Dunaverty Castle (9)
<i>&quot;In 1248, Henry III, King of England allowed Walter Byset to buy stores from Ireland for Dunaverty Castle which he had seized and was fortifying, apparently in revenge for hospitality given by Alexander II, King of Scotland to certain English pirates. However during that same year the castle was taken by Allan, the son of the Earl of Atholl, and Byset was taken prisoner.&quot;</i>

What's all that about?

Walter Bissett of Aboyne (as his surname is more usually spelt these days), married Ada de Galloway in 1233, the daughter of Roland (aka Lochlann), Lord of Galloway.  In 1241/2, according to the Melrose Chronicle, Patrick, Mormaer of Atholl, was lodging in Haddington following a tournament, when his enemies, &quot;most wicked men,&quot; torched his lodging, killing both him and his two unknown companions.  The chronicle had a high opinion of Padraig, and says that he was &quot;imbued with all courtly wisdom and wit.&quot;  His murderers were apparently Walter Bissett and his nephew John.

Despite attempts by King Alexander II to provide protection, both uncle and nephew were eventually banished to England, where they were &quot;received into the peace of King Henry III.&quot;  As was frequently the case in those days, King Henry then used the Bissetts to create mischief north of the border, and in 1248, Walter seized Dunaverty Castle and was granted permission by Henry to buy stores from Ireland to provision and fortify the castle.  It was however, to no avail.  The first known successful siege of Dunaverty, led by Allan, the son of the Earl of Atholl, took place later that year.  Walter was captured and died in 1251 on the Isle of Arran.
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