following a storm in 1715. Later history By the 1770s the castle was roofless and was regarded as a romantic ruin by 19th-century painters and visitors to the Highlands. In 1884 the castle came under the control of Caroline, Dowager Countess of Seafield, widow of the 7th Earl of Seafield, on the death of her son the 8th Earl. On Lady Seafield's death in 1911 her will instructed that Urquhart Castle be entrusted into state care, and in October 1913 responsibility for the castle's upkeep was transferred to the Commissioners of His Majesty's Works and Public Buildings. Historic Environment Scotland (formerly Historic Scotland), the successor to the Office of Works, continues to maintain the castle, which is scheduled monument in recognition of its national significance. In 1994 Historic Scotland proposed the construction of a new visitor centre and car park to alleviate the problems of parking on the main A82 road. Strong local opposition led to a public inquiry, which approved the proposals in 1998. The new building is sunk into the embankment below the road, with provision for parking on the roof of the structure. The visitor centre includes a display of the history of the site, including a series of replicas from the medieval period; a cinema; a restaurant; and a shop. The castle is open all year, and can also host wedding ceremonies. In 2018 518,195 people visited Urquhart Castle, making it Historic Scotland's third most visited site after the castles of Edinburgh and Stirling. Description Urquhart Castle is sited on Strone Point, a triangular promontory on the north-western shore of Loch Ness, and commands the route along this side of the Great Glen as well as the entrance to Glen Urquhart. The castle is quite close to water level, though there are low cliffs along the northeast sides of the promontory. There is considerable room for muster on the inland side, where a "castle-toun" of service buildings would originally have stood, as well as gardens and orchards in the 17th century. Beyond this area the ground rises steeply to the north-west, up to the visitor centre and the A82. A dry moat, across at its widest, defends the landward approach, possibly excavated in the early Middle Ages. A stone-built causeway provides access, with a drawbridge formerly crossing the gap at the centre. The castle side of the causeway was formerly walled-in, forming an enclosed space similar