Lews Castle

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South east view of Lews Castle

Lews Castle is a mansion on the east coast of the Scottish Hebridean island of Lewis . It is also rarely referred to as Lewis Castle or Scottish Gaelic Caisteal Leòdhais . It is located on the Bay of Stornoway across from the island's capital, Stornoway .

The mansion goes back to the Seaforth Lodge of the MacKenzie clan , the King James VI. from Scotland entrusted the development of the island at the beginning of the 17th century. The MacKenzies, later known as the Earls of Seaforth , ruled Lewis's fortunes for nearly two centuries from this location. In 1844 the merchant James Matheson bought the island. He had the Seaforth Lodge demolished in favor of the construction of Lews Castle on the same site. Matheson also initiated the creation of the extensive parks and gardens. The industrialist William Lever bought the island in 1918. A few years before his death in 1923, he left the manor house with its lands to the citizens of Stornoway. During the use phase as a military hospital during World War II, the condition of the property deteriorated. Lews Castle College was established there in the 1950s . After Lews Castle had stood empty for an extended period of time, restoration work began in 2012 and was completed three years later. It has been home to the Lews Castle Museum since 2016 .

The embedding wooded park with partly exotic stock forms a striking contrast to the largely barren surroundings. Lews Castle is the only site in the Outer Hebrides to be designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest - an area of ​​special interest for nature conservation. Both Lews Castle and several external structures are listed as individual monuments in the Scottish monument lists. In addition to the mansion, the Sea Gate Lodge was also independently classified as a monument of the highest category A. Historic Scotland classifies the entire Lews Castle complex as particularly significant by awarding it the highest rating “outstanding” in five of seven categories.

history

Archaeological finds show that Lewis was settled as early as the Stone Age. Presumably, the protected natural harbor at today's island capital, Stornoway in the northeast of the island, was already an attractive settlement area at this time. For example, a cairn on the hill Cnoc na Croich in the park southwest of Lews Castle testifies to earlier settlement of this region. The building, which is around 24 m in diameter, probably contains two chambers, but has not yet been subjected to a detailed archaeological investigation.

It was presumably Vikings who founded the first closed settlements on Lewis in the 9th century. They too settled in what is now the Bay of Stornoway and possibly established the nucleus of the future city. At this time, extensive forest landscapes dominated the image of the island, which only got its current, barren appearance through slash and burn and intensive sheep farming. Since the Middle Ages , the island's jurisdiction has been in this place, as evidenced by the Cnoc na Croich ("Gallows Hill ") in today's Lews Castle Park . A smaller cairn from more recent times probably marks the location of the gallows.

In the 12th century a fortress was built on the site of the present port of Stornoway, which made the region even more important. After the Norse Nicholsons (also MacNicols ) had ruled Lewis into the early 14th century, the native MacLeods took over the scepter. In the early 17th century, the people of Lewis were considered barbaric with rude manners. To develop the island, Jacob VI spoke . of Scotland (from 1603 James I of England) to the MacKenzies of Kintail Lewis in 1610 . As early as 1607, Stornoway was granted the status of Burgh of Barony by royal decree . After the MacKenzies initially only gradually gained influence over the MacLeods, the destruction of the MacLeod fortress by Cromwell's troops broke their supremacy.

Lewis among the Mackenzies of Kintail

Kenneth Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Seaforth ; Oil painting probably by John Michael Wright

With the rule of the MacKenzies of Kintail over Lewis and Harris, a new line of the clan emerged . In 1623 Colin MacKenzie was installed as the first Earl of Seaforth . The name of the Earldom is derived from the inlet Loch Seaforth , which forms part of the natural boundary between Lewis and Harris . Brahan Castle , the ancestral home of the Earls of Seaforth, was not in the Hebrides , but was near Dingwall in Easter Ross . In order to create a base on Lewis, the Earls of Seaforth built a stately country house on the rough terrain west of Stornoway by 1680 at the latest, which they named "Seaforth Lodge". From this they controlled the fortunes of the island until the 19th century. At no point did they live on the property permanently and only occasionally undertook the arduous journey through the Highlands to meet their obligations on Lewis.

