farquhar Macrae's cattle, though only one man was killed.[38]

    Jacobite rising and destruction of the castle[edit]


    Castle ruins, sometime before 1911
    In 1689 King James VII of the House of Stuart was declared to have to forfeit the throne, and the crown was offered to William of Orange, in the so-called "Glorious Revolution". The revolution also established Presbyterianism in Scotland, although the Highlands generally remained Roman Catholic and loyal to the Stuarts. A series ofJacobite Risings followed, leading to an increased military presence in Scotland as government forces attempted to penetrate and subdue the Highlands. In 1714 while surveying fortifications for the government, the military engineer Lewis Petit made the only surviving drawing of Eilean Donan. The sketch-elevation and carefully drawn plan show a dilapidated castle, largely roofless but for a small building by the entrance.[39]
    A major Jacobite uprising took place in 1715. Led by the Earl of Mar, it was an attempt to restore the exiled James Stuart, the "Old Pretender", to the throne. William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth, joined the Jacobite army, leading out men of the Clan Mackenzie and Clan Macrae. The Macraes mustered at Eilean Donan, and are said to have danced on the roof of the castle before setting out to the Battle of Sheriffmuir where 58 Macraes were among the Jacobite dead. The battle was indecisive and the rising collapsed soon after.
    Following the failure of the rising of 1715, the Jacobites found new support from Spain, now opposing both Britain and France in the War of the Quadruple Alliance. The Duke of Ormonde led the main invasion fleet from Spain, while an advance party of 300 Spanish soldiers under George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal, arrived in Loch Duich in April 1719, and occupied Eilean Donan Castle. The expected uprising of Highlanders did not occur, and the main Spanish invasion force never arrived. At the beginning of May, the Royal Navy sent ships to the area. Early in the morning on Sunday 10 May, HMS WorcesterHMS Flamborough, andHMS Enterprise anchored off Eilean Donan and sent a boat ashore under a flag of truce to negotiate. When the Spanish soldiers in the castle fired at the boat, it was recalled and all three ships opened fire on the castle for an hour or more.[40] The next day the bombardment continued while a landing party was prepared. In the evening under the cover of an intense cannonade, a detachment went ashore in the ships' boats and captured the castle against little resistance. According to Worcester '​s log, in the castle were "an Irishman, a captain, a Spanish lieutenant, a serjeant, one Scotch rebel and 39 Spanish soldiers, 343 barrels of powder and 52 barrels of musquet shot."[41] The naval force spent the next two days and 27 barrels of gunpowder demolishing the castle.[42] Flamborough then took the Spanish prisoners to Edinburgh.[43] The remaining Spanish troops were defeated on 10 June at the Battle of Glen Shiel.[44]

    Restoration and reuse[edit]

    Between 1919 and 1932 the castle was rebuilt by Lt. Col. John MacRae-Gilstrap. The restoration included the construction of an arched bridge to give easier access to the island. Macrae-Gilstrap also established of a war memorial dedicated to the men of the Macrae clan who died in the First World War. The memorial is adorned with lines from John McCrae's poem "In Flanders Fields", and is flanked by grey field guns from the war. Eilean Donan was opened to the public in 1955,[45] and has since become a popular attraction: over 314,000 people visited in 2009, making it the third-most-visited castle in Scotland.[46] In 1983 ownership of the castle was transferred to the Conchra Charitable Trust, established by the Macrae family to maintain and restore the castle,[47] and a purpose-built visitor centre was opened on the landward side of the bridge in 1998.[48]
    The castle is regularly described as one of the most photographed monuments in Scotland,[49][50] and is a recognised Scottish icon, frequently appearing on packaging and advertising for shortbread, whisky and other products.[51][52] Eilean Donan has made several appearances in films, beginning with Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1948 and The Master of Ballantrae in 1953.[53] The castle was the setting for the 1979 short filmBlack Angel, filmed to accompany screenings of The Empire Strikes Back in theaters.[54] It featured prominently in Highlander (1986), as well as the Scottish headquarters of MI6 in The World Is Not Enough. InElizabeth: The Golden Age Eilean Donan stood in for Fotheringhay Castle in England.[55]

