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Ardverck Castle


Ardverck Castle
Photo Information
Copyright: Donald Bain (Donald) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 189 W: 0 N: 16] (132)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-04-14
Categories: Ruins
Camera: Fujifilm S5600
Exposure: f/8
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-05-09 13:05
Viewed: 450
Points: 8
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
History of Ardvreck in the county of Sutherland.
The castle is thought to have been constructed around 1590 by the Clan MacLeod family who owned Assynt and the surrounding area from the 13th century onwards. Indeed Sutherland, the area in which Ardvreck is situated, has long been a stronghold of the clan MacLeod. The most well known historical tale concerning the castle is that on April 30th 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 sought sanctuary at Ardvreck with Neil MacLeod of Assynt. At the time, Neil was absent and it is said that his wife, Christine, tricked Montrose into the castle dungeon and sent for troops of the Covenanter Government. Montrose was taken to Edinburgh, where he was executed on 21 May 1650, using the traditional method for traitors: hanging, drawing and quartering.
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

Ghosts and legends of Ardvreck
The castle is said to be haunted by two ghosts, one a tall man dressed in grey who is supposed to be related to the betrayal of Montrose and may even be Montrose himself. The second ghost is that of a young girl. The story tells that the MacLeods procured 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.
The nearby ruins of Calda house are also supposed to be haunted. The legend says that the Mackenzie family organised a family gathering there one Saturday and that the celebrations continued past midnight into the Sabbath day. At some point a fire broke out, possibly caused by a lightning strike, and all the inhabitants perished as the house burned to the ground. The causes of the fire are uncertain, but inhabitants of the Assynt area state that it was a manifestation of divine wrath as the family had been merry-making on the Lord's Sabbath day. Indeed, stories are told that there was a survivor of the fire, a piper who was spared the flames because he refused to play the pipes past the midnight hour.
A number of ghost sightings have been recorded around the area of the Calda ruins, including that of a ghostly woman who haunts the site itself. Strange lights have also been seen there at night, and several people have claimed that they have seen car headlights approach them on the road there at night, but after waiting for the vehicle to pass, no car has appeared.

The day was had a blue haze and the light was not good but I did my best.
I use a monopod and 90% of my landscape photos are shot at F8 and ISO64
I am going to post a good few of the place over the next few days.
AROBN54, stego, jmcl has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

You know what I really like about this shot, Donald? ALL that space. Wide open land, sea, sky. The composition is excellent and I love where the castle is placed in the photo. I love those nice soft colors, too. You sure haven't lost your touch. Warmest regards,
Shelly

  • Great 
  • TopGeo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2071 W: 79 N: 2788] (12787)
  • [2007-05-10 6:44]

Good POV and soft colours Donald! nice soft green on the ground with a small castle ,this is I like for the naive,good photo ,good clarity ,aprove of your shot.
see you
Georgios

  • Great 
  • stego Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3761 W: 632 N: 5042] (15352)
  • [2007-05-10 17:28]

Hi Donald,
It's great to have you back, my friend!
I see you didn't loose a bit of your talent for these stunning Scottish landscape scenes. It's gorgeous, both the view and the compo. It's the kind of image that makes the Highlands such a dreamy and mysterious place.
Regards, José.

  • Great 
  • jmcl Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2589 W: 146 N: 3421] (11904)
  • [2007-05-12 12:06]

Hi Donald,

Love the feel of this ancient place in the empty vastness ... I think you should try a quasi panoramic crop of this .. I bet it would retain the vast meditative feel and get rid of some of the empty sky .. I wouldn't get rid of any of that foreground though .. it gives such wonderful depth

take care,

John

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