Borve Castle, a relic of medieval intrigue, draws attention today with its storied past. Tradition holds that it was built by Torquill, a Norwegian, and later became the residence of the MacKays of Farr1http://canmore.org.uk/site/6415. The castle met its fate in 1544, 1565, or 1655—dates vary—when it was besieged and demolished by the Earl of Sutherland.
The ruins perch on a steep promontory, connected to the mainland by a slender neck, visible to the left of the photograph. Though a rampart with flanking ditches ostensibly crosses this neck, they are barely discernible now.
A small section of wall made of dressed blocks, likely part of the keep, can still be seen, along with the humps and bumps of several other buildings. A boggy hollow suggests the possible remains of a well.
Despite its formidable position, the castle was not impregnable. It could be approached from the northeast from the sea, although stepping from a boat onto the rocks whilst being fully laden with swords and the like would have been a challenge. Anyway a ditch suggests it was built for such protection.
To the right in the photograph, on the eastern horn of the cove Borregoe, lies Ru-nan-Gunach—Gun Point. Here, a gun-battery was established by the Earl to bombard the castle2http://canmore.org.uk/site/6410.
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