Its name is derived not from the Scots word auld, meaning old but from the Gaelic allt, meaning a burn or stream, its correct name being Caisteal Allt-na-Uig, or the castle of the burn of Wick.

The name is important because at the time of its erection, ie. the late 12th century, the town of Wick stood only on the north bank of the river of Wick (Amhain-na-Uig). It was almost certainly built at the order of William the Lion both as a stronghold for his protégé, earl Harald ungi Eiriksson, and to deter earl Harald Maddadarson of Orkney from ravaging the lands south of the Wick river.

Earl Harald ungi's sister, Ingibjorg, married Magnus II, earl of Caithness who died 1239 and the lands descended to his great-niece Johanna of Strathnaver who married Freskin de Moravia. Their eldest daughter, Mary de Moravia, married Reginald le Chen II (d.1305). Reginald le Chen II's granddaughter, Mary le Chen, married Nicholas Sutherland of Forbat, first baron of Torboll and a son of Kenneth 4th earl of Sutherland.

One of Nicholas's granddaughters, Christine Sutherland, married c.1489 George Oliphant and the couple had a charter of the lands and castle of Auldwick from James IV on 12th August 1497. Both the Sinclair earls and the Keiths of Inverugie challenged the Oliphants rights to this and other Caithness lands and castles, including Forse and Dunbeath, and the rival claims were the source of much feud and bloodshed.

The Clan Gunn supported Sir William Keith of Inverugie and Ackergill against the rival claims of the Sinclairs and Oliphants. The feud continued and for a while both the Caithness earl and Sir William Keith were outlawed, the latter being re-instated in 1508. Bodies of the Clan Gunn were sent to wait between Helmsdale and Langwell in order to ambush the Caithness earl should he attempt to cross the Ord.

He was not able to travel south until 1513 when most of the Gunns and the earl of Sutherland had already joined King James's army on its way to the fateful field of Flodden. William Sinclair and his men crossed the Ord in time and joined with the king who pardoned him. This earl died at Flodden and was succeeded by his son, John Sinclair who continued the feud with Sir William Keith.

The Caithness earl was summoned to court in 1515-16 but claimed he could not answer the summons "for fear of his life". Some time before March 1517-8 George Oliphant's younger brother, Charles Oliphant, was slain by the Gunns and the earl of Sutherland's men and when George Oliphant himself died childless, his younger brother, Andrew Oliphant of Berriedale became the senior heir to the Duffus inheritance which included the castle of Auldwick.

This right was challenged by William Sutherland of Quarrelwood, who crossed the Ord with a strong bodyguard in 1529-30. The Clan Gunn were apprised of his intentions and William Sutherland's men were caught in Thurso when a running street fight ensued. Sutherland's bodyguard were put to flight and he was slain. Andrew Oliphant of Berriedale died about the same time leaving behind three heiress daughters, Margaret, Catherine and Helen, who each succeeded to the Duffus inheritance.

The eldest daughter, Margaret Oliphant, married her second cousin, William Oliphant of Newton whose elder brother was Laurence, 3rd Lord Oliphant.

His son, Laurence, 4th Lord Oliphant was besieged in the Castle of Auldwick in July 1569. It was in his time, and that of his brothers, Peter and William, that the great riot occurred in Wick after which one of the Oliphants was chased all the way back to the castle and only saved his life by leaping on horseback across the chasm dividing the promontory from the mainland.

The gap today is far larger than any horse could leap but in the 16th century it was much narrower, the distance having increased considerably in the 19th century due to the quarrying carried out for building Stevenson's great breakwater, the harbours and house-building of Pulteneytown.

Laurence 4th Lord Oliphant died 16th January 1592-3 and was buried in the Old Parish Kirkyard of Wick. Claims to the lands and castle of Auldwick were taken up by George Sinclair, 5th earl of Caithness, who was a descendant of Mary Keith of Inverugie.

Michael J. Gunn
12th May 2002