Bruce takes a pre-work Stroll in Stornoway, Jimi Hendrix missed out as he was
to busy with a full Scottish Breakfast in a local hostelry he did however suggest this song for the walk
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| Route |
King James VI granted ownership of Lewis to the Mackenzies
of Kintail in 1610. By about 1680, Lord Seaforth had established his estate
house, Seaforth Lodge, on the Gearraidh Chruaidh, an area of rough
ground on the west side of the harbour. Parts of this original building
can still be seen within the stripped out walls of the mezzanine at the rear of
the present Castle.
In 1844 the Lewis Estate was sold to James Matheson.
Sir James Matheson was born in Lairg, Sutherland and
co-founded the Jardine Matheson company in Canton in 1832. Having made his
fortune from the Chinese Opium trade, he returned to Scotland and purchased the
Island of Lewis from the Mackenzie Trustees for £190,000.
Matheson commissioned the renowned architect Charles Wilson
to design his new island residence on the site of the Mackenzies' Seaforth
Lodge. Building work started in 1847 and the £60,000 project took seven years
to complete. A further £49,000 was spent on transforming the rough grazing land
around the new Castle into extensive woodlands and private gardens. The
temperate climate and shelter from the initial planting of hardy species,
created ideal growing conditions for a wide range of native and imported
species. A large conservatory complex, added in 1875 by Alex Sutherland, housed
a host of more exotic and delicate species.
The creation of the Castle Grounds involved the clearance of
tenants and the re-routing of public roads, which did not endear the new
proprietor to the local population. To balance this, during his period of
ownership, Sir James Matheson provided employment, funded famine relief and
many other social and economic projects for the benefit of the island
community.
On his death in 1878 the estate fell to his widow Lady Mary
Jane Matheson and subsequently to his nephew Donald and grand-nephew Colonel
Duncan Matheson. For financial reasons the Lewis estate and the Castle were put
on the market in 1917.
William Hesketh Leve (Lord Leverhulme) was born in Bolton,
Lancashire, in 1851 and built up the Lever Bros/Unilever conglomerate. Having
first seen the Hebrides on a vacation cruise in 1884, he bought the Isle of
Lewis in 1918 for £143,000 and a year later acquired the Isle of Harris. In little
over three years, Leverhulme spent some £2million on industrialisation schemes,
largely based on fishing, which he believed would transform the economic and
social conditions in the islands.
Leverhulme had ambitious plans for Stornoway and
commissioned the artist Raffles Davison to draw up his future vision of the
town. This, incidentally, included a bridge linking the harbour at Bayhead to
the Castle Grounds.
Leverhulme gave the Castle electric lighting, central
heating, numerous bathrooms and intercom telephones. An enthusiastic dancer, he
extended the ballroom by combining it with an adjacent drawing room. He hosted
many famous visitors and invitations to balls at the Castle were eagerly
sought.
In 1923 Lord Leverhulme gifted Lews Castle and 64,000 acres
of land to the people of Stornoway parish and the Stornoway Trust was
established to manage this substantial estate on behalf of the community.
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| Harbour Fisherwoman |
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| 3d Wall Mural |
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| And another |
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| Lews Castle from the harbour |
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| Boatman's House |
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| Looking back to Stornoway |
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| Lewis Chessman |
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| And another |
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| Lews Castle |
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| Overgrown Bridge |
Oh well time to go and earn some money
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