The Earls of Seaforth initially supported the ruling dynasty of the Stuarts , but joined the Jacobite pretenders in the Glorious Revolution in 1688 . Nonetheless, the Earltum remained under the following Stuart rulers. In addition to the Dukes of Argyll , Atholl and Gordon , the Earls of Seaforth grew into one of the four most influential noble lineages in the Highlands. Since the remote island of Lewis had proven to be a safe haven for the Jacobite cause, conspiratorial meetings were held at Seaforth Lodge to plan the Jacobite uprisings of 1715 . After the rebellions were put down, William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth , whose Earl dignity was revoked in 1716, and the noble leaders of the 1719 rebellions met at Seaforth Lodge. It was there that the alliance of Jacobite and Spanish troops was forged, which was ultimately defeated by the British royalists at the Battle of Glen Shiel in June of the same year. Despite his prominent role in the uprisings, William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth, was pardoned in 1726 without regaining his title of nobility. With Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Seaforth , the line of Earls of Seaforth was continued in 1771. The Mackenzies of Seaforth lineage died out with the passing of Francis Mackenzie, 1st Baron Seaforth in 1815.

Among the MacKenzies, families immigrated from mainland Scotland to Lewis. They brought the knowledge of more efficient farming methods to the island. The Earls of Seaforth promoted the creation of pasture and arable land and implemented crofting, a tenancy system that kept the residents dependent and forced them to do odd jobs as they no longer had any common land. As a result of the efforts, many island farmers achieved a certain wealth. Lewis not only became largely independent of imports, but also exported parts of his crops. A cultural development of the islanders began with this.

With the death of Francis Mackenzie, Lewis fell to his daughter Mary . A few years later she married James Stewart , who from then on carried the name Stewart-Mackenzie. In the decades that followed, the Stewart-Mackenzies continued the efforts of the Earls of Seaforth. During that time, several schools were founded and the Seaforth Lodge property was maintained. In the 1830s, the company issued its own paper money, the design of which was based on the 1 pound note. With the death of Stewart-Mackenzies in 1843, the reign of the Mackenzies on Lewis ended.

Matheson, Lever and Lews Castle

James Matheson, 1st Baronet about 1837

James Matheson, 1st Baronet , who had made his fortune in the opium trade in the Far East , bought Lewis Island in 1844 for £ 190,000  . A short time later, planning began for the construction of a new mansion at the Seaforth Lodge site. Since the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone can be safely dated to November 30, 1847, various details regarding the completion are recorded in the literature. So the work was completed in either 1851, 1854 or 1860. The discrepancies are presumably due to different definitions of the end time and reflect the construction of external buildings over decades. The total cost was around £ 60,000. In a second, partly parallel construction phase, Matheson had the young Lews Castle embedded in an extensive park. This measure required, in addition to the moving in of arable and pasture areas, the evacuation and leveling of various farms and agricultural hamlets, which Matheson incurred the resentment of the population. On the other hand, the construction work meant the creation of jobs and the provision of food in a time marked by the famine caused by potato rot . The transport infrastructure was also completely revised and modernized in the course of the work, so that the public roads lined the extended property. The work cost £ 49,000. Matheson died in 1878 and the Isle of Lewis was inherited within the family.

William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme

In 1918, William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme , co-founder of the detergent manufacturer Lever Brothers (now part of the Unilever Group), bought the Isle of Lewis for £ 143,000. The following year he also added Harris , the southern part of the twin islands of Lewis and Harris , to his possessions. Within three years, Lever spent £ 2 million developing the island's economic structure, with a focus on Stornoway. Lews Castle also extensively modernized Lever. So he had the building electrified, installed heating and a telephone system and set up additional bathrooms. Lews Castle was the first building on the island to be supplied with electricity. With the necessary power plant built at the head of the bay, electricity was generated on the double island for the first time.

