Description:

Just a few kilometers north of Wick lie the impressive ruins of Girnigoe and Castle Sinclair. Girnigoe, the older of the two, dates back to the late 15th century, with Castle Sinclair later added as an extension. In 1606, the 5th Earl of Caithness transformed Girnigoe’s fortified forecourt—separated from the main castle by a deep cleft and a drawbridge—into a separate castle, giving rise to Castle Sinclair.

The Earls of Caithness were infamous for their corruption and cruelty. The 4th Earl, suspecting his son of plotting against him, imprisoned him in the dungeon for seven years. In his final months, the son was fed salt beef without water, leading to his death from thirst in 1577. Nearly a century later, the 6th Earl’s mounting debts forced the sale of much of the Sinclair lands. After the 6th Earl’s death in 1676, Sir John Campbell of Glenorchy claimed the earldom, as he held most of the mortgaged estates. This was fiercely opposed by George Sinclair of Keiss, who rallied his forces and besieged Girnigoe. A battle near Wick saw the Campbells victorious on the field but defeated in the long run, as the Scottish Parliament restored the Earldom to the Sinclairs in 1681. By then, the castles had fallen into disrepair and were soon abandoned.