ESSENTIAL conservation work on a 15th-century castle in the Outer Hebrides has begun, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has announced.
Once the stronghold for the clan Macneil, Kisimul Castle, at Castlebay on Barra, has been closed to the public for five years, conservation work on the historic building to allow visitors to visit once again has started this week.
The works will look to employ new interventions to address concerns with the concrete and its internal reinforcement bars.
A secondary structure will be installed beneath the existing concrete, using non-ferrous materials, timber and blockwork, which will be more suited to the aggressive maritime environment.
This will allow HES to safely carry out further necessary works to the interior of the Castle, with the conservation plans estimated to take about three weeks to complete.
The beginning of the conservation work follows an intricate operation to temporarily relocate historic objects from the Great Hall to ensure their protection while the works are underway.
The artefacts, which are owned by The Macneil of Barra, include six muskets, two halberds and an “impressive” armorial.
The muskets and halberds are stamped with dates from 1742 and 1743, dating them back to the time of the Jacobite Risings.
The armorial, a metal coat of arms which has been painted and lacquered, includes depictions of a Lion Rampant, a masted ship and Kisimul Castle, and was presented to Clan Macneil in 1968.
The relocation of the artefacts also allowed for the documentation of the objects to be updated with new photographs and measurements, with condition checks also taking place.
James MacPherson, District Architect at HES, said: “We are delighted to be progressing works to the interior of the castle which is a key milestone in our programme of conservation work and is another step forward in our long-term plans to reopen Kisimul Castle to visitors.
“We appreciate that the communities of Barra and Vatersay are keen to showcase Kisimul Castle to visitors who arrive from all over the world, and we will continue to work closely with the local community. We are pleased to run free seasonal boat trips around the bay and Castle again this year and hope visitors enjoy exploring the wider area while access to the Castle is currently restricted.”
These works are the next stage in HES’s long-term goal to reopen Kisimul Castle to visitors once it is safe to do so.
Last year, High-Level Masonry inspections and associated works took place to the exterior of the Castle.
These works were the start of a programme to address concerns related to the Castle’s concrete and reinforcement bars following a major 20th century restoration, as well as the impacts of salt and moisture from Kisimul Castle’s coastal location.
In March, HES also carried out repairs to the slipway which will help to facilitate access for visitors once the Castle has reopened.
