Muness Castle is located onUnst, which is one of theShetland Islands ofScotland. The castle is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) east of the village ofUyeasound. Unst is Scotland's most northerly inhabited island, and Muness is the most northerlyfortalice in theBritish Isles.[1] It was designated as aScheduled monument in 1953 and is run as a museum byHistoric Environment Scotland.[2]
The castle was built in 1598 forLaurence Bruce of Cultmalindie, half-brother toRobert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney. Earl Robert was succeeded by his sonPatrick in 1593. The building may have been constructed under the direction of Andrew Crawford, Earl Patrick's master of works, who also oversaw the construction ofScalloway Castle and theEarl's Palace at Kirkwall, Orkney.[2] Bruce gave the castle to his son Andrew in 1617. It was burnt by foreignprivateers in August 1627, and may never have been fully repaired. It was abandoned before the end of the century and it was sold out of the family in 1718.[3] The castle is now roofless and missing its upperstorey which was removed to build the surrounding boundary wall. Aerial photographs reveal the possible presence of a formal garden to the south-west of the castle.[3]
The castle forms a rectangular block 22.3 by 7.9 metres (73 by 26 ft) with circular towers at the north and south angles. The ground floor and first storey survive virtually intact and thecorbelling supports for small turrets on the east and west corners on the second storey remain. The roof was probably gabled and the towers likely had conical roofs. The entrance is located on the south-western side and is covered bygun loops in the main block and in the south-eastern tower.[3]
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60°41′22.19″N0°50′57.04″W / 60.6894972°N 0.8491778°W /60.6894972; -0.8491778