Blackness Castle / Fort William

Blackness Castle is a 15th century-old fortress built by the Crichton family. It has been used as a royal residence, a prison and a weapons store. Due to its unusual shape, it is often referred to as ‘the ship that never sailed’.

When selecting a filming location for Outlander’s Fort William, Blackness Castle is the setting for Black Jack Randall’s stronghold. This is the scene where Jamie was whipped and tortured during his incarceration was filmed here, filling fans with genuine compassion for Jamie.

This is also where Jamie’s father passed away after watching his son facing punishment. During the mid-season finale of series one, Blackness Castle was used when Claire was held captive by Black Jack before Jamie breaks into Fort William to rescue her.

Not only did Blackness Castle showcase the backdrop of Fort William, but also captured scenes from 1990’s Hamlet and 2019’s Mary Queen of Scots.