Forum:Individual Castles
Topic:Info on Fast Castle in Berwickshire, Scotland
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T O P I C     R E V I E W
CentaurDear all,

Last week, on holiday I happened across this castle. Since it is privately owned, there was no information available as to who built it, or even how old it was. It's a fascinating place, built on a tiny promitory over 100 ft above the waves of the north sea. To reach it you have to walk a very narrow precipitous path along the cliff.

Does anyone know anything about this place ? I've been searching for hours, but have yet come up with only brief mentions in guides etc.

Any info gratefully appreciated.

[This message has been edited by Centaur (edited 07-27-2000).]

wurdsmiffNow ruined, Fast has early origins, having been captured by the English in 1346, and regained by the Scots in 1410. Once a 15thc keep with courtyard, and accessed by a drawbridge over the chasm, it was destroyed in 1515 by the Duke of Albany, and rebuilt by the Homes (Pron. Humes) in 1521. It was again taken by the English about 1547, and regained , then lost to the English in 1570.
In 1580 it passed to the Logans of Restalrig, though became ruinous when they were forfeited in 1600. The estate was sold to the Douglasses in 1602, and passed through the Homes, Arnots, Homes again then to the Hall family. It abounds in tales of smuggling, allegedly having access to a secret cave below, and of secret treasure from the time of the notorious Robert Logan of Restalrig. It features in at least two of Nigel Tranters historical novels, The Master of Gray Trilogy, and Mail Royal- a tale surrounding the famed 'casket letters' which were supposed to prove the illegitimacy of James 6th of Scotland and 1st of England, though in truth the letters may have been forged.

------------------
'Give me the groves that lofty brave,
The storms, by Castle Gordon'.
Visit my web-site at
www.castlesontheweb.com/members/wurdsmiff/castles.htm

Gordon.


CentaurHey, thanks a lot. You've given me a lot of good pointers there. I didn't expect anyone to give me that amount of detail.

To be honest, I'm amazed the place has such an interesting history. I'd pictured it as more of a retreat, rather than an actual fortress. It struck me that it would be very hard to take by frontal attack (unless you had NO fear of heights), but dead easy to blockade for a week or two. Not much fresh water up on the cliffs there.

Many thanks

LevanI would have thought that a high proportion of fresh water came in the form of rain - after all, it is in Scotland ;-)

Levan

wurdsmiffA very good, and topical point- 3 inches of rain on Glasgow in one hour yesterday, and the forecast was for sunshine and ice cream!

------------------
'Give me the groves that lofty brave,
The storms, by Castle Gordon'.
Visit my web-site at
www.castlesontheweb.com/members/wurdsmiff/castles.htm

Gordon.

duncanYou guys must have the same weathermen as we do. At least much the same type of forcasting.
CentaurYeah, but the rain tends to be mostly horizontal, which makes collecting it a real problem...you have to hold your bucket sideways, and it just dont work

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