Ruthven Barracks (), near Ruthven in

Badenoch Badenoch (; ) is a district of the Scottish Highlands centred on the upper reaches of the River Spey, above Strathspey. The name Badenoch means the drowned land, with most of the population living close to the River Spey or its tributaries ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

, are the best preserved of the four barracks built in 1719 after the 1715 Jacobite rising. Set on an old castle mound, the complex comprises two large three-storey blocks occupying two sides of the enclosure, each with two rooms per floor. The barracks and enclosing walls were built with loopholes for

musket A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating plate armour. By the mid-16th century, this type of musket gradually dis ...

firing, and bastion towers were built at opposite corners. Destroyed by Jacobites following their retreat after the

Battle of Culloden The Battle of Culloden took place on 16 April 1746, near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. A Jacobite army under Charles Edward Stuart was decisively defeated by a British government force commanded by the Duke of Cumberland, thereby endi ...

in 1746, the Barracks ruins are maintained as a

scheduled monument In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage, visu ...

Historic Environment Scotland Historic Environment Scotland (HES) () is an executive non-departmental public body responsible for investigating, caring for and promoting Scotland's historic environment. HES was formed in 2015 from the merger of government agency Historic Sc ...

. They are accessible at all times without entrance charge.

History

First and second castles

The first castle (fortified structure) was built on the hilltop site in 1229, possibly by the Comyns. During the 13th century the castle was held by the Lords of Badenoch, chiefs of Clan Comyn. It was used as a base by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan who was known as the "Wolf of Badenoch", the younger son of King

Robert II of Scotland Robert II (2 March 1316 – 19 April 1390) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scots from 1371 to his death in 1390. The son of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, and Marjorie Bruce, Marjorie, daughter of King Robert the Bruce, h ...

. The first castle at Ruthven was demolished in 1451 by

John of Islay, Earl of Ross John of Islay (or John MacDonald) (1434–1503), Earl of Ross, fourth (and last) Lord of the Isles, and ''Mac Domhnaill'' (chief of Clan Donald), was a pivotal figure in late medieval Scotland: specifically in the struggle for power with Jam ...

. It was replaced with a second castle, completed in 1459. From the 15th to 16th century, the castle was held by the Earls of Huntly, chiefs of

Clan Gordon Clan Gordon is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The Gordon lands once spanned a large territory across the Highlands. Presently, Gordon is seated at Aboyne Castle, Aberdeenshire ...

, who were then the feudal superiors and lords of Badenoch. The castle was contested during the

Wars of the Three Kingdoms The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, then separate entities in a personal union un ...

and later

John Graham, 1st Viscount Dundee John Graham, 7th of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee (21 July 1648 – 27 July 1689) was a Scottish soldier and nobleman, a Tory and an Episcopalian. As Graham of Claverhouse, he was responsible for policing southwest Scotland to suppress religi ...

, attacked the castle and severely damaged it during the

Jacobite rising of 1689 The Jacobite rising of 1689 was a conflict fought primarily in the Scottish Highlands, whose objective was to put James II of England, James VII back on the throne, following his deposition by the November 1688 Glorious Revolution. Named after ...

Jacobite risings

Due to continued unrest, the British government decided to build fortified barracks in strategic locations: the new barracks at Ruthven were completed in 1721 on the castle hilltop. The barracks accommodated 120 troops and 28 horses for

dragoons Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat wi ...

. In August 1745, a unit of 12 soldiers, commanded by a Sergeant Terrence Molloy of the 6th Regiment of Foot, defended the barracks against 200 Jacobites, losing one man killed, whilst killing at least two Jacobites and wounding many more. The following year Molloy, still in command of the barracks and promoted to the rank of lieutenant, surrendered to a larger force of Jacobites, with two cannons, commanded by John Gordon of Glenbucket. On the day after the

in 1746, some 3,000 Jacobites retreated to Fort Ruthven but they were sent home by Prince

Charles Edward Stuart Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (31 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, making him the grandson of James VII and II, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, ...

as their situation was hopeless. The Jacobite army and their leaders had regrouped at Ruthven Barracks where they had waited for word from Charles. His message for them arrived on 20 April, in which he stated "let every man seek his own safety in the best way he can". The departing Jacobites destroyed the barracks on 17 April 1746. The ruins remain.

References

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External links

Ruthven Barracks
Virtual Scotland Ruins in Highland (council area) Barracks in Scotland Forts in Scotland Historic Environment Scotland properties in Highland Category A listed buildings in Highland (council area) Listed forts in Scotland 1719 establishments in Scotland Scheduled monuments in Highland