Dunvegan Castle

unvegan Castle stands majestically on the NW front of the Isle of Skye, an evocative symbol of endurance. Whether this endurance is due to the magical powers of the Fairy Flag, which resides inside, or to the remarkable perseverance of Clan MacLeod's chiefs is not important. What matters most is that Dunvegan Castle has withstood the stresses of time and conflict with little physical consequence. This powerful fortress has been the seat of the equally enduring MacLeods for well over 700 years. Having housed 20 generations of chiefs, Dunvegan Castle is Scotland's oldest continuously inhabited structure.

ounded on three sides by treacherous rocky cliffs and the waters of Loch Dunvegan, and protected on the landward side by a deep-cut ditch, Dunvegan Castle was virtually invulnerable to attack. Its only entrance was through the ancient sea-gate, which faced into the loch, a strategically intelligent site for a gateway. Only in 1748 was the gate superseded by a bridge spanning the ditch. The castle itself existed in a rudimentary form as early as the 13th century. Leod, the clan's progenitor, either built the structure or gained it as part of his wife's dowry. (Leod's Norse origins may account for the derivation of the name of the stronghold). Leod's castle was a simple enclosure, surrounded by the still-surviving stone curtain and entered through the sea-gate.

rchitecturally, Dunvegan Castle is a complex of modification. Over the centuries, much has been added to the castle, as each chief made a permanent impact on the structure. Resting on the remains of Leod's stronghold, the castle's general appearance supports this observation. The former stronghold is a conglomeration of battlemented blocks, joined into an elongated mishmash of angularity, broken at two points by the masterful Great Keep and the Fairy Tower.

ajor remodeling efforts were undertaken during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, including the addition of a range of buildings on the north. This range was added to house a regiment of the Black Watch, which Norman MacLeod (the 23rd chief) was assembling. Such dramatic changes made the military nature of the castle obsolete and drove its transformation into a fully residential building. Today, Dunvegan is an imposing sight and gives the immediate impression of authority and steadfastness. Undoubtedly, it would have the same impact during the Middle Ages, when domination was the goal of its owners.

he most distinctive structure at Dunvegan dates to the 14th century and was the creation of Malcolm, the 3rd MacLeod chief. Located in the NE sector of the castle, the 50- foot tall great keep towers well above the other buildings. Constructed with 10-foot thick walls, the keep served as the dungeon tower and also contained vaulted basements, the great hall, private apartments, and bed chambers. The exterior turrets and impressive observation tower are later additions, which magnify the stronghold's castellated appearance. The only major repair to the keep has been the tower's re-roofing in 1790. Today this dominating structure houses many of Clan MacLeod's riches, as well as the starkly contrasting medieval dungeon.

t the opposite end of the eastern wing resides the Fairy Tower. The striking tower was built about 1500 by Alasdair Crotach ("Crouch-backed"), the 8th chief, over the foundations of earlier construction. (Remnants of Leod's curtain wall are still visible at the tower's base.) Like the great keep, this tower is square and blocky. Adorned with small turrets and battlements, this was a purely residential tower. In the late 1700's, the 23rd chief of Clan MacLeod added a new hall while converting the one in the keep into a grand drawing room. The name Fairy Tower most likely derives from the presence of arguably the most valuable relic of the clan's past - the Fairy Flag.

ow the Fairy Flag made its way to Scotland is not clear. One story claims that King Harald Hardrada of Norway brought the flag back to his own homeland after service in Constantinople. Upon Hardrada's defeat in 1066 (during the Norman Invasion of Britain), the MacLeod ancestor, Godred Crovan, supposedly seized the flag. He then carried it to Scotland while fleeing in an escaping Norse ship. Another version says that the 4th chief brought home the flag in the 14th century, his booty from battle.

t least ten centuries old, the Fairy Flag is said to be endowed with magical powers that have ensured the persistence of the MacLeods at Dunvegan. When unfurled, the flag will protect the clan from disaster, but only on three occasions. It also has the ability to ensure fertility for couples placing it on their bed and can bring herrings into the loch! Apparently, Alasdair Crotach used the flag's magic twice, so the MacLeods only have one chance to benefit from its unfurled power.