In addition to the visual redesign of the interior, a ballroom was also added in the course of the work. Invitations for the balls held there were popular and numerous peers paid a visit to Lews Castle in the following years. As elsewhere, Lever's philanthropic streak finally emerged in 1923 and he gave Lews Castle and 270  hectares of land to the residents of Stornoway Parish . The conditions for the donation were the municipal use of the property and the establishment of the Provost's seat in Lews Castle. The Stornoway Trust was set up to manage the property for the benefit of the population.

As a result of the poor macroeconomic situation in the 1920s and 1930s, combined with rising maintenance costs for Lews Castle, the Stornoway Trust was forced to rent the property to Lord Portarlington . During the Second World War , the navy seized the manor house and used it primarily as a naval hospital. To protect the facility, anti-aircraft guns and makeshift barracks to accommodate soldiers were built not far from the building. This period of use resulted in a considerable deterioration in the overall condition of the property. Not only did the landscaped forests grow unkempt, the glass houses built in the 1870s with their collection of exotic plants were so damaged that they had to be demolished afterwards. In 1953, the Stornoway Trust sold Lews Castle along with around five hectares of land to the government of Ross and Cromarty . This set up the Lews Castle College there. In 1980 Lews Castle was added to the register of endangered listed buildings. Its condition had deteriorated noticeably over the course of the century and the structural defects that frequently occurred in the work of the architect Charles Wilsons , which an engineer had already pointed out during the construction phase, came to light. As a result of this, the college first moved to a hotel in 1988 and then moved to a new building in 1998 on the grounds of Lews Castle. After substantial restorations, the mansion was used from time to time in the 1990s until 1996. When the caretaker moved out, the building was finally empty from 2002. In the following year the Lews Castle Trust Ltd. founded a society for the preservation of Lews Castle.

Scaffolding during the restoration work in summer 2012

Since the 1980s, ways of continuing to use Lews Castle have been explored. The establishment of an art center, an old people's home, a hotel and the conversion to living space were discussed, for which financial subsidies of various amounts should be made available by the authorities. Ultimately, in 2010 the decision was made to set up a museum with an attached hotel, for which funding was made available by Historic Scotland , the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Fund for Regional Development . The first phase of this project started in 2012, for which the Heritage Lottery Fund alone provided £ 4.3 million. After a further tranche of £ 1.3m was distributed in 2013, the second construction phase was completed in 2015.

After the establishment of the museum, which focuses on the history of Lewis, began in 2014, it opened its doors in July 2016. The bilingual text design in Scottish Gaelic and English , with the former being the main language, is unusual . In addition to the ground floor of Lewis Castle, the museum uses a modern extension on the west side of the manor house.

Buildings

Seaforth Lodge

View over Seaforth Lodge to Stornoway; William Daniel, 1819

The Mackenzies' Seaforth Lodge was in a slightly elevated position on the opposite side of the bay from Stornoway. Few records have survived about the building. In addition to land maps from the years 1785 and 1820, there are pictures from the years 1789, 1790 and 1819. Two of the pictures show the Seaforth Lodge as a two-story building, to which two further wings adjoin in the southeast. The painting from 1790, on the other hand, only shows a one-story main building on which construction work is being carried out, so that an increase in storeys is being considered at this time. A wing in the southwest could also have been created in this construction phase. There are no window openings on the ground floor of the main building, which is reminiscent of a tower house . The drawings suggest that Seaforth Lodge ended with a surrounding balustrade and hipped roof . It was painted white, creating a striking contrast to the surrounding landscape. There was a dock for the Earls' ships on the bank. The outbuildings visible in the paintings have not been identified. Various sources note a small wood in the otherwise largely treeless landscape not far from the manor house. This is consistent with the note of a shipment of plants and seeds in an 1829 letter from Brahan Castle.

For the construction of Lews Castle, the Seaforth Lodge was probably at least largely demolished. Certainly only the remains of a wall from the old mansion still come today. However, its location coincides with that of Lews Castle, so that there is speculation about a possible incorporation of entire building segments into the structure of Lews Castle. Two reworked corbels on a tower clearly do not date from the time Lews Castle was built. Traces on the components could indicate the use on a balustrade structure, which is in line with the presumed architecture of the Seaforth Lodge. In no case, however, is clear evidence.

