Castlehill of Strachan

By Jim Strachan, MBA (7 August 2022)
Clan Strachan Scottish Heritage Society, Inc.
All photographs are copyright by their original holders.

Figure 1: Current Site of Castlehill of Strachan (2005)

Castlehill of Strachan was a timber fortification constructed in the mid-thirteenth century. Today, nothing exists of Castlehill other than the motte (Ref. Figure 1).

There were two archeological excavations of the site in 1980-81 by Peter Yeoman (source).

Evidence from the excavations confirm the site was occupied during the Mesolithic period sometime between 5,000 to 10,000 B.C. (source). 

Construction of Castlehill

The builder of Castlehill of Strachan was Ranulf de Strachan, son of Waltheof de Strachan, who succeeded Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan as Sheriff of Banff.

The construction of the summit structure can be fairly securely dated by an uncirculated silver halfpenny of Henry III, minted in the mid-13th century, found in the primary fill of the building construction trench. This archaeological evidence, a silver halfpenny of Henry III, confirms Castlehill of Strachan was constructed no earlier than c 1250.

Regarding the structure itself, Castlehill was constructed on a motte. A motte is an earth mound, forming a defensible raised platform on which a fortification could be constructed. These were built both for defence and as symbols of lordship.

Castlehill of Strachan consisted of a timber hall and fits well with the emerging Anglo-Norman tradition of simple, well-built superstructures.

Castlehill of Strachan, apart from serving as a centre of local authority, controlled the lands around Strachan. Originally an undefended structure, it was immediately occupied and underwent a series of fortifications.

Defensively the hall was encircled by two phases of palisades, a surrounding ditch, and a causeway. Evidence suggests the second palisade was large enough and incorporated a wall-walk. The motte is currently situated within a half-mile wide loop of the River Feugh, about a quarter of a mile north within this floodplain. However, the medieval watercourses of the Feugh ran much closer to Castlehill. It virtually encircled the site, creating a natural island with a motte in the middle, surrounded by marsh and running water on all sides. Access to the hall was restricted to only those who knew the position of the natural causeway south to the medieval fording place.

The excavation has produced definite evidence of a somewhat unusually shaped timber building, measuring 14 metres N-S by 12 metres E-W, with an apex height of probably 7 metres and no more than 8 metres. Given the nature of the post-holes, Castlehill likely took the form of a two-storey structure. The north end was curved or apsidal, and it is possible that the south end also took a similar form, producing a plan akin to that of the 'boat-shaped' buildings found on a number of Viking sites in Britain.

Figure 2: Plat Layout

The river Feugh (pronounced: /few-ich/) ran much closer to the motte than today, and water from the river may have surrounded it.  The site also may have included some rudimentary defensive features making it an attractive location during this period.

Figure 3: Drawing from Yeoman, 1984

 

Destruction

In the book, House of Strachan, it confirms the Strachan family were friends, close allies, and with a high probability kin to the John Comyn, Earl of Buchan.

In February 1306, Robert the Bruce asked John (Red) Comyn of Badenoch to meet at Greyfriars Abbey. Both supposedly disarmed before entering the Church, yet shortly after the meeting began, the Bruce murdered an unarmed Red Comyn on the high altar. This was an extreme sacrilege and an excommunicable offense. The Bruce fled to Robert Wishart, the Bishop of Glasgow, an old family ally, who proclaimed form the pulpit Robert the Bruce was King of Scotland. At this time, King John Balliol was living in exile on his estate in France and had no interest in returning to Scotland. His son and heir, Edward, was 21 years of age but also exiled in France. John (‘The Red’) Comyn’s mother was Eleanor Balliol, sister of King John Balliol. Of those nobles residing on Scottish soil, the rightful heir to the throne of Scotland, absent the return of King John I and his son Edward, was Red Comyn of Badenoch - - who Robert the Bruce had just murdered. Robert the Bruce was excommunicated by Pope Clement V, and the with little support among the Scottish nobles, he was crowned King of Scotland 25 March 1306. John Comyn, Earl of Buchan, was the cousin of Red Comyn, and known as ‘the Black’ to whom the Strachan Family were closely allied. John of Strachan, son and heir of Ranulf of Strachan, knight (Sheriff of Banff), like virtually all Scots nobles, were staunch supporters of the Scottish cause. However, when a murderous excommunicated usurper assumes the throne, as one can imagine, John de Strachan lent all support to his ally, friend, and likely cousin, John Comyn, Earl of Buchan. Indeed, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Although perhaps reluctant at first, Robert the Bruce unwittingly succeeded in bonding Comyn supporters to the English as both now shared a common cause united on religious beliefs, family bonds, and a sense of overall righteousness.

