|
We took a wonderful bus/ferry trip to Rothesay. Rothseay
is the largest city on the Isle of Bute and has a reputation for being one of
the prettiest coastal resorts in Scotland. There's plenty to see and do in
Rothesay including a castle (one of the last to be in Viking control), putting
greens, picturesque harbour, and a famous Victorian gents public lavatory.
|
|
The centerpiece
of Rothesay is an ancient castle which dates back to Viking times. Its early
history is unclear, but was probably built in 1098. Two centuries of struggle
between Viking and Scot followed. The castle was in Scottish hands when it fell
to the Norsemen in a hard-fought siege in around 1228.
The castle once more became a point of contention during the wars of
independence against England, where it became a haven for supporters of the
Scottish patriot Sir William Wallace, (Braveheart movie). It was held at this
time by Walter the Steward, whose descendants, the Stuart family, were to be
major players in subsequent history, both national and local. The castle's end
as a fortress came in 1659, when General Monck, leading Cromwellian forces, laid
the castle and its English Royalist garrison to waste.
|