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Stornoway Castle

The remains of Stornoway Castle, before 1882
Image reproduced with the kind permission of Stornoway Library

Stornoway Castle once stood on a rock in Stornoway harbour but nothing of it now remains and its site has been incorporated into a modern pier.

Exactly when Stornoway Castle was built is unknown. The earliest date ascribed to it is as a 15th century castle of MacLeods of Lewis. The MacLeods were the chiefs of Lewis from the 13th century and so it has been supposed that the castle may have dated back to the 13th century. There is also a tradition that the castle was built by the MacNicols as far back as the 11th or 12th centuries prior to the MacLeods taking possession in the 13th century.

The castle occupied a rocky island in Anchor Bay just off the spur of land upon which Stornoway sits, offering a good degree of defence due to being separated from the town by a channel of water. What form the castle took is unknown however it may have looked similar to Kisimul Castle which occupies a similar island location in Castlebay on Barra.

The remains of Stornoway Castle “from about Cuddy Point”, before 1882
Image reproduced with the kind permission of Stornoway Library

Towards the end of the 15th century James IV sought to extend his authority over the Western Isles which had previously enjoyed some autonomy under the control of the Lord of the Isles. Torquil MacLeod, the then chief of the MacLeods of Lewis, resisted and was accused of treason. In 1506 Alexander Gordon, 3rd Earl of Huntly, captured Stornoway Castle for the King.

In 1511 the MacLeod lands were reacquired by Torquil’s younger brother, Malcolm. Following his death around 1528 the lands passed to his nephew, John, the son of Torquil, and the MacLeods seem to have returned to their belligerent ways. John was succeeded by Rory, Malcolm’s son, who fought with rival clans on Skye and the mainland and as a result was accused of treason in 1540. However he was evidently rehabilitated as in 1541 he was granted by James V the lands, island and barony of Lewis, including the castle, upon his marriage to Barbara Stewart, daughter of Andrew, 1st Lord Avondale.

The MacLeods continued to cause problems for the Crown, and with the infant Mary on the throne James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran and Regent of Scotland, dispatched the Earls of Huntly and Argyll to destroy the MacLeods and others in the Western Isles. In 1554 Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll, laid siege to Stornoway Castle but the artillery bombardment proved unsuccessful and the MacLeods seem to have remained in possession of the castle.

Rory MacLeod and Barbara Stewart had a son, Torquil, who was known as Torquil Oighre (Torquil the heir) to distinguish him from Torquil Connonach, the illegitimate son of Rory’s first wife, Janet, the daughter of John Mackenzie of Kintail, who committed adultery with Hucheon Morrison. Torquil Oighre drowned in 1566 and Torquil Connonach took this opportunity to seize the castle, imprisoning Rory MacLeod in it for four years.

Relations between the two seem to have improved and Rory took possession of the castle once more. But when he died in 1595 and was succeeded by his son Torquil Dubh, a product of his third marriage, Torquil Connonach took exception and fought with Torquil Dubh. The legal claims to the lands of Lewis were decided by a Royal charter of 1596 which granted them to Torquil Connonach but reserved the castle to the Crown.

In 1597 the MacLeod lands were forfeited and James VI awarded land on Lewis to the Fife Adventurers, twelve Lowland landowners. Intended to “civilise” Lewis, trouble flared up and military expeditions were dispatched to to pacify the island. Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail joined these expeditions, having a vested interest in the lands of Lewis – his brother, Roderick, was married to Torquil Connonach’s daughter Margaret. However he also discreetly assisted the locals in their fight against the invaders.

Another of Rory’s sons, Neil MacLeod, had captured Stornoway Castle from the Fife Adventurers, and in 1607 Mackenzie of Kintail received a commission to stop MacLeod, capturing the castle. James VI granted Lewis to James Elphinstone, 1st Lord Balmerino, Sir George Hay and Sir James Spens of Wormiston in 1608, but by continuing his discrete support for the locals Mackenzie of Kintail persuaded them to sell Lewis to him for a considerable sum. In 1610 he was created the 1st Lord Mackenzie of Kintail.

Upon the death of the 1st Lord Mackenzie of Kintail in 1611 Stornoway Castle passed to his eldest son, Colin Mackenzie, who in 1623 would be created the 1st Earl of Seaforth. Following his death in 1633 the castle and the lands of Lewis passed to his brother, George. Despite a personal attachment to Charles I George was initially a Covenanter, but later went over to the Royalist side.

George died in 1651 and was succeeded by his son Kenneth who used Stornoway Castle as a base for resisting Cromwell’s troops. Due to his loyalty to Charles II Kenneth’s lands were forfeited in 1654. The castle was destroyed by Colonel Cobbett’s Regiment of Foot in 1654.

There are suggestions that the castle may have been partially rebuilt and occupied for a time later, but this essentially seems to be the end of the history of Stornoway Castle. The lands continued to be owned by the Mackenzies until 1844 when they sold it to Sir James Matheson, the co-founder of Jardine Matheson.

The ruins of the castle remained in the harbour and are marked on old maps. A map of Stornoway harbour surveyed in 1846 and published by the Hydrographic Office in 1849 shows the castle as two rectangular buildings, although how accurate a depiction this is remains unclear.

Stornoway Harbour
Hydrographic Office, 1849

The Ordnance Survey six inch to 1 mile map of 1851 also shows the castle ruins, this time as a single rectangular building.

