Inverness Sights
Contents |
Places to See
Inverness Castle
The town is dominated by its red sandstone castle. Built in 1834, this Victorian edifice is very much the new kid on the block in terms of Scottish castles. The original castle dates from the 12th century and was built on a ridge to the east of the present structure. Nothing remains of the old castle, which is unsurprising given its bloody and eventful history. It was here that King Duncan of Scotland was slain by Macbeth, an event dramatically (and erroneously) portrayed in Shakespeare's eponymous work. The castle was occupied three times during the Wars of Independence in the 13th century, and when Robert the Bruce recaptured it in 1307 he destroyed it. In the mid-17th century Cromwell ordered his men to build a stone version on the same site. In 1715 James Francis Edward was proclaimed king there, but not long after it was destroyed by the Jacobites to prevent it from falling into enemy hands following the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie at Culloden.
The present castle houses the Sheriff Court and also stages the Castle Garrison Encounter, where you can sign up as a mid-18th-century soldier. New recruits (that's you) pass through the Quartermaster's Store and are introduced to the Sergeant of the Guard, before being accosted by a female camp follower and finally led out through the garrison shop. Info - Mar-Nov Mon-Sat (Sun only in Jul/Aug) 1030-1730. Tel. 243363.
Around the castle
On the castle terrace is a statue of Flora MacDonald, to honour her part in helping the prince to escape. Below the castle is Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, on Castle Wynd beside the Tourist Information Centre . The museum gives a decent overview of the history of the town and the region, while the gallery is eminently missable. Info - Mon-Sat 0900-1700. Free.
Just around the corner, on High Street, is the Gothic-style Town House, where Prime Minister Lloyd George held an emergency cabinet meeting in 1921, the first ever to be held outside London.
Church Street
Opposite, on the corner of Bridge Street and Church Street, is the Tolbooth Steeple which dates from 1791 and which had to be repaired after an earth tremor in 1816. Church Street also boasts the town's oldest building, Abertarff House (built around 1592), which is now owned by the National Trust but not open to the public. Almost opposite is the much-restored Dunbar's Hospital, built in 1688 as an almshouse for the town's poor. At the end of Church Street, where it meets Friar's Lane, is the Old High Church, founded in the 12th century and rebuilt in 1772, though the 14th-century vaulted tower remains intact. In the adjoining graveyard prisoners taken at Culloden were executed, and you can still see the bullet marks left by the firing squads on some of the gravestones. Info - The church is open Fri 1200-1400 and during services; guided tour at 1230.
West Bank
At the corner of Huntly Street and Ness Bridge, is the Kiltmaker Centre, where you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about tartan (including what Scotsmen wear under their kilts). You can also see kilts being made in the factory and, in the shop downstairs, be measured up for one of your own. Info - Mid-May-end Sep Mon-Sat 0900-2100, Sun 1000-1700; Oct-mid-May Mon-Sat 0900-1700. Tel. 222781, www.hector-russell.com
Nearby, directly opposite the castle, is the neo-Gothic St Andrews Cathedral which dates from 1869, and is worth a peek if you're passing by. Continuing south along Ness Bank, past the Eden Court Theatre , you reach Bught Park, which overlooks the Ness Islands, joined by footbridge to both banks. The islands are attractively laid out as a park and are a favourite with local anglers. This also happens to be a lovely place for a peaceful evening stroll.