- Type
- Castle
- Origins
- 1427 · 15th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Scotland, United Kingdom
- Coordinates
- 56.9520°, -7.4870°
History
The castle on a rock in the bay of Barra was the seat of Clan MacNeil from the Middle Ages, and in 1427 the clan received a grant of the island from the Lord of the Isles. The present walls probably date from the 15th century, though some scholars argue for an earlier origin. In the 18th century the MacNeils moved to the mainland of the island, and the abandoned castle decayed, especially after a fire late in the century. In 1838 the indebted family sold Barra. In 1937 the island was bought back by Robert Lister MacNeil, an American architect and 45th chief of the clan, who rebuilt the castle by 1970. In 2001 his son leased it to Historic Scotland for a thousand years.
What to see
The castle is reached by a short boat trip from the pier in Castlebay. High curtain walls enclose the rock, overlooked by a square tower house. Inside, visitors see the courtyard, hall, chapel and rebuilt living quarters, and the walls look out over the bay, the village and the surrounding islands. The castle remains the symbol and seat of Clan MacNeil.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q79160
Popularity: articles about this site in 20 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).