Ardvreck Castle, Scotland

Ardvreck Castle is a ruined castle dating from the 16th century on the banks of Loch Assynt, Scotland.

The castle is believed to have been constructed around 1590 by the Clan MacLeod family who had owned Assynt and the surrounding area for 300 years. In April 1650 James Graham, the Marquis of Montrose, was captured and held at the castle before being transported to Edinburgh for trial and execution. Montrose was a Royalist, fighting on the side of Charles I against the Covenanters. Defeated at the Battle of Carbisdale, he had sought sanctuary at Ardvreck with Neil MacLeod of Assynt. But Neil was absent and his wife, Christine, trapped Montrose in the castle dungeon and sent for troops of the Covenanter Government. Montrose was taken to Edinburgh, where he was hung, drawn and quartered on 21 May 1650.

Ardvreck Castle was attacked and captured by the Clan MacKenzie in 1672, who took control of the Assynt lands. In 1726 they constructed a more modern manor house nearby, Calda House, which takes its name from the Calda burn beside which it stands. The house burned down under mysterious circumstances one night in 1737 and both Calda House and Ardvreck Castle stand as ruins today.

The castle is said to be haunted by two ghosts, one a tall man dressed in grey who is believed to be Montrose. The second ghost is that of a young girl. The story goes that the MacLeods secured the help of the Devil to build the castle and in return the daughter of one of the MacLeod chieftains was betrothed to him as payment. In despair of her situation, the girl threw herself from one of the towers and was killed.

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