Restoration project at 13th-century Mingary Castle

A 13th-century castle on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula which is beginning to erode on its sea walls is to be restored. Mingary Castle, which was described by archaeologist Tom Addmyan as 'the most intact 13th-century castle in Scotland' is to be the subject of a major restoration and archaeology project, with work now underway.

Mingary is an important fortress which once commanded the sea route through the Sound of Mull and may have been occupied from Viking times. Since it was last inhabited in the 1800s, the castle's fabric has been deteriorating and erosion is now beginning to take its toll.

The Mingary Castle Preservation and Restoration Trust has been set up to address this problem, and restoration work began in May 2013, in the hope of the castle being fully restored by the end of 2014. According to the Mingary Castle website, owner Donald Houston is 'determined that the many written records that are being prepared as part of the work should be fully available to the public online.' The castle's website and blog will keep the public updated with news reports and photos during the restoration.

Archaeological finds

Archaeologists from Addyman Archaeology have already made a number of important finds, and because this is the first time that the castle has been fully excavated, the team hope that many discoveries will be made to help give further clues to the castle's past.

Some of the earliest finds were a piece of leather and a medieval bucket from the castle's moat, followed by an unidentified coin, the weight from a spindle and pieces of china from the 18th- or 19th centuries.

Follow the progress of the project at the Mingary Castle website.

(Image copyright Dave Fergusson)

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