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Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

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Eilean Donan Castle appears to be an ancient Scottish stronghold on a small island at the meeting point of three sea lochs in the Western Highlands. And indeed the original castle here dated back to the early thirteenth century, when it was built to provide defense against Viking attacks. Later in history Eilean Donan, as a strong hold of the Mackenzies, saw battles between Scottish clans. But the castle's end came in 1719 when it was occupied by Spanish troops trying to support a Catholic rebellion against Britain's new Hanoverian monarch George I. Three Royal Navy frigates shelled and destroyed the castle between 10th and 13th May 1719. Eilean Donan as it is seen today is a reconstruction, built between 1919 and 1932 by John McRae-Gilstrap. From what little is known about planning for the new Eilean Donan Castle, the original floor outline was used. But as in castles like Castel Coch in Wales, above the floor outline there was room for creative interpretation of what castle architecture should be. This is particularly true when it is remembered that there was no definitive Eilean Donan castle to recreate, the original buildings having changed a great deal through their long history.

Castles are military buildings built for fighting, but the word applied most often to Eilean Donan is "romance". Spiritual sites have always mimicked sites built for war. Today almost any church you care to look at will have towers and battlements, just like a castle. Early hilltop castles with their rings of banks and ditches looked very similar to early religious sites, consisting, once again of banks and ditches. Calendar photographs of Eilean Donan on a misty day or against a sunset are part of this long standing link between castles and spirituality.

Another word often used of Eilean Donan is icon. An icon is a representation of something sacred, and of course there has always been a link between ideas of sanctity and castles. The imagery is then taken a step further when Eilean Donan is described as an "icon of Scotland". Scotland like any other country is an indefinable thing. Even though Eilean Donan is supposed to be a Scottish icon, most battles involving the original castle, were internal struggles amongst Scots rather than battles with an external enemy. Castles with their strong walls are good representations for a country since they seem to suggest strong walls between them and us, natives and foreigners. As the idea of Scottish nationalism grew through the nineteenth century a few instant "ancient" landmarks were built to try and encapsulate this national spirit. The Wallace Monument, is an example, built in a gothic style to evoke a sense of antiquity, but opening in 1861. Eilean Donan Castle could be looked upon as another example, a building constructed in the 1920s which looks as though it has stood for centuries.

Perhaps given the sense that Eilean Donan is playing a role it should come as no surprise that the castle is a frequently used film location. Films that have used Eilean Donan as a location include The Master Of Ballantrae (1953), The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes (1970), Highlander (1985), Entrapment (1999), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Elizabeth, The Golden Age (2007), Made Of Honor (2007). Television series with scenes shot here include The New Avengers (1976) and Oliver's Travels (1995).

There is a visitor centre, coffee shop and gift shop.

Opening Times: 1st March to 31st October, 10am - 6pm, last admission 5pm. During July and August open from 9am.

Directions: Eilean Donan Castle is just off the A 87, about eight miles east of Kyle of Lochalsh. Click here for an interactive map centred on Eilean Donan Castle.

Address: Eilean Donan Castle, Dornie, Scotland IV40 8DX

Access: There is no disabled access in the castle. There is access to the visitor's centre, where there is a virtual tour.

Contact:

telephone: 01599 555202

fax: 01599 555262

web site: http://eileandonancastle.com/