Lews Castle

Close up view of the south side
Overview of the property

The approximately 270 hectare grounds of Lews Castle extend west of Stornoway and use Stornoway Bay as a natural border in the southeast. Matheson commissioned Glasgow architect Charles Wilson to plan the mansion in the 1840s . As a student of David Hamilton , Wilson orientated himself on his architectural work. His design in the Tudor Gothic style shows clear parallels to Hamilton's Lennox Castle and Castle Toward as well as to Drummuir Castle . Lews Castle was to remain Wilson's largest assignment. Its original blueprints are lost and could have been destroyed in a fire in Stornoways town hall in 1918.

Several towers, the highest of which rises 31 m, dominate the silhouette of the asymmetrically constructed, two to three-story mansion. Its masonry consists of locally broken stone, which was hewn into irregular cuboids and built into layered masonry . The natural stone surrounds made of yellowish imported stone on the windows and doors are contrasted in color . An irregular course of the facade with staggered components and lighting was deliberately chosen. All parts of the building close by on corbels mounted battlements reinforcement of polished ashlar that largely obscured the underlying, mostly low-pitched roofs. The evenly arranged windows are made with stone window posts and bars and, especially on the lower floors, are coupled and closed with Tudor arches .

While the main facade faces east, i.e. towards Stornoway, the entrance area is at the foot of a four-story tower on the north side that protrudes slightly from the facade. It is designed with a flat porte-cochère and two entrance portals, only one of which is still in use. The portal edging is simple and, like the final lintels , plastered with Harl . On the opposite south side there is a flat ballroom, the balustrade of which is adorned with grotesque gargoyles . Adjacent, James Matheson's heirs had a curved greenhouse added around 1870 , where exotic flowers, bushes and ferns were grown. As a result of neglect and destruction during the Second World War, the massive building had to be demolished after the end of the war. A relatively high brick chimney on this side of the building could have led the exhaust air from the associated heating and thus be a leftover from the greenhouse.

The entrance door leads to a long corridor with a fan vault that extends to the arched portal of the ballroom. On the left hand side are the common rooms richly ornamented with pilasters and cornices and decorated in the Victorian style . On the right, however, are the servants' economic areas. A staircase with a cast-iron balustrade leads to the first floor with Matheson's former private rooms and rooms for high-ranking guests. The servants' quarters and simple guest rooms are located on the second floor. Under Leverhulme, the ballroom was converted into a ballroom with Ionic columns. The walls were once hung with tapestries , which are now on display in the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight .

As a Category A Monument, Lews Castle is classified as a monument of the highest category assigned to structures of international importance.

Matheson Memorial

The Matheson Memorial as seen from Stornoway
Marble commemorative plaque

In 1880 Lady Matheson had this monument erected in memory of her husband, who died in 1878. It was built on the hillside above the older fortification wall, which follows the coastline in a curved arch. The structure is located around 300 m southwest of Lews Castle and forms a striking landmark in the park landscape from Stornoway (location: 58 ° 12 ′ 32.5 ″  N , 6 ° 23 ′ 49.2 ″  W ). The statue and plinth are carved from white marble and stylistically based on French Renaissance architecture.

Four Corinthian columns support a square marble canopy . This spans the central statue. Round arches fill the spaces between the columns. The origin of the family fortune from the opium trade is reflected in the decoration of the dome with poppy flowers. An oval plaque is embedded in the base. It shows a relief by Matheson in profile framed by the inscription "IN MEMORIAM • SIR JAMES MATHESON". The most important life data are given below.

“Born at Shiness, November 17th 1796 / Married at Edinburgh, November 9th 1843 / Died at Mentone, France, December 31st 1878.”

"Born in Shiness, November 17, 1796 / Married in Edinburgh, November 9, 1843 / Died in Mentone, France, December 31, 1878."

The building was extensively restored in 2005 and 2006. In the course of this work, the plaque and statue were moved back to their original locations in 2005. The Matheson Memorial is listed as a single category B monument in the monument lists.

