Tom Pitlac

Tom Pitlac Details

Tom Pitlac, earthwork mound and ditch on river cliff probably remains of C12/13 ringwork of Lords of Glencarnie destroyed early C14

  • Closest To: Boat of Garten,Carrbridge,Nethy Bridge,Aviemore
  • Access: S.O.A.C. Public Access
  • Grid Reference: NH947196

Tom Pitlac is a hill overlooking the River Spey near Boat of Garten, and houses a medieval castle on the summit, the seat of the Lords of Glencarnie. The only visible remains are the great rectangular bank and ditch, and the site is in a field with no formal access for the public. The river-facing side of the castle has partially slipped down the slope, meaning one entire side of the site has been lost.

There has been no evidence uncovered that the castle of Glencarnie was ever fortified in stone, and was probably a similar structure to the Graham castle at Dundaff, with a timber palisade around the edge of the platform and at least one large timber hall within. The first four Gilberts of Glencarnie were an offshoot of the earls of Strathearn, and were opponents of Robert Bruce, meaning they were dispossessed in 1318. It is possible that the site was reoccupied by Thomas Randolph as part of his earldom of Moray, but if so, it fell out of use by the end of the century (perhaps the landslip was involved), and subsequently Glencarnie was administered from elsewhere.

HES Canmore database entry

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