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Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, 1 June 2006
Castle Sinclair Girnigoe; see also this story in the
John O'Groat Journal.
The castle literature claims the site was held by the Sinclair family
since at least 1379, which means the castle was probably begun by
Henry Sinclair (c. 1345 - c. 1400) 1st Earl of Orkney.
Some of the walls and early buildings were built by William Sinclair (c. 1455 - 1513), 2nd Earl of Caithness,
who made it his seat after 1468 and who died at Flodden.
The high gatehouse and tower house were built by Wicked Earl George Sinclair,
the 5th Sinclair Earl of Caithness,
in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
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For tours from small to large, we (jsq & Gretchen) recommend James Campbell
of Explore and Discover Tours.
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Girnigoe from Noss Head |
, with seagull
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Tower House (Girnigoe Castle) |
Tower House (Castle Girnigoe; 15th or 17th cent.)
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Tower House with goe (arm of sea)
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Goe 2
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Gate Keep (Castle Sinclair) |
Gate Keep (Castle Sinclair; 14th cent.?)
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Gate Keep 2
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Gate Keep 3
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Going in |
Entry bridge
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No access beyond this point.
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Ian says come right in.
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Elsie says no problem.
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Inside the Gate Keep |
Across the bay
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Sea stack
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Scaffolding
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Walls or midden
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Across the bay 2
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Rooms |
A room
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Hole in wall
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Small arch
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Walls |
Ian explaining plans to pull that wall more upright
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Down to the slate
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Narrow way
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More walls |
Ian pointing out wall joins
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Nice smooth walls
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With seagull
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Different types of construction
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The original floor
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Dirty dog |
Who, me?
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Let dirty dogs lie
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standing
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Into the Tower House |
Not that way!
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Nice arch
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Window slit
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Downwards
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Inside the Tower House |
James and the arches
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Windows
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At least three stories aboveground, maybe more
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Arch over nothing, and circle in wall
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Narrow air
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More Tower House |
It's green out there
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Light source
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Center marker for arch drawing
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Harold |
Ian instructing Peggy to look in the corner
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I don't see anything
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Writing?
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Into the Well Room |
Down into the well room
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Down to the right
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Vertigo
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Construction details
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In the Well Room |
Large stone
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With writing
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The only light
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Robert Henderson 1861
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More Well Room |
Wall?
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Ian lights the well
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Corner
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Steps?
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Back upstairs |
Chimney?
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Chimney 2?
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Out back
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Fence on mainland
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Peninsula |
Noss Head Lighthouse from Castle Sinclair Girnigoe
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Peaked roof with newer superstructure
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Tower House 1
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Quarry
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Goe and Noss Head Lighthouse 2
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The Sea Gate |
Sea Gate arch
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Ian and the sea gate
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Ian explains to the lineup
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Going out |
Way out
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Right this way
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Yes, this way
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Ian explaining layers of construction
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Back through the Gate Keep arch |
Gate Keep arch shoring
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Ian explaining inside the arch
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We can replace this new stuff with material from the stacks
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Ian leads the way out
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Back across the bridge |
Ackergill Tower in the distance; you can rent it for only a few thousand a day
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Castle history
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Outside the fence |
The castle
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Outer castle wall
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Castle
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Castle and field gate
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Noss Head Lighthouse, sheep, bird
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Last changed: $Date: 2006/07/14 05:30:14 $
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