    Architectural development[edit]

    Eilean Donan Castle went through several phases of development from the earliest fortifications of the 13th century through to its destruction in 1719, and the subsequent reconstruction in the 20th century. The first phase comprised a curtain wall enclosing much of the island, with a tower house added in the 14th century. In the 14th or 15th century the outer wall was abandoned and a smaller enclosure built around the tower house. More development within this courtyard took place in the 16th century, as well as the addition of a defences on the eastern side. The castle was almost totally destroyed in 1719, after which almost 200 years passed before reconstruction began. Although some archaeological evidence has been recovered from the island, much material was lost during the reconstruction works making it difficult to build a clear picture of the early castle. Very little historical evidence survives.[56] Mapmaker Timothy Pont (c. 1565–1614) left a description:
    "The castell of Ylen Donen is composed of a strong and fair dungeon [i.e. a donjon or keep] upon a rock, with another tower compasd with a fair barmkin wall, with orchards and trees, al within ane yland of the lenth of twa pair of butts [i.e. archery butts] almost round. It is sayd of old that castel consisted of seven tours."[56]
    The only drawing of the castle prior to its destruction was made in 1714 by Lewis Petit (c.1665–1720), a military engineer with the Board of Ordnance who came to Scotland in 1714 to survey Fort William and other defences in the area.[57] Among the drawings he produced are a plan and elevation of Eilean Donan, which clearly show that the castle was largely derlict by this time, with only a building at the south-east corner being roofed.[39]
    Development of Eilean Donan Castle
    The 13th-century curtain wall enclosed most of the island
    The smaller enclosure in the 15th century, and the 16th-century buildings
    Addition of the "hornwork" in the later 16th century
    Following reconstruction in the 20th century

    The early enclosure[edit]

    In the 13th century a curtain wall or wall of enceinte was constructed around the island, enclosing most of the area above the high tide line. Scant remains of these walls can be traced on the ground, running around the northern end of the island. The eastern and southern segments of this wall are largely obscured by later development, although the enclosure is assumed to have contained an area of around 3,000 square metres (32,000 sq ft).[58] At the northern point of the wall the foundations of a large tower survive, measuring around 12 by 13 metres (39 by 43 ft) and the remains of foundations suggest further towers at the north-east and south-west corners of the enclosure. The enclosure was accessed via a sea-gate in the north-west curtain wall, where a small beach would have allowed boats to be drawn up. Another beach to the south-west may have formed a second access.[58] Archaeological excavations in 2008 and 2009 confirmed the presence of these walls, and also found evidence that metalworking was taking place in the northern part of the castle.[59][60] A tower house or keep was built against the curtain wall at the high point of the island, probably in the 14th century.[61] The tower measured 16.5 by 12.4 metres (54 by 41 ft), with walls 3 metres (9.8 ft) thick. The vaulted ground floor was originally divided in two, with a stair in the north wall giving access to the first-floor hall. Above this were probably another two storeys, including a garret. The tower, according to Petit's later drawing, was topped by crowstep gables, and surrounded by a walkway and bartizans (small turrets) at the corners.[62]

    The reduced castle[edit]

    At an unknown period, probably in the later 14th century or early 15th century, the outer wall was abandoned in favour of a smaller defensive enclosure, around 25 metres (82 ft) square. The entrance to this smaller courtyard was from the east. The reasons for this change are unclear, though it is suggested that the smaller area would have been easier to defend.[63] During the 16th century two buildings were added to the southern periphery of the enclosure. A small house was constructed within the south-east angle of the wall, with a circular stair-tower on its northern side giving access to the walkway along the eastern curtain wall. Located just inside the gate, this is likely to have served as a house for the castle's constable or keeper, and is the only building shown with a roof on Petit's survey.[64] At the south-west corner of the enclosure an L-plan block was put up, possibly as late as the early 17th century. The southern part is sited outside the line of the inner curtain wall, with a northern wing, which may have been a slightly later addition, inside the wall.[65]

    The hornwork[edit]

