CAITHNESS CASTLES

 BOOK COMPETITION

WIN A FREE COPY OF THIS LIMITED EDITION BOOK AND A BEAUTIFUL ENLARGEMENT PRINT OF THE CASTLE OF YOUR CHOICE.

Highland Heritage Press, publishers of Caithness Castles, are offering a prize draw with the winner getting a free signed copy of this limited edition book together with a beautiful enlargement print of the castle of your choice selected from those appearing in the book. There are over 200 illustrations so plenty to choose from.

 TO ENTER
All you have to do to enter this competition is order a subscriber’s copy of the work at the special pre-publication price of GB Pounds 25.00 plus postage and answer the following three simple questions:

 1.   Which Caithness castle was once called Barrogill?

2.   Where in Caithness is the castle known as “the Old Man”

3.   Which famous Caithness castle is two in one?

TO ORDER YOUR COPY AND ENTER THE DRAW SEND AN EMAIL TO: hhp1198@aol.com WITH THE SUBJECT LINE ‘Caithness Castles book’

The draw will be held immediately prior to publication when the order numbers will be placed in a receptacle and the first one drawn will win a free copy of the book plus a superb A4 mounted print of the castle of your choice. Nine further order numbers will be drawn for the runners up who will receive a print each of the castle of their choice.

29 March 04
NEW BOOK ON CAITHNESS CASTLES

Caithness Castles and other fortified buildings
A history and guide to the strongholds and lairds houses of Caithness
by Michael J. Gunn

This book, the culmination of more than forty years of research by the author, recounts the histories and family connections of more than one hundred Caithness strongholds. It documents the growth and development of all types of fortified buildings in Caithness commencing with the Iron and Bronze Age hill forts and brochs, through the Viking and Norse strongholds, to the medieval castles and towers and the later lairds houses.

The stories told are often bloody and cruel. Tales of a bishop roasted to death on the kitchen fire of his own palace, of clansmen massacred in a chapel whilst at prayer, of a lovely girl abducted on her wedding day who after being raped by her captors throws herself from the battlements of a tower, of a son starved to death in a dungeon by a vengeful father. There are accounts of sieges, night-time assaults and towers burnt down; of clan feuds, great raids and the carrying off of cattle, sheep and women. Tales of little castles and towers built in remote places as bases for hunting the great herds of red deer which still roam the wilder parts of Caithness today. Of cliff-top fortresses with secret passages leading down to the sea, of deliberate shipwreck on treacherous rocks, of a secret room used by a coiner to make counterfeit money.

Superbly illustrated with numerous reproductions of early drawings, prints, engravings and old photographs, many showing the castles and houses in their heyday. In addition a large number of new photographs have been specially taken including close-up shots of details of windows, doorways, entrances and construction techniques. This inclusion of early and recent images serves to illustrate the changes that have occurred to the various buildings over the centuries. Site maps and plans are also included together with suggested tour routes allowing visitors to plan convenient excursions which take in several strongholds in a day.

Contents:
Forward • Preface • Introduction • List of illustrations, maps and plans • The Strongholds A-Z • Sources • Glossary • Index

ISBN 897955 13 8  Hardback A4, 250 pp, 200 illustrations, maps and plans

Limited edition 1000 copies signed and numbered       List price: GB Pounds 30.00 plus post

Special offer pre-publication price (subscribers only): GB Pounds 25.00 plus post

Published by Highland Heritage Press

An imprint of
Academic Microforms Limited

For further details, to become a subscriber or to place an advance order please email hhp1198@aol.com using the subject line ‘Caithness Castles’ book