Marybank Lodge

Marybank Lodge is located on the northwest access road to Lews Castle, just beyond the enclosure wall. It is only a few meters away from the A859, about a hundred meters below the junction with the A858 (location: 58 ° 12 ′ 59.4 ″  N , 6 ° 24 ′ 32.9 ″  W ). A wrought -iron gate anchored to cast-iron posts closes the approaching carriage path. Pedestrians enter the site through flanking, smaller-sized gates.

The Marybank Lodge, which is classified in the monument category C, probably dates from the mid-19th century and was designed together with the main building by Charles Wilson. It has an L-shaped floor plan with a front facing south-west facing the road. The masonry consists of quarry stone roughly hewn into cuboids , which was built into a jointed layered masonry . The dark color of the stone forms a clear contrast to the yellowish natural stone that was used on the window frames and lintels. The entrance area of ​​the one-story building is in the inner corner. On the gable side there is an opening with three windows. A blind gable facing northwest may have once supported a chimney that has since been removed. The main chimney is located at the back of the building above a small extension with a sloping roof . The top floor of the lodge has been expanded and is illuminated by dormer windows and skylights . The tile covering of the roof, like the skylights, does not correspond to the original condition.

Creed Lodge

Bridge near the Creed Lodge

The Creed Lodge flanks the southwest approach to Lews Castle. The residential building is protected as a Category C monument. Similar to the Marybank Lodge, it is only a few meters off the A859 directly beyond the enclosure wall and together with it overlooks the two western access roads (location: 58 ° 12 ′ 20.1 ″  N , 6 ° 25 ′ 9.9 ″  W ). The lodge was probably designed by Wilson and dates back to the construction period of Lews Castle. The two-story quarry stone structure has an elongated floor plan. It closes with a slightly inclined flat roof below which a cornice on brackets runs around. Possibly the roof once closed with battlements, which gave the building a reinforced character. Corbels enter below the roof extending ledges . On the street side, a castle-like tower with a square floor plan emerges, the sides of which run diagonally to the facade. This once possibly formed a harmonious unit with the battlements. In contrast to the exposed brickwork , the door and window lintels are painted and thus contrasted in color. Originally the entrance door was on the road side. In the meantime, however, the opening has been partially closed and replaced by a window. The roofing on the east facade probably does not correspond to the original condition either.

The quarry stone wall indented in the area of ​​the driveway is significantly lower at the level of the Creed Lodge than at the Marybank Lodge. A wrought iron fence reinforced with spikes is anchored on it. The access consists of a central carriage path with flanking pedestrian paths. In terms of style, the wrought-iron gates harmonize with the fence. The open, cast-iron gate pillars are particularly noteworthy. They consist of eight individual rods that combine to form an octagonal pillar. The pillars are a rare example of the excellent craftsmanship in the early days of metalworking in the area around Stornoway.

A few meters to the east, a small stream runs in a north-south direction, spanned by an arched bridge made of quarry stone. It consists of a single segment arch and leads the access road in an easterly direction. Rustic masonry covers the parapets.

Porter's Lodge

Porter's Lodge on the western edge of Stornoway

Porter's Lodge is the main driveway to Lews Castle from the direction of Stornoway. The archway is on the western edge of the city away from today's A857 (location: 58 ° 12 ′ 57.3 ″  N , 6 ° 23 ′ 12.9 ″  W ). It spans a tree-lined carriage path that ends at the manor house. Its current course does not correspond to the original route, but crosses it several times. Wilson was probably also responsible for the design of this complex driveway. Architecturally, there are parallels to the gatehouse of the Southern Necropolis in Glasgow , which Wilson also planned.

Porter's Lodge consists of a high archway with a square floor plan. The quarry stone structure has a square floor plan. It is designed with neo-Gothic motifs and an ornamented, cantilevered battlement reinforcement, which gives it a castle-like character. The passage is worked as a lined pointed arch . A two-winged, wrought-iron gate closes the driveway.

