Historic Places in Orkney and Shetland

Balfour Castle is the most northerly Castle hotel in the world. It is located on the south west of the island of Shapinsay in Orkney. Balfour Castle was the summer house of the Balfour family and was designed by David Bryce an Edinburgh architect. Building commenced in 1847 and completed in 1848. In 1960, the last Balfour in line died, and the castle was taken over by Captain Tadeusz Zawadzki, a Polish Cavalry Officer. The castle is now available for holiday stays accommodating up to 12 guests, and can also be booked for weddings and functions. The castle has two acres of gardens Balfour Castle

Muness Castle is the most northerly castle in Scotland located in the south east corner of Unst, Shetland. Muness is a ruined storey z-plan castle with circular corner towers. The remaining two corners of the castle have remains of corbelling that would supported turrets. The ground floor has a large kitchen and a number of cellars. One of the cellars now displays stones and loopholes from the castle. The great hall was on the first floor with chambers at each end. The main chamber is at the far end from the main stairs and has remains of a private spiral staircase. The castle originally had a walled courtyard on its south west side, complete with ranges of outhouses, but these have all gone. The building is in the care of Historic Scotland. Muness Castle was built around 1598 by the Bruce family. Muness Castle was built by Laurence Bruce, the half brother of Robert Stewart, the Earl of Orkney. French raiders attacked and burned Muness Castle in 1627. Although the castle was repaired, it was no longer in use by the end of the 17th century. The Bruce family sold Muness Castle in 1718. The castle was roofless by 1774. Muness Castle Unst. Muness Castle is the most northerly castle in the British Isles. Key avaialble from nearby cottage. Muness Castle. Sheep feeding in front of Muness Castle, with Castle Cottage to the left. Muness Castle, Unst

Scalloway Castle is located in Scalloway, Shetland. The tower house has been restored, but the surrounding walls and buildings have gone. The tower has corbelling on the corners. Inside, the ground floor has a vaulted store, now used as an exhibition area. The kitchen with a well can also be seen. The tower has an impressive staircase with wide steps and square landings leading up to the hall on the first floor. There is no roof left to the hall. Above the hall would have been another two floors for accommodation. A spiral staircase provides access to rooms in the south wing of the castle, and one of these rooms is open to visitors. Scalloway Castle was built from 1599 by Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney. Scalloway Castle was designed by Andrew Crawford who also built Muness Castle for Laurence Bruce. Patrick Stewart had many enemies and ended up being forced out of the castle by a royal army under the Earl of Caithness. Patrick and his son Robert were later executed. After the death of Patrick Stewart, Scalloway Castle was used as the administrative centre for Shetland. It was later used as a barracks for Oliver Cromwell's troops in the 1650s. In the early 18th century the administrative centre for Shetland moved to Lerwick, and Scalloway Castle went into decline. In 1754 much of the stone from the lesser buildings that surrounded the tower house were used to build a nearby mansion. In 1908 the castle was placed in the care of the State, and it is now managed by Historic Scotland. Scalloway Castle, built by Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney in 1599 Scalloway Castle. Earl Patrick of Orkney & Shetland built this, very similar to his palace in Kirkwall (Orkney) but rearranged to be narrower and taller, in the late 1500s. One of only 2 castles in Shetland - Muness, on Unst, being the other.