    In the later 16th century the castle was extended eastward to create a bastion or "hornwork", providing a more securely defended entrance. The hornwork comprises a pair of walls enclosing a triangular courtyard, linking the east wall of the castle with an irregular hexagonal (or heptagonal) structure. This structure, 11.5 metres (38 ft) across, contains a well at its lowest level, 5 metres (16 ft) across and 10 metres (33 ft) deep.[66] This led MacGibbon and Ross to describe the structure as a water tower or cistern.[67] However, the presence of a door on its eastern side is shown in 19th century photographs, indicating that it was built as the main entrance to the castle. The water-filled interior would have been crossed by a removable bridge, presenting an obstacle to attackers. From the bridge, access to the castle would have been up a flight of steps, into the triangular courtyard, and through the gate in the east curtain wall. It is possible that the hexagonal bastion was roofed to serve as an artillery position. Dredging of the reservoir in 1893 recovered two brass guns, referred to as "double hagbuts", and measuring around 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) long with a bore of around 25 millimetres (0.98 in). Also recovered was a yett, an iron gate, probably installed in the east door to the bastion, but now on display inside the castle.[68] At some point in the 17th century this elaborate access was abandoned and a more convenient entrance opened in the south wall of the hornwork.[68] By 1714, Lewis Petit's drawing clearly shows that the castle was largely derlict, with only the house at the south-east corner being roofed.[39] Four years later it was completely demolished, and by 1912 very little of the castle was still standing.[61]

    The modern castle[edit]


    The reconstructed entrance to the castle

    A mural chamber within the keep
    The present castle buildings are entirely the result of 20th-century reconstruction and, although the rebuilding followed the extant ground plan, the details of the present castle differ from its original appearance. The survey drawings by Lewis Petit were not rediscovered until the restoration was almost complete, and the restorers therefore were forced to rely on less accurate interpretations such as the work of MacGibbon and Ross, who attempted a plan of the remains in the late 19th century.[69] Indeed the clerk of works, Farquhar Macrae, is said to have based the reconstruction on a dream in which he saw the restored Eilean Donan.[4] Rather than a genuinely medieval castle, Eilean Donan is described as "a romantic reincarnation in the tradition of early 20th-century castle revivals."[70] John Gifford, analysing the building against the Petit survey, notes a "fussy elaboration of what was probably plain originally, and an omission of decoration where it once existed",[71] and describes the interior as "a rubbly Edwardian stage-set for life in the Middle Ages".[71]
    The castle is today entered from the south, via a modern portal complete with a portcullis. Above the door is a Gaelic inscription which in translation reads: "As long as there is a Macrae inside, there will never be a Fraser outside", referring to a bond of kinship between the two clans, and a similar inscription which once adorned the Fraser's home atBeaufort Castle.[72] Above this is carved the coat of arms of John Macrae-Gilstrap. The portal gives access to the courtyard, the level of which has been lowered exposing the bedrock around the tower house. The present buildings at the south-east of the castle reflect the form of the earlier structures, including the circular stair tower, but are larger in extent.[73] To the south-west only the southern portion of the L-shaped block was reconstructed, as a plain three-storey house, while in place of the northern wing is an open platform giving views over the loch.[74] A small tower occupies the north-west angle. The keep itself follows the original dimensions, though the formerly subdivided ground floor is now a single room: the tunnel-vaulted Billeting Hall. Above on the first floor is the Banqueting Hall with an oak ceiling, and decorated with coats of arms and 15th-century style fireplace. The main ceiling beams in the Banqueting Hall are of Douglas Fir and were shipped from British Columbia, Canada as a gift from the Macraes of Canada.[75]Small mural chambers within the walls are accessed from each hall.[61]

    Gallery[edit]

    • Panorama of the castle from the south
    •  
    • The castle, seen from the west
    •  
    • Looking down the bridge to the castle
    •  
    • View from inside the castle grounds
    •  
    • Roll of Honour of Clan Macrae inside Eilean Donan Castle Grounds

    References[edit]

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    Bibliography[edit]

    External links[edit]

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