Robert de Bruce was defeated at Methven and again at the Battle of Dalrigh, and fled into the Highlands with only some 40 men. Thereafter, he was unsanctimonious derided as “King Hob,” or King Nobody, by the English and those loyal to the Comyn cause. Bruce returned the following Spring and began a rebellion. The Bruce’s strategy included burning castles and fortifications, poisoning or filling in the well, and then he would slaughter the garrison, even those who had surrendered.

About 2 years later, Robert de Bruce and his army defeated the forces of John Comyn, earl of Buchan at the Battle of Inverurie, also known as the Battle of Bara (23 May 1308).

Charcoal deposits found during the excavation confirm Castlehill of Strachan was destroyed by fire. Given the Strachan family's close association with the earls of Buchan and carbon dating of the site, it is virtually certain that Castlehill of Strachan was burned-out and destroyed by forces loyal to Robert de Bruce in the early summer of 1308 (Yeoman, 1984).

Charter evidence confirms that the Strachan family continued their close alliance with the Comyn family throughout the First War of Scottish Independence. In 1309, John of Strachan, likely the son of Ranulf of Strachan, made a charter of donation to Sir Alexander Seton, knight. Perth was a garrison town and English supply base, confirming the Strachan's opposed Robert de Bruce's claim to the throne  (Family of Seton, i:62; Family of Seton, ii:843; Lang, Seals, ii, no. 927; and RPS, 1315/1).

Figure 4: 1309 Seal of John de Strachan. (handrawn)
(Reproduced by permission of the National Archives of Scotland from Hutton's Sigilla, Papers of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, GD103/2/15.)

On 1 November 1315, King Robert de Bruce disinherited the barony of Strachan. He granted these lands to Sir Alexander Fraser, his ardent supporter, future High Chamberlain of Scotland, and future brother-in-law (RRS, v, no. 76). This grant is a textbook example of a general policy by King Robert I to redistribute lands and titles previously held by those loyal to the Balliol and Comyn cause, and grant these lands to his allies to further cement their loyalty.

Some suggest the barony of Strachan was held by the Gifford family at this time (Yeoman, 1984: 319; and Alex Maxwell Findlater in The Armorial of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount, Heraldry Society of Scotland, 2018, vol ii, 257). However, the Gifford family history provides the coup de grâce against this theory. The Gifford family were ardent supporters of Robert de Bruce, and their stronghold was the barony and castle of Yester in Lothian. After the Scots defeat at the battle of Falkirk, Yester fell to the English. On 25 September 1298, King Edward I disinherited the Gifford family and granted the barony and castle of Yester to Adam of Welles from Lincolnshire (NRS GD45/27/141). Yester was later in the war re-taken by Robert de Bruce, who restored the barony and castle of Yester to the Gifford family (Canmore, 'Yester Castle And Goblin Ha'). This leads to the Gifford Paradox, why would King Robert I destroy Castlehill of Strachan and disinherit the barony of Strachan from the Gifford family; while concurrently restoring the barony and castle of Yester? The only logical explanation for this contradiction is that the Gifford family were not the baronial freeholders of Strachan. Rather, the barony of Strachan was disinherited because the Strachan family actively took arms against Robert de Bruce, supported the Balliol and Comyn cause, and were likely kinsmen of John Comyn, earl of Buchan, through his mother Elizabeth de Quincy.

Sources:

Canmore: Castlehill of Strachan
Yeoman, P A (1984) 'Excavations at Castlehill of Strachan, 1980-81', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol.114, Page(s): 315-64