| Development Partners Sought For Unique Heritage of the Hebrides Opportunity |
10 July 2003 |
| Lews Castle, the substantial Grade A Listed property and former 19th Century mansion on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles, is to be marketed as a unique public-private partnership opportunity. Originally built in the 1840s as a mansion house by Sir James Matheson - co founder of the Jardine Matheson company- and later owned by Lord Leverhulme, the castle and its extensive 600 acre grounds have been owned by the public since Leverhulme gifted the property to the community in 1923. The building was the original home of Lews Castle College, which marks its 50th anniversary in September this year, and subsequently it came into the ownership of the local authority, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. Following forty years of educational use the Castle, sadly, has been vacant since 1997. The Comhairle has now established Lews Castle Trust with Stornoway Trust and other key public partners to secure the future of the Castle and realise its full potential. The partnership believes that the Castle could become a first-class corporate, leisure or tourism destination and that a co-ordinated approach to development of the Castle and its outstanding grounds would bring economic benefits to the community and enhance the public environment. The Trust aims to secure funding for the repair of the Castle from public or private sources but it sees the operation and long-term maintenance of the property as a private sector challenge. Lews Castle Trust is now inviting potential development partners from the business community to contribute to the future of the Castle. This opportunity is being widely advertised (in local and national newspapers and specialist publications) and a direct marketing campaign targeting the hotel, leisure and corporate hospitality sectors is also underway. This will be an exciting prospect for all involved and is certain to attract tremendous attention. Norman L. Macdonald, Chairman of the Trust Steering Group, explained: "Our aim is to show that we have something special to offer
here. Stornoway has a first class airport, capable of accepting
large commercial jets and we are only 2 hours from London. We have
a marvellous natural environment and our business infrastructure
is developing quickly." It is certainly a rare opportunity to develop something special. Lews Castle is a prominent feature of the Stornoway landscape, situated within the mature woodlands of the Castle Grounds, a few minutes from the town centre and overlooking the bustling harbour. The Castle Grounds is a sprawling feature in itself; the Lews Castle College campus, an 18-hole golf course, the River Creed salmon fishery and the new Woodlands Centre are all popular attractions. The Castle also forms a spectacular backdrop to the annual Hebridean Celtic Festival, a 4-day internationally renowned music event. The 2003 Festival kicks off on Wednesday 16 July with the Waterboys among the main attractions on the Castle Green. Lord Leverhulme might well have approved, though Sir James might have been less impressed! The Castle’s associations with the lairds (or proprietors) of the Island in fact stretch back to the 17th Century, from the Mackenzies of Seaforth (1610-1844), the Matheson family (1844-1918) to Lord Leverhulme (1918-1923). Its rich tapestry of inhabitants began in 1610 when King James VI granted ownership of Lewis to the Mackenzies of Kintail. By 1680 Lord Seaforth had built an estate house - Seaforth Lodge - on the Gearraidh Chruaidh, an area on the west side of Stornoway Harbour. Parts of the Lodge still remain today, and can be seen within the stripped out walls of the mezzanine at the rear of the present Castle. Following the death of the last Earl of Seaforth, James Matheson, co-founder of the Jardine Matheson company, purchased Lewis from the Mackenzies in 1844. Matheson commissioned the renowned architect Charles Wilson to design his new island residence, with building commencing in 1847. The project took seven years to complete, at a cost of £60,000. An added £49,000 was also spent on transforming the surrounding 600 acres of rough pasture ground into wooded policies and private gardens, and a large conservatory complex was installed. Matheson had enormous wealth and was also a discerning collector. The Highland News in 1894 commented that Lews Castle was “a better appointed residence than Balmoral Castle.” The Mathesons put the Castle and the Lewis estate on the market in 1917, which attracted the attention of William Hesketh Lever, founder of the Lever Bros/Unilever conglomerate and determined Victorian entrepreneur. Lord Leverhulme contributed upwards of £2 million to industrial ventures, largely based on fishing, which he believed would transform the economy of Lewis and Harris. He had ambitious plans for re-modelling Stornoway into the capital of the Hebrides, commissioning the artist Raffles Davidson to illustrate his future vision of the town. This, incidentally, included a bridge linking the harbour at Bayhead to the Castle Grounds. It was Lord Leverhulme who introduced the Castle to modern amenities including electric lighting, central heating and intercom telephones. He also extended the ballroom by combining it with an adjacent drawing room to accommodate his love of dancing. In 1923 Leverhulme gifted 64,000 acres of land to the people of Stornoway parish, and a democratically elected body, the Stornoway Trust, was established to administer the estate. In the early 1950’s the Stornoway Trust sold the Castle with about 10 acres of land to Ross & Cromarty County Council, and in 1953 the building became the first home for Lews Castle College. The College came under the remit of the newly created Islands Council, Comhairle nan Eilean, in 1975 and while the College moved to new premises in the former walled kitchen gardens, the Castle itself continued in educational use as Lews Castle School until 1988 when structural problems were discovered. The Castle was partially pre-occupied for a period in the early 1990’s following major repairs, but has remained vacant since 1997. Lews Castle Trust believes the time is right to begin a new chapter in the Castle’s history and that it can once again become an outstanding destination, landmark and building. The Island’s transport infrastructure has improved dramatically with major investments in the main and inter-island ferry services and first class airport. Travelling to and within the Western Isles has never been easier, and the Trust believes that Lews Castle could be a catalyst for expanding visitor numbers. Although tourism and corporate hospitality are currently being affected by world events, the Trust believes these sectors could be the key to the Castle's future and is looking for partners who will take a long- term view of the development. Further information on Lews Castle and the aims of Lews Castle Trust are available on the website (www.lews-castle.com); including an extensive history, suggested proposals, a gallery of images, downloadable floorplans and elevations, a site plan, and community views on the future of the Castle.
Other key features of the Castle and its surroundings: Category A Listed Building incorporating remnants of 17th century
Seaforth Lodge Web Site http://www.lews-castle.com Nigel Scott Tel: 01851 709389 (Work) |
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