Rothesay Castle

The castle at Rothesay was first mentioned in documents in 1228 when the Normans invaded. From the 14th C it was used as a base by Scottish kings in their struggles with the "Lords of the Isles". In 1685 the English burnt the castle down and, although an attempt was made to restore it in the 19th C it is still mainly a ruin. It is the only fortress in Scotland with four round towers overlooking a circular inner courtyard. In order to escape an arranged marriage, the daughter of a High Stewart is said to have stabbed herself in the courtyard behind the chapel.