Fast Castle
[1] Fast Castle, in its heyday, comprised a courtyard and keep, built on a narrow sloping plateau, 27 by 82 metres (89 by 269 ft), on an eponymous promontory overlooking the North Sea.There is evidence of Iron Age habitation here, and it was centrally positioned in the British kingdom of Bryneich, and its Anglo-Saxon successor state of Bernicia.During the "Rough Wooing" of Scotland by Henry VIII, the castle was captured again by the English in 1547, but was back in Scottish hands by the time of Mary, Queen of Scots' stay here in 1566.[7] Sir Robert Logan was a notorious dissolute and "ne'er do well" who was implicated in the Gowrie conspiracy to kidnap the young King James VI.Shipmasters would see the lights while travelling in darkness, and consider that they had reached a safe haven, only to find that they had been guided on to rocks, where wrecking parties awaited for plunder.[citation needed] The castle is thought to have inspired Sir Walter Scott's description of the fictional "Wolf's Crag", which features in his 1819 novel The Bride of Lammermoor.[10] Fast Castle and Logan of Restalrig both appear in Nigel Tranter's trilogy of historical novels, The Master of Gray series.
ColdinghamBerwickshireScotlandgrid referenceEarl of DunbarfortressScottish BordersSt Abb's HeadNational Nature ReserveNational Trust for ScotlandScheduled Ancient MonumentNorth SeadrawbridgebarbicanDunnottar CastleAberdeenshireIron AgeBritishBryneichAnglo-SaxonBerniciaEnglish10th Earl of Dunbar and MarchWark CastleNorthumberlandHome familyMargaret TudorHenry VII of EnglandJames IVbattle of FloddenRegent AlbanyAlexander Home, 3rd Lord HomeChamberlain of ScotlandGeorge Home, 4th Lord HomeRough WooingHenry VIIIMary, Queen of ScotsNicholas Throckmorton5th Lord HomeRobert Logan of RestalrigBerwick on TweedfalconsInnerwickTantallonGowrie conspiracyKing James VIJohn Napierwrecking partiesSir Walter ScottThe Bride of LammermoorRestalrigNigel TranterKathleen FidlerList of places in the Scottish BordersHistoric Environment ScotlandCANMORERoyal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandSociety of Antiquaries of ScotlandCastles in the Scottish BordersAyton CastleBillie CastleBranxholme CastleCessford CastleCranshaws CastleCavers CastleDrochil CastleDryhope TowerDuns CastleEdrington CastleFatlips CastleFerniehirst CastleFloors CastleFulton TowerGreenknowe TowerHermitage CastleHume CastleJedburgh CastleKirkhope TowerMangerton TowerMervinslaw PeleNeidpath CastleNewark CastleNisbet HouseRoxburgh CastleSmailholm TowerThirlestane CastleTinnis (Yarrow)Traquair HouseVenlawWedderburn CastleWhitslaid Tower