{"id":8095,"date":"2025-06-23T20:40:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T20:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pattrotter.com\/?p=8095"},"modified":"2025-06-24T09:03:37","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T09:03:37","slug":"saddell-abbey-and-skipness-castle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pattrotter.com\/?p=8095","title":{"rendered":"Saddell Abbey and Skipness Castle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Thirty miles from Tarbert down the B842 is Saddell Abbey.<\/a> My first trip there I almost missed the signpost and the car park along the twisty single track road.  It was a cloudy and somewhat rainy day which lent itself to an atmosphere of moody reflection.  Once again it was my imagination that took over. Today, as I drove down the B842 I knew where I was going and I was determined to catch a photo of the abbey in sunlight even if it seemed elusive n the unstable weather that seemed to have followed me from Tiree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not much remains of Saddell Abbey itself, just a cluster of stone walls set in a graveyard, but this holy place was created by Somerled himself and finished by his son Ranald. The most remarkable thing about the Abbey is not it ancient ruins but the 12 late medieval grave slabs and effigies that marked the burials here. Three of the slabs depict magnificent West Highland lords in full armour.  Some believe that Somerled is buried at Saddell Abbey and others say he is at Iona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heading back to Tarbert I stopped to re-photograph Skipness Castle built in the early 1200\u2019s by  either Clan MacSween founder Suibhne (Sven) \u2018the Red\u2019, or his son, Dugald. It was rebuilt several times over three centuries and you have to look closely to find the oldest parts.  The castle was a prominent stronghold for the MacDonald Lords of the Isles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Historic Environment Scotland <\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNorway ruled Argyll in the 1200s, but the Norse\u2019s days here were drawing to a close \u2013 in 1263, Hakon IV was defeated by the Scots at the Battle of Largs. Three years later his successor returned rule of the Hebrides to Scotland in the Treaty of Perth. The MacSweens, who backed Norway, were forced out.By the end of the century, the MacDonalds had control of Skipness. Scotland and England were locked into the Wars of Independence, and the MacDonalds initially backed Englan<\/em>. The MacDonalds rebuilt Skipness as a formidable stronghold in about 1300, possibly with English support. Their works included:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n