Introduction
Today, I am reporting on Scalloway Castle, Shetland and its links with a tyrannical family. The latter effectively ruled Shetland for most of the 1500s through to 1610.
Scalloway means ‘longhouse or hut bay’.
By way of a quick introduction, Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands and formerly Zetland. It is a subarctic archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland. Shetland is situated in the Northern Atlantic, between Great Britain, the Faroe Islands and Norway.
Shetland was under Norwegian control until 1472. Thereafter the islands passed to Scotland as part of a marriage settlement between King James III of Scotland and Margaret of Denmark
Information on Scalloway Castle
The story starts with Robert Stewart, the half brother of Mary, Queen of Scots. In 1564 Stewart became a sort of colonial administrator annexing the islands to Scotland. Stewart’s formal title was 1st Earl of Orkney and Lord of Zetland.
However, good governance was far removed from Stewart’s objectives. According to reports he instituted a tyrannical rule entailing the effective enslavement of local people who were forced to work on his various construction projects.
A strange dichotomy emerged when Robert’s son, Patrick took over as 2nd Earl of Orkney. Patrick actually loathed his own family but installed an even harsher regime on the locals. Patrick’s familial antipathy extended to his father’s surviving half brother, Laurence Bruce who had been installed as Sheriff of Shetland. Bruce was also an oppressive ruler who ruled the island of Unst as a personal fiefdom and built Muness Castle there.
Whilst Bruce was ensconced on Unst much of the rest of Shetland fell under the purview of Patrick, the 2nd Earl. At the time Scalloway was the capital of Shetland and it was here that Patrick built his castle, using local unpaid labour. Completion occurred in 1607. Today, the castle stands as a sophisticated and impressive example of a late 1500s tower house.
In 1608 Patrick sent a force to besiege Bruce’s castle on Unst but this action was called off for reasons unknown.
In 1610 Patrick was jailed for crimes against his subjects. Whilst incarcerated Patrick sent his son Robert on a retaliatory uprising for which both were executed, at Edinburgh, in 1615.
Today, both Scalloway and Muness castles are reminders of an unhappy period in Shetland’s history.
Visiting Scalloway Castle
Scalloway is just six miles from Shetland’s capital of Lerwick. Refer website for opening times and other information.There is a well presented local museum close to the castle.
More information
For information on Scottish castles, Scotland’s islands and general information on touring Scotland please refer Visitors’ Guide to Scotland, ISBN 978-1-9161332-0-4