With the exception of the key royal sites, such as Stirling and Edinburgh, few Scottish castles were located at strategic points, or were intended to house garrisons required to defend or subjugate towns. Instead they were primarily fortified dwelling houses, erected in an environment of weak Royal authority and endemic feuding between rival clans and groups, in both Highland and Lowland areas. Although some enceinte castles were developed during the 16th and 17th centuries, most defensive construction focused on the tower house, a distinctive vernacular style of Scottish fortification. This book examines the design, development, and purpose of these quintessentially Scottish buildings, and also covers larger sites such as Urquhart and Blackness.

A major new work on 800 clans and families of Scotland and their castles, houses, seats, and lands.

A must for all those who want to visit Scotland's many castles. The book covers all of the coutry's famous strongholds, as well as many lesser-known places, with location, access, visitor facilities, and contact details. There is a map, many photos, a glossary of architectural terms, and a family-name index, allowing the reader to identify any castle associated with their family.

This new edition has been called "the bible of Scottish castles." It is the only book to cover all of them -- a comprehensive reference and gazetteer to more than 2,700 castles and fortified sites. Heavily illustrated throughout with more than 300 photographs and drawings, this new edition has been completely revised, expanded, and updated, with information on 600 new sites. This is an easy-to-use alphabetical guide and gazetteer, with comprehensive listings, index of sites reputed to be haunted, a family names index, and twenty pages of maps locating every castle in Scotland. No castle enthusiast should be without this book. The culmination of ten years' research, The Castles of Scotland offers comprehensive information on the fortified buildings of Scotland, including histories, ownership, locations, facilities, and visitor access. The 2,700 sites discussed include the largest strongholds to the smallest ruins to mere sites. The history of a castle is as important as the physical remains. Some strongholds have a long and fascinating past yet no more than a vestige of their former strength survives, such as the castles at Inverness, Roxburgh, or Dunbar. Few castles can match the stark and romantic beauty of Eilean Donan Castle, or the majestic and imposing grandeur of Ballindalloch Castle or Crathes Castle, the dangerous cliffside setting of Dunnottar Castle, or the picturesque Kilchurn Castle. New for this edition: -- 670 new sites added -- historic houses and mansions open to the public now included -- improved and increased number of illustrations -- updated, corrected and more-detailed entries -- access details for the year 2001 and full list of facilities nowincluded -- 16 pages of full color photographs added to the cloth edition

The definitive and most comprehensive collection on castles, towers, and fortified houses of Scotland, with historical accounts, visitor information, and maps.

With the exception of the key royal sites, such as Stirling and Edinburgh, few Scottish castles were located at strategic points, or were intended to house garrisons required to defend or subjugate towns. Instead they were primarily fortified dwelling houses, erected in an environment of weak Royal authority and endemic feuding between rival clans and groups, in both Highland and Lowland areas. Although some enceinte castles were developed during the 16th and 17th centuries, most defensive construction focused on the tower house, a distinctive vernacular style of Scottish fortification. This book examines the design, development, and purpose of these quintessentially Scottish buildings, and also covers larger sites such as Urquhart and Blackness.

The castles of Japan are a product of the country's long history of civil warnd samurai rule from the Middle Ages to mid-19th century. They functionedoth as military fortresses as well as symbols of authority. Theyncorporated powerful mechanisms for warding off attackers, yet as symbolshey were possessed of immense beauty and grace.;This study is divided intoour parts: the first examines who built these castles and why, with anncisive look at Japanese history and the internecine fighting betweenamurai clans; the second part discusses the castle as a fortress - themportance of its location, its layout, stone walls and moats, towers, gates,hooting holes, and stone drops; the third part covers the beauty of theastle as a symbol, covering the intricate craftsmanship seen in structuraletail and the aesthetics of the samurai class itself; and the fourth partontains practical information on visiting castles and gleaning the most from first-hand view.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A STARZ ORIGINAL SERIES Unrivaled storytelling. Unforgettable characters. Rich historical detail. These are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldon’s work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured the hearts of millions of fans. Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion and history that combines exhilarating adventure with a love story for the ages. One of the top ten best-loved novels in America, as seen on PBS’s The Great American Read! Scottish Highlands, 1945. Claire Randall, a former British combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding clans in the year of Our Lord . . . 1743. Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of a world that threatens her life, and may shatter her heart. Marooned amid danger, passion, and violence, Claire learns her only chance of safety lies in Jamie Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior. What begins in compulsion becomes urgent need, and Claire finds herself torn between two very different men, in two irreconcilable lives. This eBook includes the full text of the novel plus the following additional content: • An excerpt from Diana Gabaldon’s Dragonfly in Amber, the second novel in the Outlander series • An interview with Diana Gabaldon • An Outlander reader’s guide Praise for Outlander “Marvelous and fantastic adventures, romance, sex . . . perfect escape reading.”—San Francisco Chronicle “History comes deliciously alive on the page.”—New York Daily News