Cawdor Castle **
Region: Inverness, Loch Ness & Nairn
Description:
Cawdor Castle dates from 1370 and was built by the Thanes of Cawdor. The Cawdor family still own the castle and occupy it in the winter.
Cawdor Castle was never attacked and what you see today is a very complete and original building. It even retains the holly tree around which it was first built. There is a legend attached to this tree and you can still see the "original" tree in an intriguing little vaulted room in the basement.
An interesting fact is that, in the 16th century, the young heiress of Cawdor, then aged 12, married a Campbell of Argyll from Inveraray Castle, hence linking the two families and estates together.