Armadale Castle
Coordinates: 57 ° 4 ′ 21.2 " N , 5 ° 53 ′ 41.9" W.
Armadale Castle is the former mansion of the Scottish MacDonald clan . The largely dilapidated castle is located between the places Ardvasar and Kilmore on the Sleat headland in the extreme south of the Isle of Skye .
history
The MacDonalds resided in Armadale from 1650 to 1690 in two farm houses. In 1690 they moved to Duntulm Castle in the north of Skye. In 1790 the clan had a manor house built in Armadale. In 1815 the property was expanded in the historicist style according to plans by James Gillespie Graham , but largely destroyed by fire in 1855. Parts of the ruins were replaced by a new building designed by the architect David Bryce. In 1925 the Armadale clan left and the complex fell into disrepair.
Armadale Castle today
Parts of all three construction phases have been preserved - the parts of the building erected in 1815 and after 1855, however, as ruins. Only the north wing of the 1790 building is usable. It was restored in the 1970s after Clan Donald Lands Trust bought Armadale Castle and the surrounding area in 1971. Today Armadale Castle is a tourist attraction mainly because of the restored gardens. The complex, which originally dates back to the 17th century, contains numerous exotic plants that grow here due to the mild climate created by the Gulf Stream . The preserved parts of the building are used for weddings. The Museum of the Isles is also located on the grounds of the castle .
Web links
- Armadale Castle on the site of Clan Donald Skye
- Armadale Castle in the register of European castles ( Memento from December 28, 2010 in the Internet Archive )