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Keane Castle (site of) (possible)

At the south end of Loch Glass is a small island called Eilean na Faoileag, on which a castle may once have stood.

Eilean na Faoileag is a crannog, but it is said that the Munro lairds of Foulis built either a summer-house on the island at some point in history, or some kind of defensive building for protecting wildfowl.

On some 16th century maps there is a tower marked, which appears to be situated in the middle of Loch Glass. Abraham Ortelius’ map “Scotiae Tabula”, published in 1573, names this castle “Reane Castel”.

Scotiae Tabula

Abraham Ortelius, 1573

However by the time of Gerhard Mercator’s “Scotia Regnum” of 1595 it has become “Keane Castle”. The Gaelic word “ceann” means “head”, and is often used to refer to the head of a loch, and it may be that this is where the name of the castle derived from. A property to the east of the island, on the shores of the loch, is marked on later maps as “Keanloch”, “Kenloch” and “Kinloch”.

It appears as “Kean Castle” on John Speed’s map of “The Kingdome of Scotland”, published in 1610.

The Kingdome of Scotland

John Speed, 1610

The castle doesn’t appear in the Blaeu Atlas of 1654. However it is marked on Richard Blome’s “Mapp of the Kingdome of Scotland”, printed in 1673, and again on Vincenzo Coronelli’s 1696 map “Scotia”. But on maps from the 18th century onwards it doesn’t appear to be marked, suggesting that it had fallen out of use by this time.

So far I have only found a single non-map reference to a Keane Castle, so have added it as a “possible” castle pending further research.

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Alternative names for Keane Castle

Eilean na Faoileag; Kean Castle; Reane Castel; Reane Castle

Where is Keane Castle?

Keane Castle is in the parish of Kiltearn and the county of Ross and Cromarty.

Grid reference: NH 5326 7039

Lat / long: 57.699346, -4.463753

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Bing Maps | Google Maps | Historic maps (NLS) | OpenStreetMap | Ordnance Survey | PastMap | Streetmap | Wikimapia

OS Map for Keane Castle

OS map 437
Ben Wyvis & Strathpeffer (Dingwall)
OS Explorer map 437


Directions to Keane Castle

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Weather at Keane Castle

16°C
max 16°C / min 16°C
6km/h ESE
1024mb
71%
78%
03:16 21:21

Broken clouds
Weather observed at Evanton at 15:49
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References (websites)

Canmore

Castles near Keane Castle

Foulis Castle

8.4km away

Balconie Castle (site of)

9.5km away

Tulloch Castle

10.2km away

Contullich Castle (site of)

10.3km away

Dochmaluag House

10.5km away

Dingwall Castle

11.6km away

Cnoc a' Chaisteil (site of)

11.8km away

Craig Castle

11.9km away

Teaninich Castle

11.9km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Keane Castle

Eilean na Faoileag crannog

0.0km away

Humberston (site of) stone circle

11.9km away

Clootie Well sacred site

19.9km away

Carriblair stone circle, cist

22.9km away

Balnuaran of Clava kerb cairn and rock art

34.2km away

Balnuaran Of Clava, Centre ring cairn and stone circle

34.2km away

Balnuaran Of Clava, North-East chambered cairn, stone circle and rock art

34.2km away

Balnuaran Of Clava, South-West chambered cairn, stone circle and rock art

34.3km away

Urquhart Castle fort

41.7km away
more ancient sites....
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Pictish stones near Keane Castle

Dingwall Churchyard Class I symbol stone

11.6km away

Dalnavie Class I symbol stone

12.0km away

Ardross Class I symbol stone

12.4km away

Clach an Tiompain Class I symbol stone

12.8km away

Clach a' Mheirlich Class I symbol stone

14.8km away

Torgorm Class I symbol stone

15.7km away

Cotterton Class I symbol stone

20.2km away

Kincardine 2 Class I symbol stone

20.3km away

Edderton 1 Class I symbol stone

22.9km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Keane Castle

Torvean silver chain

29.5km away

Burghead fort

57.5km away

Gaulcross hoard

100.1km away

Parkhill silver chain

146.9km away

Nigg silver chain

155.3km away

Dunnicaer fort

158.3km away

Norrie's Law hoard

184.0km away

Haddington silver chain

218.6km away

Traprain Law silver chain

220.4km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Keane Castle

Tulloch Castle Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barDingwall
10.2km away
Ben Wyvis Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barStrathpeffer
13.0km away
Dunglass Cottage
self-catering cottageDingwall
15.4km away
Dunglass Farmhouse
self-catering cottageDingwall
15.5km away
Craigdarroch Lodge Hotel
hotelContin
15.9km away
Achilty Hotel
hotelContin
15.9km away
West Lodge
self-catering cottageDingwall
16.0km away
Coul House Hotel
hotelContin
16.0km away
Seaforth
self-catering cottageDingwall
16.2km away
Balnain Cottages
self-catering cottagesDingwall
16.3km away

Accommodation search

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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Keane Castle

Tulloch Castle Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barDingwall
10.2km away
Ben Wyvis Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barStrathpeffer
13.0km away
Ord House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barMuir of Ord
20.0km away
Plough Inn
pubRosemarkie
23.9km away
Lovat Arms Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barBeauly
24.0km away
The Old North Inn
hotel, restaurant, barInverness
25.7km away
Bunchrew House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barInverness
26.0km away
Mansfield Castle Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barTain
26.8km away
Royal Hotel Tain
hotel, bar, restaurantTain
27.3km away
Railway Hotel
hotel, barTain
27.4km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 9th of February 2013 at 2:00 pm. Updated on the 9th of February 2013 at 5:41 pm.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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