Scheduled MonumentsScotlandWick,Castle of Old Wick
Medieval · Castle of old wick

Wick,Castle of Old Wick

Scotland
HES SM90065
Period
Medieval
Site type
Castle of old wick
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Castle of Old Wick is a late medieval stronghold situated on a rocky promontory near Wick in Caithness, northern Scotland. The castle consists of a single square stone tower, likely constructed in the fifteenth century, which stands as a characteristic example of the small fortified keeps built throughout the Scottish Highlands during the late medieval period. The structure occupies a naturally defensible position on cliffs overlooking the sea, and its compact design reflects the practical requirements of local landholding and territorial control in the region during this era. The castle represents the domestic and military architecture of medieval Caithness and contributes to the understanding of settlement patterns and power structures in the far north of Scotland.

Wick,Castle of Old Wick is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90065. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Wick,Castle of Old Wick?

Castle of Old Wick is a late medieval stronghold situated on a rocky promontory near Wick in Caithness, northern Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90065.

What period does Wick,Castle of Old Wick date from?

Wick,Castle of Old Wick dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a castle of old wick. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across Britain.

Who is responsible for protecting Wick,Castle of Old Wick?

Wick,Castle of Old Wick is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM90065.

What other scheduled monuments are near Wick,Castle of Old Wick?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Thrumster Little,broch,Thrumster (4.3 km), Rockhill, standing stone 225m SW of (5.2 km), Thrumster House, broch 210m S of (5.3 km).

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