The Castle of Mey was built between 1566 and 1572 by George, the 4th Earl of Caithness for his second son William Sinclair. The Castle was inherited by George Sinclair's younger son William founder of the Sinclairs of Mey, although it later became the seat of the Earls of Caithness. The Castles name was changed to Barrogill and was extended several times in the 17th and 18th centuries and again in 1821.
Barrogill passed out of the ownership of the Sinclair family in 1889 on the death of the 15th Earl. During the Second World War it was used as an officers' rest home. In 1952 the now semi-derelict castle was purchased by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the widow of King George VI. The Queen Mother restored the Castle which she used as a holiday home until her death in 2002. Since then the Castle of Mey Trust has opened the castle and garden to the public regularly.
Categories
Castle
Contact Details
Castle of Mey, Thurso, KW14 8XH
Opening Times
17th May to 30th September inclusive, (closed from 28th July to 9th August inclusive) from 10.20am to 4pm.
Location Information
Area: Caithness North
OS Grid Reference: ND 2893 7387
Accessibility Information
Ground floor wheelchair accessible.