Skibo Castle
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Skibo Castle is located to the west of Dornoch in Sutherland, Scotland overlooking the Dornoch Firth.
Construction of Skibo Castle was started by Gilbert de Moravia, the Bishop of Caithness around 1186 at Schytherbolle in the southern area of his bishopric. Schytherbolle is the Celtic name for Skibo and roughly translates as place of peace or fairlyland.
Skibo Castle remained the residence of subsequent bishops until 1545 when the estate was, as a tactical measure by the church, given to John Gray in order to reinforce its alliance with a powerful family as the threat of Protestant uprising spread towards the north.
In 1745, Robert Gray surrendered the estate. Its ownership changed frequently and its condition declined until 1897 when Andrew Carnegie took a one year lease with an option to buy. In 1898 he exercised that option for £85,000. However its condition had declined so much by this time that a further £2 million was needed for improvements.
Skibo Castle also hosted Madonna's wedding to Guy Ritchie on December 22, 2000.