Kisimul Castle

Kisimul Castle, one of the oldest of its type, sits proudly on an island in the harbor of Castlebay, the main village on the Hebrides island of Barra. The castle was built by the MacNeill's of Barra in the 15th century and, along with most of the island, has been in the same family since.

Kisimul Castle occupies a commanding position in Castle Bay, on the Island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides.

Thanks to a geological fault running south from Barra, there is an abundant source of water on the rock. The rocky island probably had some sort of fortification on it as early as the 11th century, with the freshwater well making it tenable in times of siege.

To withstand sieges, the castle was equipped with two artesian wells to provide water and a fish trap in a catchment basin. A galley used to be berthed alongside the castle on a sloping beach with the crewhouse nearby. At the first sign of trouble, the crew was expected to launch the ship and defend the castle from attack.

At some time during the 11th century, the Chapel, a rather low structure having only one door and one window, was elevated some 4 feet by a wooden addition to the stone walls. Several more windows were added to provide more light. The chapel, which measured roughly 15 by 35 feet, probably did not have a thatched roof, as the pitch of the roof was too flat for thatching. The chapel was probably roofed with cattle hides.

Once the chapel addition was completed, work was begun on the Great Hall. Placed against the northwest wall abutting the watchtower, the Great Hall was a fairly large room, measuring 1 story high and 20 feet wide and 45 feet long. A privy, flushed twice daily by the tide, was built into the outer wall for the convenience of the chief and his family. The family resided in the Great Hall until later times when the Great Tower would be built. The so-called Great Hall was like a large black house, with a central hearth for cooking and heat, but having no flue or chimney.

When the basic Great Hall work was completed, a second black house was built, about 16 feet wide and 26 feet long and 1 story high. This house was designated the Tanist House, referring to the home of the clansman named successor to the chief. Some time later, the height of the Great Hall ceiling was increased to more than 13 feet, and a window was installed. This new window, the likes of which was to be found nowhere else in the Hebrides, was about 3½ feet wide and 8½ feet high. Like other windows in the castle, the new window was "glazed" with stretched pig bladders since glass was not available. Above the heavy timbers that formed the ceiling of the hall was a large attic storage area, accessible only by ladder. The Tanist House was then raised to two stories and the main entrance on the east wall was protected by a heavy iron portcullis.

As the 11th century drew to a close, Kisimul Castle had evolved into a truly formidable redoubt, with the curtain wall rising to a very imposing 30 foot height and the watchtower looming well above it.

But Donald, the 23rd Chief of the Clan Neil, had further plans for Kisimul; a Great Tower or Keep. This was a major undertaking, for large quantities of stone had to be quarried on Barra, mortar had to be prepared, and heavy timbers had to be brought from the mainland, since there are very few trees on Barra. All of this material, then had to be painstakingly transported in small boats to the castle site.

Donald designed the tower to have five stories and an attic, with the first level serving as a storage room. Each floor was constructed of hand-hewn boards supported by heavy beams set in the walls. Since there were no fireplaces included in the plans, that meant that there could be no fires in the tower. The stone walls of the tower tapered from a thickness of 9 feet at the base to a little less than 6 feet at the top; the tower base was 32 by 35 feet and the internal dimensions about 17 by 20 feet. The Great Tower rose to an impressive 50 feet above the courtyard level, and a "penthouse" with thinner walls (about 1½ feet thick!) added another 10 feet.

The fourth floor was reserved for the chief's quarters. Large alcoves in the walls increased the usable area. The remaining floors served as eating and sleeping quarters for the castle garrison. A staircase from the chief's quarters led directly up to the top of the tower, where the penthouse stood within a high stone parapet. Altogether, the final product testified to the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the chief and his people.

Clan Neil tradition says that Chief Donald's ambitious project was completed in the year 1120. From that date, the castle stood virtually without change, occupied by an unbroken succession of chiefs until 1748. At that time, Roderick MacNeil, 39th chief, decided to make his home on Barra, as did his successors. Thus, the castle stood empty, battered by time and the elements, until 1795, when a disastrous fire destroyed all the wooden sections of the castle. The MacNeils then totally abandoned Kisimul, and the burned-out structure stood forlornly in the bay, slowly crumbling away. Over the centuries, the castle was heavily damaged by vandals and the weather. Shamefully, the once-noble stronghold served for a time as a fish-curing station.

The castle has been reborn, thanks to the restoration project carried out by the 45th clan Chief, Robert Lister MacNeil. The flag in the picture flies proudly today atop the castle.