Castle Stalker
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Castle Stalker (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal an Stalcaire) is a four-storey tower house or keep picturesquely set on a tidal islet on Loch Laich, an inlet off Loch Linnhe. It is located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north east of Port Appin, Argyll, Scotland, and is visible from the A828 road around mid-way between Oban and Glen Coe. The islet is accessible (with difficulty) from the shore at low tide. The name "Stalker" comes from the Gaelic Stalcaire, meaning "hunter" or "falconer", and should therefore be pronounced stal-ker, with the l sounded, not as in the pronunciation of the English word "stocker" and some L-dropping accents' pronunciation of "stalker." In recent times the castle was brought to fame by the Monty Python team, appearing in their film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It also appeared in the film Highlander: Endgame.
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Setting [edit]
The island castle's picturesque appearance, with its bewitching island setting against a dramatic backdrop of mountains, has made it a favourite subject for postcards and calendars, and something of a cliché image of Scottish Highland scenery. Castle Stalker is entirely authentic; it is one of the best-preserved medieval tower-houses surviving in western Scotland.[1] It forms part of the Lynn of Lorn National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland.[2]
History [edit]
The original castle was a small fort, built around 1320 by Clan MacDougall who were then Lords of Lorn.[3] Around 1388 the Stewarts took over the Lordship of Lorn, and it is believed that they built the castle in its present form around the 1440s. The Stewart's relative King James IV of Scotland visited the castle, and a drunken bet around 1620 resulted in the castle passing to Clan Campbell. After changing hands between these clans a couple of times the Campbells finally abandoned the castle around 1840, when it lost its roof. In 1908 the castle was bought by Charles Stewart of Achara, who carried out basic conservation work. In 1965 Lt. Col. D. R. Stewart Allward acquired the castle and over about ten years fully restored it. Castle Stalker remains in private ownership and is open to the public at selected times during the summer.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail [edit]
While most castle scenes in the popular movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) were filmed in and around Doune Castle, Castle Stalker appears in the final scene as "The Castle Of Aaaaarrrrrrggghhh". First we see the castle from a distance, next John Cleese uses his outrageous French accent to taunt Arthur from its battlements, then finally a massive attack is launched at the castle. But the castle is saved by the police who appear to arrest Arthur and his knights for the murder of a famous historian.
References [edit]
- ^ "Visit Fort William".
- ^ "National Scenic Areas". SNH. Retrieved 30 Mar 2011.
- ^ A Brief History of Castle Stalker CastleStalker.com
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Castle Stalker |
Coordinates: 56°34′16″N 5°23′10″W / 56.57111°N 5.38611°W
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