{{Short description|Castle in Kirkcaldy, Scotland}} {{For|the castle in Aberdeenshire|Ravenscraig Castle, Aberdeenshire}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} [[File:Ravenscraig Castle - geograph.org.uk - 31491.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Ravenscraig Castle]] '''Ravenscraig Castle''' is a ruined [[castle]] located in [[Kirkcaldy]] which dates from around 1460. The castle is an early example of artillery defence in Scotland.
==History== The construction of Ravenscraig Castle by the mason Henry Merlion and the master carpenter [[Friar]] Andres Lesouris was ordered by King [[James II of Scotland|James II]] (reigned 1437–1460) as a home for his wife, [[Mary of Guelders]].<ref name=LBR>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB36404|desc=Ravenscraig Park, Ravenscraig Castle|access-date=2019-04-02}}</ref><ref name="Eunson p27">Eunson, Eric ''Old Dysart and East Kirkcaldy'' p.27.</ref> The castle is considered one of the first—perhaps the very first—in Scotland to be built to withstand cannon fire and provide for artillery defence.<ref name="Eunson p27" /> The king was involved with the planning but, ironically, was killed in a tragic accident with a loaded cannon at the [[Capture of Roxburgh (1460)|Siege of Roxburgh Castle]] near [[Floors Castle]] in the Scottish Borders.<ref name="Lamont-Brown pp145–146">Lamont-Brown ''Fife in History and Legend'' pp145–146</ref>
Construction was commenced around 1460 by his widow, Mary of Guelders, as a memorial to him and as a [[dower house]].<ref name="Lamont-Brown p148">Lamont-Brown, Raymond ''Fife in History and Legend'', p. 148.</ref> She continued the construction work until her death in December 1463, when the east tower and the basement of the central section was probably built for her by the master mason [[Walter Merlioun|Henry Merlioun]].<ref name=Tabraham98>Tabraham, p.98</ref> The site was supervised by the master of works, David Boys.<ref>Rachel M. Delman, 'Mary of Guelders and the Architecture of Queenship in Fifteenth-Century Scotland', ''Scottish Historical Review'', 102:2 (2023), pp. 211–231. {{doi|10.3366/shr.2023.0611}}</ref> Andrew Balfour, a servant of the royal wardrobe, organised the supply of timber joists in 1461, the timber was boated down the [[Allan Water]] and shipped to Fife from [[Stirling]].<ref>George Burnett, [https://archive.org/details/rotuliscaccariir07scot/page/196/mode/2up ''Exchequer Rolls of Scotland'', vol. 7 (Edinburgh, 1884), pp. l-li, 59, 63, 153, 197]</ref> During this period her steward [[Henry Kinghorn]] and other members of the household were able to live in completed accommodation.<ref>John G. Dunbar, ''Scottish Royal Palaces'' (Tuckwell: East Linton, 1999), p. 103.</ref>
Ownership passed to her son [[James III of Scotland|James III]] (reigned 1460–1488). In 1471 he gave the castle to [[William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness|William Sinclair]], [[Earl of Caithness|Earl of Orkney and Caithness]] in exchange for the [[Earldom of Orkney]] and associated lands which James annexed from [[Norway]] to the Scottish Crown.<ref name="History & Celebration p13">Civic Society, ''History & Celebration'', p.13.</ref> The castle was completed by the Sinclairs, who also had an interest in artillery fortifications.<ref name=LBR /> [[File:Ravenscraig Castle 01.jpg|thumb|Ravenscraig Castle, showing the large D-plan west tower, and the ruined east tower]]
[[James V of Scotland|James V]] and [[Mary of Guise]] came to Ravenscraig on 9 April 1540 on their way to [[Falkland Palace]]. They arrived in two galleys rowed from [[Kinghorn]].<ref>[[Athol Murray (historian)|Athol Murray]], 'Pursemaster's Accounts', ''Miscellany of the Scottish History Society X'' (Edinburgh, 1965), pp. 41–42.</ref> The [[Ulrik of Denmark (1578–1624)|Duke of Holstein]] came to the castle with [[William Schaw]] in 1598.<ref>[[Robert Chambers (publisher born 1802)|Robert Chambers]], [https://archive.org/details/domesticannalsof01chamiala/page/144/mode/2up ''Domestic Annals of Scotland'', vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1858), p. 297]</ref>
During the 1650–51 [[Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms#Third Civil War|invasion of Scotland]] by English forces under [[Oliver Cromwell]], Ravenscraig was invaded, attacked and damaged.<ref name=ScotGaz>{{cite web |url=http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst6446.html |title=Ravenscraig Castle |work=Gazetteer for Scotland |accessdate=2008-08-06}}</ref><ref name="History & Celebration p13" /><ref name="Lamont-Brown p149">Lamont Brown, ''Fife in History and Legend'', 2002, p.149.</ref> The castle remained in the ownership of the Sinclairs, who built nearby Dysart House (1755–1756) on the estate, and later passed to the St Clair-Erskines, [[Earl of Rosslyn|Earls of Rosslyn]]. The estate and castle remained in the family until sold in 1896, by the 5th Earl, to [[linoleum]] magnate Sir Michael Nairn who lived in Dysart House.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst9894.html |title=Dysart House |work=Gazetteer for Scotland |accessdate=2008-08-18}}</ref>
The castle was used as an ammunition depot during the [[First World War]].<ref name=ScotGaz /> In 1929, {{convert|85|acre|ha}} of the estate, including the castle, was given to the town of Kirkcaldy by the Nairn family as a public park.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.details_gis?inumlink=52902 |title=Ravenscraig Castle, NMRS Number: NT29SE 11 |publisher=[[RCAHMS]] |accessdate=2008-08-18}}</ref> Ravenscraig Castle was passed into state care in 1955 and has been open to the public by the owners [[Historic Scotland]] since 1971.<ref name="Lamont-Brown p149" /><ref name="Civic Society 2002 p45">Civic Society ''Pathhead and Ravenscraig Castle'' 2002, p.45.</ref><ref name=ScotGaz /> It is now managed by [[Historic Environment Scotland]], and is protected as a [[Scheduled Ancient Monument]].<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=SM90244|desc=Ravenscraig Castle|cat=SM|access-date=2019-04-02|fewer-links=yes}}</ref>
Celtic punk band [[The Real McKenzies]] filmed the video for their song Drink Some More at Ravenscraig Castle.
