Armadale, Ardvasar, Isle Of Skye

Lot 1 – Armadale Castle and Gardens

Armadale Castle and Gardens form the centrepiece of the estate, with the castle occupying a slightly elevated position overlooking the Sound of Sleat with magnificent views to the Scottish mainland.

Historical Note
Armadale Castle is a ruined former mansion and home of the Macdonalds of Sleat. The first reference to a house at Armadale is in 1690, when the Royal Navy bombarded the tower house at Armadale in an attempt to make the Jacobite Sir Donald Macdonald of Sleat submit to the new Hanoverian government.

In the 1740s, the Jacobite heroine Flora Macdonald’s stepfather Hugh Macdonald lived at Armadale. Flora visited her mother and stepfather at Armadale after helping Bonnie Prince Charlie ‘over the sea to Skye’ and in 1750 she married Allan Macdonald of Kingsburgh at Armadale.

On its present site, the oldest part of Armadale Castle is the northern section of the manor house dating from 1790. Under an ambitious programme of development across the estate by the second Lord Macdonald, the house was extended in 1815 in the mock-Gothic style to a design by James Gilliespie Graham. Armadale Castle has an exceptional outlook over the Sound of Sleat to the wild and picturesque lands of Knoydart and Morar from its sheltered position within the grounds.

A fire in 1855 destroyed much of the central section of the castle though it was subsequently rebuilt to the design of James Bryce. The Macdonald families moved out of the castle in 1925 and the condition of the building deteriorated. The Clan Donald Lands Trust was established and took ownership of the castle in 1971.

The Gillespie Graham section is a sculptured ruin and garden with the staircase and façade often used for wedding ceremonies. Housed in what remains of the original mansion, dating from around 1790, the older house is known as the Somerled Rooms.

The castle is Grade B-listed by Historic Environment Scotland and was formerly laid out over two main floors plus attic to provide extensive accommodation including around 30 bedrooms. Historic layout floor plans are available to view at the estate office during viewing inspections.

The castle today is in a derelict condition. Its availability for sale, however, provides the purchaser with a fantastic opportunity to restore it to its former glory as one of the most iconic and beautifully situated buildings in Scotland. The castle overlooks large sweeping lawns to the front which have panoramic views over the Sound of Sleat.

Designations/Listings
The estate is subject to the following designations:

Armadale Castle (lot 1) – Grade B-Listed

Bridge by Armadale Castle (lot 1) – Grade B-Listed

Armadale Castle Laundry (lot 1) – Grade C-Listed

Armadale Castle Stables (lot 1) – Grade A-Listed

Armadale Gardens (lot 1) – Designated Landscape

Shoreline (lots 1 and 7) – Inner Hebrides and Minches Special Area of Conservation.

ARMADALE GARDENS
Surrounding the castle are around 40 acres of formal gardens which are part of the commercial hospitality/visitor attraction.

An established Victorian arboretum garden, the development and design of Armadale gardens evolved progressively from the late 17th century to the early 20th century. During this period, the majority of the trees were planted and its overall layout was established.

The garden has a variety of styles, ranging from informal woodland areas to more formal beds and borders. The overall atmosphere is typical of the Victorian era where long drives are lined on either side by lime trees, cedars, western hemlock, yews
and birch. Another common feature of the Victorian garden is the large and well-kept lawn surrounding the castle including the formal section of the gardens known as the Quarter Lawn.

Due to the micro-climate in this region, plant species from South America, New Zealand and southeast Asia flourish here. It makes Armadale gardens unique in that the plant and tree species that have been established here are not able to be grown elsewhere on the Isle of Skye or Scottish
west coast.

The gardens underwent further development in the 1980s to 2000s, where ponds were created and a retaining wall in the Quarter Lawn was built. A new arboretum was also established to complement the original Victorian arboretum, with a donation of over 100 hundred rare conifer trees from the Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh. These developments have added to the richness
of plant and tree life at Armadale, making it a multi-faceted garden set within a Victorian design.

Within the gardens is the original walled garden that grew a range of fruit trees and vegetables. This is an area that has the most potential for development due to its location within the gardens and the richness of the soil that would allow a large kitchen garden or orchard to be established in future, if desired.

