Castle of Old Wick
An enigmatic structure
The history of Castle of Old Wick remains obscure and enigmatic. It was traditionally thought to have been built by Earl Harald Maddadson in the 1100s, but the surviving structure seems to date to the 14th century or later.
Documentary evidence shows that it was associated with the powerful Sutherland and Oliphant families, and was besieged during the Sutherland-Sinclair feud of the 16th century.
The Old Man of Wick
The four-storey tower dominates the castle complex. The seaward side collapsed long ago, and the castle is in an advanced state of ruin, but some features still survive:
narrow window slits
ledges for supporting timber upper floors
a fireplace on the second floor
Remains of other structures lie behind the tower, though these have not been archaeologically excavated.
Statement of Significance
You can find out more about Castle of Old Wick in our Statement of Significance, part of a series of special documents outlining the history and development of Historic Scotland sites.
Discover more on trove.scot
See archive photographs of Castle of Old Wick, plus archaeology notes and more on trove.scot.