Although now a
ruin Old Inverlochy
Castle was one of
the most important castles in Scottish history and has been
the backdrop for two major historical events, the first and
second battles of
Inverlochy
|
|
The
moat that surrounded the castle has long gone
but the natural defensive postion against the
River Lochy gave Inverlochy castle a superior
advantage. The old Military Road passed right
by the castle and can still be followed back in
to Fort William
|
Originally dating back
to the 13th century, Inverlochy Castle last played a part
in Scottish and English history during the Civil Wars of
the 1640's. In 1645 the royalist Earl of Montrose routed
the roundhead forces of the Campbell Chief Duke of Argyll
at the second Battle of Inverlochy.
|
In 1654 the Castle was
"replaced" by a large timber fort built by
Oliver Cromwell which in 1690 was then replaced
by a stone fort named Fort William after King
William III. The town which grew around it was
named Maryburgh after the Queen, Mary II,
though eventually it took the same name as the
fort.
|
|
The "Fort" in Fort
William was fell into disuse by the mid 1860's when the
railway was built to Fort William, cutting though the
land on which the Fort was built along the side of Loch
Linnhe. However, some parts of the ruins still remain by
the side of the Loch, at the end of the by-pass before
the College and supermarket at the end of the
road.
