Eilean Donan Castle

Heritage listing

Category A Date Added 25/03/1971 Local Authority Highland Planning Authority Highland Parish Kintail NGR NG 88127 25836 Coordinates 188127, 825836 — Rebuilt 1912-32 in a later medieval manner and a free interpretation of the former castle on the 13th century site, incorporating some remains of the keep and enclosing walls. Architect; George Mackie Watson of Edinburgh. Rubble, tooled dressings. Fanciful gatehouse and allied buildings of 1912 project into the courtyard with stair turret, corbelled angle turret, corbelled and arcaded watch house on outer wall and crude crenellation extending to curtain walls. To the west 2 storey block over vaulted basement, 3 bays on early footings, now with crowstepped roof. Tall keep, rectangular plan, with caphouse, crenellated wall-walk and angle turrets. Forestair leads to barrel- vaulted Billeting Room and Banquetting Hall with heavy oak ceiling above. Large chimney-piece in 15th century manner. All buildings linked by series of battlements. Original 7-sided water cistern projects from SE angle. Castle linked to mainland by causeway and 3-arched bridge with rounded cutwaters and corbelled pedestrian refuges. — Eilean Donan Castle destroyed 1719 by English frigates. Stronghold of Kintail Mackenzies in 15th and 16th centuries. Re-built by Lt Col John MacRae-Gilstrap 1912-32. Scheduled Monument.

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.