uriously though, other stories claim that the Fairy Flag has depleted its magic. For example, the flag supposedly was opened to protect the clan from a cattle plague. In addition, a mischievous servant unfurled the flag in 1799, while Norman, the 23rd MacLeod chief, was absent from the castle. Incredibly, at the moment of unfurling, the chief's son, and heir, was killed, when the warship on which he sailed was destroyed at sea. Then, in 1938, as the castle burned, "the flames checked and ceased their destruction at the very moment that the Fairy Flag was carried past on its way to safety."

o, just how often has the flag's magic saved the clan? No self-respecting MacLeod would doubt the truth of these claims! Even World War II airmen wore replicas of the flag under their flight jackets, certain of their lifesaving power!

ther symbols of the clan's long history abound at Dunvegan Castle. The impressive Piper's Gallery honors the contributions of Alasdair Crotach, who founded the College of Pipers for the MacLeods' hereditary pipers, the MacCrimmons. Also, on display are: Ruaridh (Rory) Mor's sideboard, his two-handed sword, and the Dunvegan Cup (presented to Rory, the 15th chief, by the grateful Irish people whom he supported in their rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I), some of Sir Walter Scott's manuscripts, Flora MacDonald's stays (her daughter was married to the Tutor of MacLeod; Flora visited the castle), Bonnie Prince Charlie's Amen Glass (given to Donald MacLeod of Galtrigall, who accompanied the pretender to Skye), and a lock of the Bonnie Prince's hair.

lan MacLeod narrowly avoided disaster in the mid-1500's. Then, Iain Dubh, a man of questionable character, was determined to take over as chief. One story tells of Iain Dubh's use of the sea-gate as a pathway to power. Having already murdered his half- brother (the clan's rightful heir), Iain Dubh pursued the destruction of his three half-nephews, who stood in the way of his inheritance. One day, as the boys and their tutor entered Dunvegan Castle, Dubh slammed down the portcullis, isolating the four from the rest of their company. Dubh's men then massacred the boys. Only Mary, sister of the boys, and her uncle, Norman, escaped Dubh's wrath, having already fled to the mainland.

o assess Dubh's fitness to become the clan's chief, the queen of Scotland sent eleven Campbell clansmen to Dunvegan. After learning that Dubh had welcomed the Campbells with a lavish banquet - complete with blood disguised as red wine - and then had the eleven visitors murdered, Mary, Queen of Scots and the Campbell Earl of Argyll set out to avenge the deaths. Dubh, however, fled to Ireland. There, he offended the Irish O'Donnells, who politely disemboweled the man with red-hot pokers! Norman MacLeod returned from exile on the Scottish mainland and became the clan chief. Fortunately for the MacLeods, Dubh's dishonor did not destroy them.

he MacLeods fought valiantly for the Royalists in the mid-17th century. Their greatest loss was during the Battle of Worcester in 1651, when 700 clansmen died. Interestingly, the devastating loss of so many clan members saved the MacLeods from fighting in the Jacobite Risings that followed in the next century. Instead, their compatriots allowed Clan MacLeod to rebuild their forces.

ther difficulties took its toll on the clan. The 23rd chief was forced to confront the potential economic ruin of his clan. By playing on his clansmen's love of their chief and their clan, he provoked "the tacksmen of the clan [to come] forward of their own accord and [enter] into a voluntary obligation to pay a 7 1/2 % increase in rent, 'in the hope that it may enable MacLeod and his Trustees to re-establish his affairs and preserve the ancient possessions of the MacLeods'." This appeal was successful, but only for a time.

uring the Potato Famine of 1846, Norman MacLeod, the 25th chief, bankrupted himself while trying to provide for the needs of his clansmen. Eventually, he went to London to work for the Home Office hoping to raise money for his destitute relatives. However, his efforts were inadequate. The riches at Dunvegan Castle had to be sold and the castle rented out to raise enough funds for the MacLeods. Norman was only able to return to his castle in old age, but his sacrifice for his people was never forgotten.

Lise Hull owns and operates CASTLES UNLIMITED, a business dedicated to the promotion and study of British castles. She has a Masters Degree in Historic Preservation and has visited over 160 castles in Britain. She can be reached at 942 2nd Street NE, Bandon, OR 97411. E-mail: CASTLESU@aol.com.