==The castle== [[File:Ravenscraig Castle plan.png|thumb|300px|Plan of Ravenscraig Castle <br />Key: A=Postern B=Cellar C=Entrance passage D=Guard room E=Chamber F=Stair down]] Ravenscraig is a small castle, built on a narrow rocky promontory in the [[Firth of Forth]]. It is naturally defended on three sides by steep cliffs dropping to the sea, and the main part of the castle forms the northern, landward, defence. This comprises two D-plan towers, with outer walls {{convert|4.25|m|ft}} thick, designed to withstand cannon fire. Battlements between the towers formed an artillery platform, with gun holes pointing to landward. The whole is defended by a deep, rock-cut ditch, and is accessed via a bridge.
===The towers=== The west tower stands to four storeys, and has a single small room on each floor. At the ground floor is a [[vault (architecture)|vaulted]] cellar, with a hall above, accessed via a stone forestair, or outside stairway. A spiral stair links the upper levels, although the timber floors are no longer present. Chimneys rise through the walls to form features of the castle's skyline. The east tower is of three storeys, although its base is set lower into the cliff. A well is located at the lowest level, with a single chamber on each level above, although again the timber floors are missing. The floors are linked by a straight stair within the thickness of the west wall. The rooms of both towers are windowless to landward, due to the thick walls, but have windows with stone seats to the other sides.<ref name=Lindsay>Lindsay, pp.403-404</ref>
===Linking building and courtyard=== The towers are linked by a central block, which contains the main gate and entrance passage. Vaulted cellars and a guard room lie to either side. These vaults support the artillery platform above. The gun holes are of the "inverted keyhole" type, which became common in the late 15th century.<ref name=Tabraham98/> Beyond the main block, only the foundations remain of the buildings on the promontory.
==Literary inspiration== ;''Rosabelle'' by Sir Walter Scott Ravenscraig is the setting for the ballad ''Rosabelle'', sung by Lord St. Clair's bard, Harold, at the wedding feast in the sixth canto of [[Sir Walter Scott]]'s [[The Lay of the Last Minstrel|''Lay of the Last Minstrel'']]. The ballad tells in elliptical style of 'the lovely Rosabelle', apparently a daughter of the St. Clair (or Sinclair) family, who insists despite dire warnings on setting out by boat from Ravenscraig (called 'Ravensheuch' by Scott) across the [[Firth of Forth]], to attend a ball at the family seat, [[Roslin Castle]], in [[Midlothian]]. Rosabelle knows that, as well as her parents, a certain 'Lord Lindesay's heir' will be present. However, that night an eerie light blazes on Roslin Castle and the nearby [[Roslin Chapel|chapel]] where Rosabelle's ancestors lie buried, while Rosabelle herself lies drowned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theotherpages.org/poems/canto06.html |title=Poets' Corner - Sir Walter Scott - The Lay of the Last Minstrel - Canto VI |publisher=Theotherpages.org |date= |accessdate=2012-04-07}}</ref>
[[Henry I Sinclair, Earl of Orkney]], who built the first Rosslyn castle in the 11th century, was married to a Rosabel.
==Notes== {{reflist|33em}}
==References== *Kirkcaldy Civic Society (2005) ''Kirkcaldy A History and Celebration''. The Francis Firth Collection. *Coventry, Martin. (2001) ''The Castles of Scotland (3rd Edition)''. Goblinshead. {{ISBN|978-1-899874-26-2}} *Lindsay, Maurice. (1986) ''The Castles of Scotland''. Constable & Co. {{ISBN|978-0-09-464600-1}} *Tabraham, Chris. (1997) ''Scotland's Castles''. BT Batsford/Historic Scotland. {{ISBN|978-0-7134-7965-2}}
==External links== {{commons category}}
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[[Category:Ruined castles in Fife]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Kirkcaldy]] [[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1460]] [[Category:Scheduled monuments in Fife]] [[Category:Historic Environment Scotland properties in Fife]]