Dunnottar Castle, Medieval fortress in Stonehaven, Scotland
Dunnottar Castle is a medieval fortress on a rocky headland along the Scottish North Sea coast near Stonehaven. The ruins spread across several buildings, including a keep, a smithy, and barracks from the 15th and 16th centuries.
William Wallace recaptured the site from the English in 1297 during the Scottish Wars of Independence. In the 17th century, religious prisoners were held here and endured harsh conditions in the vaulted cellars.
The Keith family seat shaped the region of Kincardineshire for centuries and produced scholars as well as military leaders. Visitors today still notice the 14th-century chapel where the noble family held their worship services.
Access follows a narrow path leading down to the clifftop and then up to the fortress. Sturdy footwear is recommended, as the path can become slippery when wet and there are no ramps available.
A group of women smuggled the Scottish Crown Jewels out of the besieged site in 1652 hidden in bundles of linen. The regalia were then concealed beneath the floor of a nearby church until the danger passed.
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