Skibo Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Sgìobail) is located to the west of Dornoch in the Highland county of Sutherland, Scotland overlooking the Dornoch Firth. Although the castle dates back to the 12th century, the present structure is largely of the 19th century, and early 20th century, when it was the home of industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. It is presently operated as the Carnegie Club, a members-only hotel and country club.
Etymology edit
According to William J. Watson, Skibo is the anglicisation of Scottish Gaelic Sgìobal, which in turn comes from an Old Norse name meaning either firewood-steading or Skithi's steading.[1]
History edit
Construction of Skibo Castle was started by Gilbert de Moravia, the Bishop of Caithness, around 1186 at "Schytherbolle" in the southern area of his bishopric.[2] Skibo Castle remained the residence of subsequent bishops until 1545, when the estate was, as a tactical measure by the church, given to John Gray in order to reinforce its alliance with a powerful family as the threat of a Protestant uprising spread towards the north.
In 1745, Robert Gray surrendered the estate. It was later bought by a relative who built a modern house before 1760.[3] Its ownership changed frequently until 1872, when it was bought by Evan Charles Sutherland-Walker, who extended the house and improved the grounds.[3]
Carnegie ownership edit
The condition of the building had declined by 1897, when wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie took a one year lease, with an option to buy. In 1898 he exercised that option for £85,000. However its condition had declined so much by this time that a further £2 million was spent on improvements,[2] including an increase in area from 16,000 square feet (1,500 m2) to over 60,000 square feet (5,600 m2), plus the creation of Loch Ospisdale and an 18-hole golf course.
Skibo stayed with the Carnegie family until 1982.[3]
Club Foundation edit
It was later purchased by businessman Peter de Savary and his wife Lana and used as the foundation of a private members club, the Carnegie Club.[4] Establishment of the club required restoration of the castle to recreate the luxury of an Edwardian sporting estate. Similar renovation was undertaken on the many lodges located amongst the castle grounds to provide additional accommodation for club members. De Savary sold the club to Ellis Short in 2003, for £23million.[5] In 2007, his wife Mrs Eve Short allegedly threatened to shoot a retired couple’s dogs because they were walking across the estate.[6] Because of Scotland's right-to-roam legislation the couple were within their rights to do so, and the estate later offered an apology for the incident.[5]
The Carnegie Club edit
The Carnegie Club is a members-only hotel and club, with about 400 members. The Carnegie links golf course has fewer than 1000 rounds played on it per annum. The funds raised from membership fees are reinvested, including upgrading some holes of the golf course. The club has received planning permission for restoration of the swimming pool.
The Carnegie Club hosted Madonna's wedding reception to Guy Ritchie on 22 December 2000.[7] In 1995, it had hosted the marriage of golfer Sam Torrance and the actress Suzanne Danielle.[8] On 28 December 1997 it hosted the marriage of actor Robert Carlyle and his wife Anastasia Shirley.[9]
On 3 December 2006, the BBC Television programme Landward featured the Burnett family who for several generations had been tenants of a farm on Skibo estate. The programme highlighted their search for a new farm following their eviction by the estate.[10] The farm is now part of an off-road driving facility for the use of paying guests of the castle. In March 2008, Skibo became a "members only" club, with only members and guests allowed to stay there.
Castle grounds edit
The grounds include Lake Louise, a very small artificial lake, and one of only a few bodies of water in Scotland known as lakes.[11] The estate is listed on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes, the list of nationally significant designed landscapes in Scotland.[12]
Illegal bird of prey poisoning edit
In May 2011, a shoot manager on the prestigious Skibo Estate was convicted of possessing over 10kg of a highly toxic banned pesticide — enough to poison the entire Scottish population of birds of prey six times over.
Dean Barr was fined £3,300 for possessing 10.5 kg of Carbofuran, illegal in the UK since 2001. The highly toxic substance was discovered locked in a store, to which Barr had the key, during an investigation and search conducted by Northern Constabulary.[13]
Police were alerted to the estate in east Sutherland on 5th May last year, following the discovery of a dead Golden Eagle by a group of hill-walkers. Unbeknown to the group, less than two miles away, another dead eagle had been found only three days previously which was also reported to the authorities.[14]
A further visit by police, assisted by RSPB Scotland staff, to the estate resulted in the recovery of a dead Red Grouse — a suspected poisoned bait — staked to the ground; nearby lay the body of a Sparrowhawk and Buzzard, while just a few hundred metres away lay the contorted body of a third Golden Eagle. Subsequent tests by Scottish Government laboratories confirmed that two of the eagles, the Sparrowhawk and the bait contained traces of lethally toxic poison Carbofuran. The third eagle had also been illegally poisoned with Aldicarb, another banned pesticide. However, no charges or convictions have been made in connection with these incidents. [15][16]
References edit
- ^ See Watson, William J.: "Scottish Place-name Papers", Steve Savage (publisher) 2002, pp40, 68, 234
- ^ a b http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article1141717.ece
- ^ a b c "Skibo Castle: Site History". Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes. Historic Scotland. Retrieved 4 September 2008.
- ^ Living Life to the Kilt : People.com
- ^ a b Ellis Short takes controlling interest in Sunderland - Football - Telegraph
- ^ "QUEEN OF SKIBO THREATENED TO SHOOT OUR DOGS". Sunday Mail. 7 January 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
- ^ Madonna's wedding will be the Highlands' biggest fling, The Telegraph
- ^ Ryan Parry, Secret weapon won us Ryder glory at thefreelibrary.com
- ^ Q&A: Robert Carlyle, The Guardian
- ^ Clear as mud When the Burnett family was ordered to leave the land it had farmed for almost half a century, a shudder went through the Highlands. Yet the family and the entire...
- ^ "Lake Louise". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 4 September 2008.
- ^ "Skibo Castle". Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes. Historic Scotland. Retrieved 4 September 2008.
- ^ Gamekeeper with huge cache of bird poison fined £3,300 | Environment | guardian.co.uk<
- ^ Press and Journal - Article - Poison fears after birds of prey are found dead
- ^ RSPB Shoot manager convicted after biggest-ever haul of lethal illegal poison found on prestigious estate
- ^ Record numbers of golden eagles poisoned in Scotland in 2010 | Environment | guardian.co.uk
External links edit
- The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle
- Skibo Estate, Gazetteer for Scotland
57°52′23.58″N 4°07′55.98″W / 57.8732167°N 4.1322167°W [[Category:Castles in Highland]] [[Category:Category A listed buildings]] [[Category:Scottish baronial architecture]] [[Category:Andrew Carnegie]] [[Category:Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes]] [[Category:Listed buildings in Highland]] [[Category:Listed castles in Scotland]]