Prince Charlie’s House

About Prince Charlie’s House

During the 1745 attempt to restore the Stuart Monarchy, Prince Charles Edward Stuart -Bonnie Prince Charlie -is said to have stayed in this house on 6 and 7 November whilst making towards England with his army of supporters. A stone plaque on the first floor records this event. There was a complicated sundial at second floor level, which bore the Latin inscription “FUMIT CUNCTUS NOVANTHUS”, although the sundial and the arms have now become badly eroded. An unusual feature of the BonniePrince CharliePlaque sundial was its bowl and slab faces. Most of the building has been restored or rebuilt and little of the original fabric remains.
Enter Blackhills Close and walk through (under) the buildings, and you will see some interesting features where you emerge, including an ornate doorway. Return to Castlegate and head through Cornelius Close (but mind your head!) to emerge once more to the rear of the properties. Here you will see a drum staircase on your left, which was added in 1978 to the rear of Numbers 3-5 Castlegate (which date from the late 17th century) and replaced a range which extended back from the building. Although this is a later addition, it returns the building to something like its original plan. These Closes give a sense of what the medieval backland layout may have been like. Retrace your steps back to Castlegate and continue downhill. Numbers 1 and 2 Castlegate are set back from the rest of the buildings. Built in the 18th century they were altered in the 19th and again in the 20th century.