Rait Castle

Rait Castle Photo - Jean Aldridge - Wikipedia - lic. under CC BY-SA 2.5

Castle Facts:

Location: Inverness, Highland, Scotland.
Built: 13th century.
Condition: Ruin.
Ownership / Access: Earl Cawdor.
Opening times: Check their website for more info.
Price of admission: Check their website for more info.
Notes: Rait Castle is a ruined hall-house castle dating from the thirteenth century, situated just south of Nairn near Inverness, Scotland.The castle was originally a property of the Cumming (Comyn) family who were also known by the name of de Rait.[1] Sir Alexander Rait killed the third Thane of Cawdor (chief of Clan Calder), and then fled south where he married the heiress of Hallgreen. The castle later passed from the Clan Cumming (Comyn) to the Clan Mackintosh and then to the Clan Campbell of Cawdor. In 1442, when the castle passed to the Mackintoshes from the Clan Cumming (Clan Comyn) a feast was held at the castle between the two families which ended in the slaughter of most of the Comyns. The laird blamed his daughter who he chased around the castle. She climbed out of a window but he chopped off her hands and she fell to her death. The castle is said to be haunted by her ghost, with no hands. The Duke of Cumberland is said to have stayed at the castle before the Battle of Culloden in 1746, although the last recorded reference to the castle was in 1596. In fact, it is rather difficult to sort out the truth behind Rait castle and its ownership over the centuries since the stories of treachery, capture and recapture seem similar and are probably blurred with time, as are the dates. And it all depends which clan is recounting the tale! However, several older accounts of the history and occupants of Rait castle have been summarized.

Rait Castle Links:

Rait Castle On Wikipedia
Stand Up for Rait Castle! saveraitcastle.org
Rait Castle canmore.rcahms.gov.uk. (Canmore)