Island of Lewis, Ross-shire, Sheet 27, Six-inch 1st edition
Ordnance Survey, 1851

By the mid-19th century the ruins of the castle seemed to consist of a corner of walling on a much-reduced island. Stone had been removed over the years both for local building work and also for use as ballast.

A History of the Scottish Highlands, Highland Clans and Highland Regiments
Edinburgh, 1875

The last remains of the castle were finally removed in 1882 as part of harbour improvements, and the site of Stornoway Castle has now been absorbed into the large modern pier number 1.

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Alternative names for Stornoway Castle

Castle of Stornochway; Castle of Stornoway; MacLeod's Castle

Clans associated with Stornoway Castle

Mackenzie

MacLeod

MacLeod of Lewis

MacNeacail

Surnames associated with Stornoway Castle

Mackenzie

MacLeod

MacLeod of Lewis

MacNicol

Where is Stornoway Castle?

Stornoway Castle is in the parish of Stornoway and the county of Ross and Cromarty.

Grid reference: NB 4213 3267

Lat / long: 58.20713100, -6.39144560

Bing Maps | Google Maps | Historic maps (NLS) | OpenStreetMap | Ordnance Survey | PastMap | Streetmap | Wikimapia

OS Map for Stornoway Castle

OS map 459
Central Lewis & Stornoway / Meadhan Leòdhais agus Steornabhagh (Eye Peninsula & Callanish / An Rubha agus Calanais)
OS Explorer map 459


Directions to Stornoway Castle

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Weather at Stornoway Castle

19°C
max 20°C / min 17°C
4km/h N
1010mb
77%
0%
03:21 21:29

Clear sky
Weather observed at Stornoway at 13:03

References (books)

A history of the Scottish Highlands, Highland clans and Highland regiments (Volume I)
John S. Keltie
Edinburgh, 1875
Exploring Scotland's Heritage: Argyll and the Western Isles
Graham Ritchie
Edinburgh, 1996
History of the Outer Hebrides
W.C. Mackenzie
Paisley, 1903
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (Volume 12)
Various
Edinburgh, 1877
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The Castles of Western and Northern Scotland
Mike Slater
Malvern, 1995

References (websites)

Canmore

Castles near Stornoway Castle

Seaforth Lodge (site of)

0.5km away

Duntulm Castle

58.2km away

Temple House (site of)

69.2km away

Caisteal Uisdein

74.4km away

Assynt Castle (site of)

77.5km away

Caisteal Mhic Cneacail (site of)

79.5km away

Ardvreck Castle

82.0km away

Dun Lagaidh

82.5km away

Dunvegan Castle

85.2km away
more castles....

Ancient sites near Stornoway Castle

Priest's Glen stone circle

2.7km away

Druim Dubh stone circle

4.4km away

Achmore stone circle

10.9km away

Beinn Chleiteir stone circle

18.4km away

Airidh nam Bidearan stone circle

18.8km away

Na Dromannan stone circle

19.1km away

Ceann Hulavig stone circle

19.2km away

Cnoc Fillibhir Bheag stone circle

19.5km away

Cnoc Ceann a' Gharraidh stone circle

19.8km away
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Pictish stones near Stornoway Castle

Poolewe Class I symbol stone

67.5km away

Gairloch Class I symbol stone

68.5km away

Clach Ard Class I symbol stone

83.4km away

Tobar na Maor Class I symbol stone

87.9km away

Raasay 1 Class II cross slab

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Raasay 2 Class III cross-incised rock

96.9km away

Benbecula Class I symbol stone

98.1km away

Fiskavaig Class I symbol stone

98.9km away

Kincardine 2 Class I symbol stone

125.1km away
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Pictish sites near Stornoway Castle

Torvean silver chain

150.7km away

Burghead fort

178.6km away

Gaulcross hoard

220.1km away

Parkhill silver chain

271.2km away

Nigg silver chain

279.7km away

Dunnicaer fort

282.7km away

Norrie's Law hoard

296.1km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

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Borland silver chain

326.4km away
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Accommodation near Stornoway Castle

Heb Hostel
hostelStornoway
0.3km away
Solas
self-catering cottageStornoway
0.8km away
Cairn Dhu Apartment
self-catering apartmentStornoway
0.8km away
Holm View Guest House
bed and breakfastStornoway
4.7km away
Kershader SYHA Hostel
hostelIsle of Lewis
15.1km away
Garenin SYHA Hostel
hostelIsle of Lewis
25.0km away
Valasay Self Catering Holidays
self-catering cottageGreat Bernera, Isle of Lewis
28.5km away
Rhenigidale SYHA Hostel
hostelIsle of Harris
36.3km away
Hotel Hebrides
hotel, bar, restaurantTarbert
41.9km away
Amhuinnsuidhe Castle
hotelIsle of Harris
44.5km away

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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Stornoway Castle

Hotel Hebrides
hotel, bar, restaurantTarbert
41.9km away
The Old Inn
hotel, restaurant, barShieldaig
69.1km away
Ullapool Hotel
hotel, restaurantUllapool
80.7km away
Ullinish Lodge Hotel
hotel, restaurantStruan
95.1km away
Duisdale House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barSleat
121.8km away
Ben Wyvis Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barStrathpeffer
128.7km away
Tulloch Castle Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barDingwall
132.6km away
Ord House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barMuir of Ord
135.6km away
The Old Forge
pub, restaurantInverie
136.5km away
Cluanie Inn
hotel, restaurant, barGlenmoriston
138.3km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Published on the 12th of February 2012 at 6:10 pm. Updated on the 20th of August 2015 at 3:13 pm.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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