Langwell Castle (4)
The red lines I have added run pretty close to where the castle walls stood, although the exact position of the corner-tower at the north-west angle is difficult to determine under all the bracken.

In the 17th century, William 'McIan' Sutherland obtained 'absolute heritable right' to Langwell from Lord Breadalbane, thus becoming 1st laird of Langwell.  His son, James &quot;Meikle James&quot; Sutherland, was 2nd of Langwell and died between 1703 and 1708.  His daughter Esther married Robert, son of George Sutherland of Forse, and styled hiself as being 'of Achastle'.  Their son, James Sutherland of Langwell  was &quot;a jovial, hearty man, who liked a glass of good claret at home and abroad, and was exceedingly merry over it&quot;!  His son Robert Sutherland last of Langwell, sold Langwell in 1775 to William Gray, Provost-Marshal of Jamaica, who sold it 3 years later to Sir James Sinclair of Ulbster for £7000.

At the turn of the 19th century, Langwell was owned by Sir John Sinclair, who wanted to improve his estate and income by introducing sheep.  The best grazing land was occupied by tenants, whom he evicted and moved to Badbea, a few miles to the south on a cliff-top - said to be so inhospitable that on occasions the residents had to tether their animals and even small children to avoid them being swept over the cliffs by high winds!  

Langwell was bought by James Horne, who died in 1830 and left Langwell to his nephew Donald, who immediately set about making further 'improvements' to the estate, by evicting more tenants!
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