About
Kisimul Castle, Caisteal Chiosmuil, rises from a rocky islet in the middle of Castlebay on Barra, the castle in the sea and the only significant medieval castle to survive in the Western Isles. It was the seat of the chiefs of the Macneils of Barra, who claimed descent from Niall of the Nine Hostages, high king of Ireland. Gilleonan Macneil, granted Barra by the Lord of the Isles in 1427, probably built the three-storey tower house, and a curtain wall encloses a tiny courtyard with a feasting hall, chapel and the heir's house, with a well fed by an underground seam. One chief, Ruari the Turbulent, was arrested for piracy against an English ship. Debts forced the sale of Barra in 1838, but the 45th chief bought it back in 1937 and restored the castle. After conservation works it reopened in July 2026 with a new tower stair and a high walkway looking back to Castlebay. Visits are by hard-hat guided tour, with a short boat crossing from Castlebay.
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- Kisimul CastleClosed for the winter since 30 September; 2027 tour dates not yet published
Opening times may change at short notice.
Access is by hard-hat guided tour only, on selected dates in summer: the castle reopened in July 2026 after conservation works and closed for the winter on 30 September 2026. No opening table or 2027 dates are published; tour dates appear on the webstore. Tickets must be booked online in advance, until midnight the day before, and are not sold on the day. Meet at the Historic Scotland jetty opposite the Post Office 15 minutes before the boat departs; tours last an hour and are for ages 7 and over, with hard hats and life jackets provided and sturdy footwear needed. Some areas may be closed while conservation continues.
Visitors must be able to step into and out of a small boat. The Castlebay jetty has no steps but is steeply sloped; 8 stone steps lead from the island jetty into the courtyard, the buildings are reached by uneven steps and routes are mostly gravel. The tower and walkway are up two flights of stone and timber stairs, with steep timber and stone steps inside the tower, and several very low doors. A small shop in the castle. No toilets at the site, and Barra has no adapted toilet.
Photo: Kisimul Castle's tower house and curtain wall rising from their rocky islet in Castlebay, with houses on the shore behind. Tom Parnell, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kisimul_Castle_-_view_from_W.jpg. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0. Resized and cropped for display; derivatives retain the source licence.
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