Gift/Ticket Shop
Located at the entrance to the gardens is a timber constructed ticket/gift shop which provides open-plan retail space for visitors.

The Stables
This is an impressive traditional A-listed former stable building dating from 1822, which is highly visible adjacent to the main A851 when travelling south from Broadford, boasting an impressive castellated tower.

The stables building was converted from a derelict condition to its current use in 1984 and has since been run as a renowned tourist and local facility including a café/restaurant, bar and gift shop. In addition, the upper floor of the building provides office space with a self-contained two-bedroom
apartment.

The restaurant is an impressive room which sits within an extension of the traditional former building. The restaurant comprises a semi-circular timber-clad room with glazed rear. Particular features of this room are the vaulted ceiling, flagstone floor, ornate timber gallery and bandstand which is accessed from first floor level. There is seating for up to 50 people which is split
between a lower area (which can also be used as a dance floor) and timber raised seating area. On either side of the room are bar serveries and lying off the main room is a commercial kitchen together with various associated stores. There is also an outdoor terrace with further seating.

An additional room is fitted out as a lounge bar with a further office at ground floor level together with male and female WCs.

The upper floor, accessed from an impressive
feature staircase and stairwell, has a comfortable residential apartment together with modern office space and meeting rooms.

The layout of the accommodation is as shown on the floor plans within the particulars of sale.

The Museum of the Isles
Located within the formal gardens, and to the north of the stables, is the Museum of the Isles, which is a contemporary single storey building dating from the mid 1990s. The building is constructed of block walls set under a pitched tiled roof with a spacious layout ideally suited to its current purpose but also offering flexibility for alternative uses in future.

Accredited by Museums Galleries Scotland, the Museum of the Isles is an award-winning museum with five main galleries that guide visitors through 1,500 years of history and culture in the area once known as the ‘Lordship of the Isles’. From broadswords to bagpipes and portraits to pamphlets, the presentation of the museum’s collection brings alive this rich period of history.
The building has been sympathetically designed with easy access within the castle grounds and provides significant potential for a variety of future uses subject to appropriate consents.

It should be noted that the vendors are making arrangements for the relocation of the contents of the museum.

Former Laundry Building
Lying close to the museum is the pretty former laundry building serving the castle and associated dwellings. This is Grade C-listed and is of stone construction. The building offers various development opportunities (subject to obtaining planning consent).

Land and Woodland
Surrounding the gardens and buildings within this lot are stands of mature mixed species woodland featuring a number of specimen coniferous and deciduous trees. These provide a combination of shelter and seclusion and create a wonderful ambience.

On the north side of these policy woodlands,
accessible via the track which forms the northern boundary, is a field of pasture which is let on a seasonal grazings basis but is available to a purchaser with vacant possession.

The Armadale Castle Estate is located on the
eastern shoreline of the Sleat peninsula and at the southern end of the Isle of Skye. Access to the peninsula is excellent with the A851 leading south from Broadford being a two-way road which has benefitted from extensive upgrading during the last 20 years. The village of Broadford provides a range of basic amenities including shop, petrol station, hotels and restaurants and can be reached in about 15-20 minutes’ drive from the estate.

From Broadford, the A87 connects to Kyle of Lochalsh on the Scottish mainland via the Skye Bridge and is around 30 minutes’ drive from the estate. As an alternative form of arrival at and departure from the Sleat peninsula, Caledonian MacBrayne operate a daily ferry service from Armadale to Mallaig on the Scottish mainland where, in turn, ferry sailings operate to the ‘Small Isles’ of Eigg, Rum, Muck and Canna. The journey time from the estate to Inverness (either via Kyle of Lochalsh or Mallaig) is around 2 hours’ driving
time depending on the time of day and season.

With its combination of a majestic landscape
including world famous features such as the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing, the Fairy Pools and Kilt Rock; internationally renowned hotels and restaurants including Kinloch Lodge, The Three Chimneys and the Michelin-star Loch Bay, Skye is recognised as one of the most attractive holiday
destinations in Europe.