Thurso Castle Caithness.
Dark and Moody.
There is something rather evocative about a ruin. Particularly when you photograph it in Black and White with High Contrast. Today’s shot is Thurso Castle, a ruin on the far north coast of Scotland.
The original structure was a 12th century earthwork fortress, founded by the Norse Earls. George, Earl of Caithness built a stone tower house on the site in 1872. Later, Sir Tollemache Sinclair absorbed the tower in the construction of a Scottish baronial mansion house. Partly demolished in 1952, the remains are now a roofless and derelict shell.
Parts of Thurso Castle are still, however, inhabited by Viscount Thurso – still part of the Sinclair dynasty. Their other family seat is Orchard Cottage, near Champneys in Tring, Hertfordshire.
Current bearer of the title, John Sinclair, has another claim to fame. He lost his heriditary peer seat in the House of Lords after the House of Lords Act 1999. However, he was elected to the House of Commons as a Liberal Democrat MP in 2001. He therefore became the first person to be thus elected without rescinding his peerage. Following the death of Lord Avebury, he was re-elected back to the House of Lords on 19 April 2016.
This shot has been taken with a telephoto lens from the other side of the river. This gives a particularly good angle. However, it is possible to walk along the same side of the river as Thurso Castle, from where other good shots – including close-ups – can be obtained.
Photograph Details:
- Taken: 13 Aug 2017
- Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10 MkIIA
- Lens: Olympus 40-150mm 1:4-5.6
- Focal Length 116mm
- F/10
- 1/250 Sec
- ISO 200