One-story rooms adjoin on both sides. Like the gatehouse, they have a square floor plan and are also decorated with suggested battlements. Round-arched cornices crown the brick-lined twin windows facing the city . At the rear, the buildings are not designed identically. Porter's Lodge is listed in the Scottish Monument Lists in Monument Category B. In 1998 it was added to the list of endangered buildings in Scotland. Their condition was classified as poor in 2008, but with moderate risk.

Sea Gate Lodge

Fortification wall with the Sea Gate Lodge

As the only outbuilding of Lews Castle, the Sea Gate Lodge is classified as a Category A monument, as is the main building. A monument ensemble explicitly consists of the lodge and the quarry stone wall along the coastline. This closes with a pseudo-tinned armor and thus takes up the fortress character of Lews Castle. Defense towers emerge in several places and project a short distance above the masonry. At the north end, the wall ends with a larger, square tower. A wooden bullet attached does not correspond to the original condition. The wall stretches along the coastline to beyond Cuddy Point , a flat natural cape . On the land side, it lines a footpath. At the north end there is a slipway with two steel crane arms. Behind it is a modern shed.

Since there was no threat at the time of construction, the wall did not serve a defensive purpose, but should only be interpreted as an ornament. The towers are also only to be understood as pseudo-structures, although they are also provided with circumferential battlements. It is believed that construction began around 1845 as one of the first works on the site. In 2009 the facilities were entered on the Scotland List of Listed Listed Buildings at Risk. In 2010, their condition was classified as very poor and at the same time high risk.

A memorial plaque is embedded in an extension of the original wall at Cuddy Point from 1868. Their inscription reads:

“This wall at Cuddy Point is erected by me Anne Mary Perceval as a memento of deer [sic!] Love and gratitude to the best of sons-in-law Sir James Matheson Bart MP in commemoration of the anniversary of his silver-wedding- day kept at Lews Castle Nov 19th 1868. ”

“This wall at Cuddy Point was erected by Anny Mary Perceval as a token of her cherished love and gratitude for the best son-in-law Sir John Matheson Bart (Baronet) MP (Member of Parliament) in commemoration of his silver wedding anniversary on November 19, 1868 Lews Castle was committed. "

The one-story Sea Gate Lodge has a T-shaped floor plan. Its front side faces the bay (position: 58 ° 12 ′ 36.3 ″  N , 6 ° 23 ′ 30.5 ″  W ). Originally, two entrance doors in the inner corners led into the interior of the building, of which the left one has meanwhile been closed by masonry. A bulge emerges on the left side. The lodge ends with slate roofs.

bridges

Numerous bridges lead the various paths on the property over the natural and artificial streams. A small bridge near the Creed Lodge forms a monument ensemble with it. Two other bridges are classified as individual monuments. Both bridges are located north of the manor house and are less than 200 m away from it. Possibly both already existed at the time of Seaforth Lodge, although the construction in the course of the construction of Lews Castle is considered more likely. The arched bridge, located around 200 m northeast of the main building, is large enough to cross the narrow Allt nam Brog stream . The quarry stone structure spans the water with a segmental arch. Its flanks are clad with rusticated exposed brickwork. Wrought iron, tapering railings form the parapets. The bridge has been under monument protection in category B since 1993. The second, also nameless bridge is classified as a category C monument. It is a simple arch bridge made of quarry stone with a span of about 1.7 m. Its parapet is very low and can hardly be described as such.

Modern buildings

New Lews Castle College building

An 18-hole golf course was set up in the northern part of the park in the 1940s. The Stornoway Golf Club previously operated a facility around four kilometers to the east near the future Stornoway Airport . After the airfield was set up for military purposes, the area beyond Porter's Lodge was assigned to the association in 1946. In the middle of the golf course there were once two octagonal concrete slabs. These were cast during the Second World War and served as foundations for anti-aircraft guns. A command post with ammunition sheds and two bunkers completed the facility. The brick buildings have since been partially demolished and the concrete platforms removed.

