Braal Castle

Braal Castle stands beside the River Thurso, north of Halkirk in Caithness. The ruins date from the mid-14th century and once bore the name Castle of Brathwell. The site may have hosted Harold II of Orkney in the 12th century, though the visible stonework belongs to a later age. King Robert II gave the castle to his son David Stewart, Earl of Caithness, whose descendant lost it after a 15th-century execution. James II later granted the castle to Sir George Crichton, Lord High Admiral, before transferring it to William Sinclair, Lord Chancellor. By the 18th century the Sinclairs of Ulbster held the estate. The medieval remains include a tower house measuring about twelve by eleven metres with walls up to three metres thick. The entrance sits on the first floor, opening into a large hall. A mural stair once rose to an upper floor and parapet walk, though these parts have vanished. The ruins form a scheduled monument, protected for their historical importance. Nearby foundations show where the Sinclairs began a mansion that was never finished. In 1856 a hotel was built over these foundations and later turned into flats after wartime use. Visitors find grassy mounds and crumbling walls rising above the riverbank. The tower’s thick stonework and first-floor entrance remain clear. A low parapet outline marks where guards once walked. The river curves past the site, adding to the sense of height and defence. The surrounding land is quiet farmland, with Halkirk a short distance to the south. The scheduled status keeps the ruins free of modern intrusions, preserving their medieval character.