North Range, Mingary Castle

Scaffolding has obscured the front of the main residential building in the courtyard of Mingary Castle for the last year, so it was an exciting moment, a milestone in the refurbishment of this historic building, when the scaffolding came down last week, revealing a facade modelled on what the ‘north range’ would have looked like after its last major refurbishment, some time around 1720.

This is not as the MacIains would have remembered it.  At the height of their power on Ardnamurchan, this would have been a mediaeval hall with cellars beneath, feasting hall above, and an upper area for sleeping accommodation.  This hall isn’t lost – archaeologists have found that many of its walls still stand, incorporated into later building.

Completion of the refurbishment of the castle is due early next summer.  For more details of this historic project, go to the Mingary Castle blog- link here.