Another military facility was located directly southeast of Lews Castle. It probably consisted of twelve huts and could have served as accommodation for the marines trained in the port of Stornoway. The facilities were completely removed after the end of the war. A sea rescue station is located on a headland around 300 m southwest of the Sea Gate Lodge. Stone is mined on the western border of the land, between Marybank Lodge and Creed Lodge.

In 1953, the Ross and Cromarty government established Lews Castle College in Lews Castle. The college started with 93 students and 9 employees. Over the decades it has become increasingly important and is now part of the University of the Highlands and Islands with around 2,700 students. Due to structural defects, the college left Lews Castle in 1988 and has since moved to a hotel. In 1998 the school finally moved into a new building around 150 m northwest of Lews Castle, directly south of the golf course.

Park

View of Castle Park from the harbor in Stornoway
Diverse plant population; on the left the trunk of a Chilean araucaria

Lewis is largely treeless and large areas of the boggy landscapes have degenerated into heather . One of the few contrasting points is the extensive park area of ​​Lews Castle, which takes up large parts of the 270 hectare estate. A seed delivery has already been described from the time of the Seaforth Lodge and a few years later there is a report of a small forest, which could form the nucleus of today's forest. In its current expansion, however, Lews Castle Park was certainly only created under Matheson's leadership in the course of the construction of Lews Castle. Its facility required the clearing of arable and pasture areas and the relocation of farmers. Furthermore, the demarcation of the area required a redesign of the road network west of Stornoway, which significantly shaped the current course of the road.

In the south-west, the A859, which runs to the southern tip of Harris, lines the enclosure wall until the A858, coming from the west coast, joins and forms a border in the north-east and north. In the northeast, the Bayhead River delimits the land from the city of Stornoways, which expands south to the Stornoway Bay and forms a natural barrier. In the south, the park includes the Greeta River (River Creed) from its junction with the A858 and ends on the other side of the southern bank. In the original plan, a further expansion in a southerly direction was planned. However, the lack of import of suitable soil limited the project. Nonetheless, the design continued until Matheson's death and was continued by his heirs. In 1917, Lord Leverhulme commissioned the landscape architect Thomas Mawson to redesign the complex. Mawson's plans were only partially implemented and essentially comprised the design of the riverside path along the Greeta River in the south. With the exception of the banks, the property is completely fenced. Today the facility represents an important recreational area in the region around Stornoway.

The park is roughly divided into two areas, of which the southern, predominantly wooded area is called Castle Park and the northern, more grassy area is called Lady Lever Park . Due to its particularly worthy of protection character, the entire complex is the only one in the Outer Hebrides to be designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest . Their high importance is reflected in the classification of the Scottish authorities. The property is given the highest rating “outstanding” in five categories. This includes the overall artistic design with numerous works of art and decorative elements. Embedded in the design are several buildings of architectural historical value, eight of which are listed. The scenic panorama, which contributes significantly to the impression of Stornoway and the bay, and the rich population of non-native trees and bushes are mentioned as further points. The main stocks of the mixed forest are sycamore maple , beech , ash , elm , pine , mountain ash , oak , horse chestnut and fir . However, numerous specimens fell victim to a storm in 1989. Under the protective umbrella of the trees, rhododendrons , especially the Pontic rhododendron , as well as magnificent raspberries thrive . Groups of trees can also be found in the north of Lady Lever Park, which are mainly made up of beech, sycamore, linden and horse chestnut. Finally, the historical importance of the property in connection with the life paths of Matheson and Lord Leverhulme is rated as outstanding.

