Lews Castle and its Grounds - A Brief History - 2 Minute Read
The Lews Castle site has been associated with four phases of ownership since the 17th Century. The proprietors have been the Mackenzies of Seaforth (1610-1844), Sir James and Lady Matheson (1844-1918), and Lord Leverhulme (1918-1923). Leverhulme gifted the Castle and 64,000 acres of land to the people of Stornoway in 1923 and the Stornoway Trust was established to manage this substantial estate on behalf of the community who now "own" the land.
Although the Mackenzies had owned Lewis from 1610-1844, the welfare of the country people had not materially improved, although the village of Stornoway had become a town. When Sir James Matheson became the new proprietor in 1844, the underdevelopment of the island presented a challenge for him. He had little interest in the fishing industry, believing that the future prosperity of the island depended on the development of the land. Matheson saw an opportunity to build a new property which would be worthy of his position, and to also exploit the island's land resources to his financial advantage.
The Lews Castle and its grounds , which cover 600 acres (243 hectares) of mixed woodland, were created by Matheson and his wife in 1847 and took seven years to build. The rough pasture, moorland, roadways and dwellings which had occupied the area until the 1840's were all replaced. It is believed that soil was imported from the mainland to make the ground more fertile. The grounds, at their peak, had no rival in Scotland for their range of exotic flora, which grew on formerly barren hills and pastureland.
Sir James Matheson died in 1878 and his wife ran the estate until her death in 1896. The estate was inherited by family but it was eventually sold to Lord Leverhulme, the creator of Lever Brothers and Port Sunlight. When he bought the island in 1918 his intention was to revolutionise the lives and environment of its 30,000 people. He promised that Lewis and Harris would become the industrial miracle of the north with a population of up to 200,000. Leverhulme used the Castle for business and entertainment as he pursued his ambitious development plans; he extended the ballroom and added central heating, electric lighting, and internal phones. However, following the failure of his plans he gifted the Castle and its grounds to the people of Stornoway in 1923.
The Castle was used in wartime as a naval hospital and came into local authority ownership around 1950 when it became the first home of the Lews Castle College. Educational use continued until 1988 when the building was vacated by Lews Castle School following the discovery of structural defects. Although partly re-occupied after major repairs, the Castle gradually fell out of use and has been vacant since the mid 1990's until recently.
The Castle was redeveloped at a cost of £19.5 million into a luxury self-catering complex with an attached Museum Nan Eilean. The new museum, which opened with the complex in 2016, is the first in the UK to use Gaelic as its first language.
It displays the collections of the former town based Museum Nan Eilean as well as supporting the work of more than 20 different heritage organisations. It houses an archive facility allowing items of local significance that are currently held by The National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh to be brought back to the islands.
The museum and archive actively links to the network of historical societies, local museums and heritage sites throughout the Outer Hebrides. It also houses 6 of the Lewis Chessmen which have been returned from the British Museum for permanent display.
The Grounds include three walks of over 9 miles (14kms) in length designed to highlight the main features of shoreline, woodland, river, and open moorland; and 7 miles (11kms) of bike trails; there is salmon and sea-trout fishing on the River Creed, an 18-hole golf course, a woodlands centre and cafe, and a commercial sawmill.
The Lews Castle College of Further Education and campus of The University of Highlands and Islands is located in close proximity to the Castle.
The Grounds also host the annual three-day Hebridean Celtic Music Festival that attracts several thousand visitors every year.
The Lews Castle site has been associated with four phases of ownership since the 17th Century. The proprietors have been the Mackenzies of Seaforth (1610-1844), Sir James and Lady Matheson (1844-1918), and Lord Leverhulme (1918-1923). Leverhulme gifted the Castle and 64,000 acres of land to the people of Stornoway in 1923 and the Stornoway Trust was established to manage this substantial estate on behalf of the community who now "own" the land.
Although the Mackenzies had owned Lewis from 1610-1844, the welfare of the country people had not materially improved, although the village of Stornoway had become a town. When Sir James Matheson became the new proprietor in 1844, the underdevelopment of the island presented a challenge for him. He had little interest in the fishing industry, believing that the future prosperity of the island depended on the development of the land. Matheson saw an opportunity to build a new property which would be worthy of his position, and to also exploit the island's land resources to his financial advantage.
The Lews Castle and its grounds , which cover 600 acres (243 hectares) of mixed woodland, were created by Matheson and his wife in 1847 and took seven years to build. The rough pasture, moorland, roadways and dwellings which had occupied the area until the 1840's were all replaced. It is believed that soil was imported from the mainland to make the ground more fertile. The grounds, at their peak, had no rival in Scotland for their range of exotic flora, which grew on formerly barren hills and pastureland.
Sir James Matheson died in 1878 and his wife ran the estate until her death in 1896. The estate was inherited by family but it was eventually sold to Lord Leverhulme, the creator of Lever Brothers and Port Sunlight. When he bought the island in 1918 his intention was to revolutionise the lives and environment of its 30,000 people. He promised that Lewis and Harris would become the industrial miracle of the north with a population of up to 200,000. Leverhulme used the Castle for business and entertainment as he pursued his ambitious development plans; he extended the ballroom and added central heating, electric lighting, and internal phones. However, following the failure of his plans he gifted the Castle and its grounds to the people of Stornoway in 1923.
The Castle was used in wartime as a naval hospital and came into local authority ownership around 1950 when it became the first home of the Lews Castle College. Educational use continued until 1988 when the building was vacated by Lews Castle School following the discovery of structural defects. Although partly re-occupied after major repairs, the Castle gradually fell out of use and has been vacant since the mid 1990's until recently.
The Castle was redeveloped at a cost of £19.5 million into a luxury self-catering complex with an attached Museum Nan Eilean. The new museum, which opened with the complex in 2016, is the first in the UK to use Gaelic as its first language.
It displays the collections of the former town based Museum Nan Eilean as well as supporting the work of more than 20 different heritage organisations. It houses an archive facility allowing items of local significance that are currently held by The National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh to be brought back to the islands.
The museum and archive actively links to the network of historical societies, local museums and heritage sites throughout the Outer Hebrides. It also houses 6 of the Lewis Chessmen which have been returned from the British Museum for permanent display.
The Grounds include three walks of over 9 miles (14kms) in length designed to highlight the main features of shoreline, woodland, river, and open moorland; and 7 miles (11kms) of bike trails; there is salmon and sea-trout fishing on the River Creed, an 18-hole golf course, a woodlands centre and cafe, and a commercial sawmill.
The Lews Castle College of Further Education and campus of The University of Highlands and Islands is located in close proximity to the Castle.
The Grounds also host the annual three-day Hebridean Celtic Music Festival that attracts several thousand visitors every year.
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