| VISITOR INFORMATION AT LEWS CASTLE | 26 May 2008 |
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A new heritage information display at the entrance to Lews Castle is the latest project to be completed under the Stornoway Townscape Heritage Initiative. The £21,000 project, assisted by the Heritage Lottery Fund, aims to fill a long-standing need for visitor information at the Castle. The attractively presented panels have been designed by interpretation consultants Signs of Life, who consulted the Lews Castle Trust Steering Group and Stornoway Historical Society on the historical content. The panels chart the intertwined stories of the Castle and the successive owners of Lewis and their aspirations for the island and its people - from the Mackenzies of Seaforth to Sir James Matheson and Lord Leverhulme. Ian Wilson, THI Project Manager with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar said: “Until recently, the covered porch and front door of the Castle had been boarded up for safety reasons and it all looked rather forlorn and intimidating for visitors. Although there is some information at the Woodlands Centre there has been nothing at the Castle to tell the visitor something about this remarkable piece of the island’s heritage. This project fills that gap and will be of interest to local residents and schools as well as visitors. More detailed interpretation, including audio-visual material, will be included within the re-development proposals for the Castle.” The Lews Castle interpretation project has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Highlands & Islands Enterprise. To facilitate the project, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar funded repairs to the port cochere, removal of the old steel fire escape, stone repairs, lighting improvements and installation of CCTV cameras. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ian Wilson
Nigel Scott Tel: 01851 709389 (Work) |
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