Borve Castle

Borve Castle stands in the Scottish Highlands near the hamlet of Farr in Sutherland. It overlooks Kirtomy Bay and is also known as Farr Castle. The ruin was once called the House of Burro and was built close to the sea. A small settlement grew around the castle in earlier centuries. The site commands views across the bay and the surrounding hills. Its position made it a strategic stronghold in the past. The castle’s history is tied to the feud between Clan Mackay and Clan Sutherland. It was first built by a Norseman named Torquil and later became a Mackay stronghold. In 1554, Mary of Guise, mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, ordered its destruction after the Mackays failed to appear before her. A force led by John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland, attacked with a cannon brought from Edinburgh. Rory Mor Mackay, the castle’s captain, was hanged after the siege. Visitors today find a grassy ruin with crumbling stone walls and foundations. The site is quiet, with only the sound of the wind and waves. The remains show where towers and halls once stood. From the ruins, the view stretches over Kirtomy Bay and the distant hills. The atmosphere is one of quiet reflection on a turbulent past. The castle’s story is told through local histories and remains a point of interest in the area.