FAMILY WEB PAGE
CASTLES
This page illustrates castles that have some significance to the Cruickshank family.
The first castle is Edinburgh, which was home to the royal Stewart family. The Cruickshank family is a sept of the Stewarts of Atholl, who in turn have common ancestry to the royal Stewarts.
There has been a royal castle on Castle Rock, Edinburgh, since at least the reign of David I (reign 1124 to 1153).
The Royal Stewarts lived in Edinburgh Castle from the first Stewart king, Robert II (reigned 1371 until 1390); and the site continued to be a royal Stewart residence until 1633. However, when James VI (Stewart) of Scotland, who was born in Edinburgh Castle, became James I of Britain in 1603, he moved to London.
EDINBURGH CASTLE
Blair Castle is said to have been started in 1269 by John I Comyn, Lord of Badenoch (died c. 1275), a northern neighbour of David I Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl (died 1270). Comyn started building on the Earl's land while the Earl was away on crusade. Upon Strathbogie's return, he complained about the interloper to King Alexander III, won back his land, and incorporated the tower built by Comyn into his own castle. Blair Castle has belonged to the Earls, Marqueses, and Dukes of Atholl since it was built. This includes the Stewarts of Atholl who were Earls of Atholl from 1342 until 1625. As mentioned, the Cruickshank family is a sept of the Stewarts of Atholl.
John Murray, son of the second Earl of Tullibardine, was created Earl of Atholl in 1629, because his mother was Atholl heiress Dorothea Stewart. The title, and Blair Castle, has remained in the Murray family ever since.
BLAIR CASTLE
Pitsligo Castle would certainly have been known to Frank and Georgina Cruickshank. Located to overlook the Buchan coast of Aberdeenshire, it is 10.3 miles northeast of New Pitsligo.
The tower house, near the centre of the castle, was built around 1424 by the Fraser family of Philorth. Ownership passed to the Forbes family who added the other buildings and extended the castle to approximately its current layout.
Pitsligo Castle was sacked by English King George I's troops after the 1745 defeat at Culloden, and allowed to decay.
Multiple views are found by clicking on the "Images" tab on this link: https://canmore.org.uk/site/20801/pitsligo-castle
PITSLIGO CASTLE
There is a pretty amusing story about Pitsligo Castle when you
Cruick Water is fully contained in Angus (currently the Council Area of Angus and previously the Shire of Angus). Angus is located between the areas that were called Atholl (now mostly Perth & Kinross Council Area) and Kincardinshire (now part of Aberdeenshire council Area).
Sign points the way to the ruins of Kincardine Castle and Borough.
Click the green button for the story of Kincardine Castle and Borough