Immediately southwest of Lews Castle is a section of the park called Woodland Garden , which is characterized by an extraordinary biodiversity and was once supplemented by greenhouses . In addition to the aforementioned species, Chilean araucarias , Himalayan cedars , red beeches , Douglas firs , West American hemlocks , thuys and cypresses can also be found there.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Entry on Cnoc na Croich  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
  2. ↑ a b Scheduled Monument - entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  3. ↑ D. Porter, D. Prince: Frommer's Scotland. 1st edition. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken 2006, ISBN 0-7645-9827-9 , p. 390.
  4. ^ Entry in the Gazetteer for Scotland .
  5. ^ Entry in the Gazetteer for Scotland .
  6. ^ A b Peter Cunningham: The Castle of the Lews. 1st edition. Acair, Stornoway 2008, ISBN 978-0-86152-356-6 , pp. 12-13.
  7. ^ A b c Peter Cunningham: The Castle of the Lews. 1st edition. Acair, Stornoway 2008, ISBN 978-0-86152-356-6 , pp. 19-20.
  8. ^ A b T. Innes, F. Adam: The Clans, Septs and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands 1934. 1st edition. Kessinger, 2004, ISBN 1-4179-8076-1 , p. 86.
  9. ↑ a b c d e f g History of Lews Castle ( Memento of the original from December 7, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. the Stornoway Historical Society  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.stornowayhistoricalsociety.org.uk
  10. ↑ Seaforth Lodge 1719 ( Memento of the original from September 28, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Stornoway Historical Society.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.stornowayhistoricalsociety.org.uk
  11. ^ Peter Cunningham: The Castle of the Lews. 1st edition. Acair, Stornoway 2008, ISBN 978-0-86152-356-6 , pp. 14-17.
  12. ^ Peter Cunningham: The Castle of the Lews. 1st edition. Acair, Stornoway 2008, ISBN 978-0-86152-356-6 , pp. 24-27.
  13. ^ Peter Cunningham: The Castle of the Lews. 1st edition. Acair, Stornoway 2008, ISBN 978-0-86152-356-6 , p. 33.
  14. ↑ a b c d Information on the history of Lews Castle
  15. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Entry on Lews Castle  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
  16. ↑ a b c Entry in the Gazetteer for Scotland
  17. ↑ a b c d e Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  18. ↑ a b Information ( Memento of the original from April 2, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on buildingsatrisk.org.uk  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk
  19. ↑ Heritage Lottery Fund: Heritage Lottery Fund grant for Lews Castle brings economic optimism to the Hebrides , November 22, 2011.
  20. ↑ BBC News Face lift: Inside Stornoway's revamped Lews Castle , February 25, 2015.
  21. ^ Information from the Lews Castle Museum.
  22. ^ J. Sinclair (Ed.): Statistical Account for Scotland. Angus & Son, Aberdeen, 1797, p. 242.
  23. ^ J. Knox: A Tour through the Highlands of Scotland, and the Hebride Isles. London 1786, p. 180.
  24. ^ A b c J. Wilson: A Voyage round the Coasts of Scotland and the Isles. Volume 1, Adam & Charles Black, Edinburgh 1842, pp. 371-372.
  25. ↑ a b c d e f Garden and Designed Landscape - entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  26. ^ Peter Cunningham: The Castle of the Lews. 1st edition. Acair, Stornoway 2008, ISBN 978-0-86152-356-6 , pp. 44-45.
  27. ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  28. ^ Entry on Matheson Memorial  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
  29. ↑ Information ( Memento of the original from June 13, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. of the Stornoway Trust .  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.stornowaytrust.org.uk
  30. ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  31. ↑ a b c Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  32. ↑ a b c Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  33. ↑ Information on buildingsatrisk.org.uk.
  34. ↑ a b c d Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  35. ↑ Entry on buildingsatrisk.org.uk.
  36. ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  37. ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  38. ↑ Information ( Memento of the original from February 20, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. of the Stornoway Golf Club .  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.stornowaygolfclub.co.uk
  39. ↑ Entry on Ranol  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
  40. ↑ Entry on Ranol  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
  41. ↑ Entry on New Lifeboat Station and Slipway  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
  42. ↑ Entry on Marybank Quarry  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
  43. ↑ Stornoway Gazette Stornoway - a university town , December 28, 2012.
  44. ^ Entry in the Gazetteer for Scotland .
  45. ↑ Information ( Memento of the original from September 28, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. of the Council of the Outer Hebrides. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.cne-siar.gov.uk

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Commons : Lews Castle  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 58 ° 12 ′ 41.5 ″  N , 6 ° 23 ′ 39.9 ″  W.

This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on September 8, 2016 .