« Back to Western Isles listings

Kisimul Castle (HS)

Castlebay

This impressive island stronghold of the MacNeils dates from the early 15th Century. It withstood several seiges during the 1500s and 1600s, being finally abandoned as the MacNeils main residence in the mid 1700s. Gutted later by fire and used as a source of ballast by fishing boats, the castle was in a sorry state when it was bought in 1937 by the American architect and Clan Chief Robert MacNeil.He started work on the restoration in 1938 and completed it in 1970. Today the castle looks much as it would have done in 1700.Visitors reach the castle by boat and can see around most of the interior including the courtyard, great hall, kitchen and chapel. There are great views from the walkway around the curtain wall.