Lews Castle Sea Walls, Lady Lever Park, Stornoway

Rubble-built sea walls including crenellations and intermittent, slightly taller and projecting turrets. Forms part of an extensive series of walls bounding the policies of Lews Castle (Lady Lever Park) and providing a driveway along the sea front. (Historic Scotland).

In 1919 Lord Leverhulme purchased the Castle and altered the interior, introducing a ballroom and installing electricity, heating, telephones and bells as part of an aborted scheme for a hotel by Lutyens and Lomax-Simpson. In 1923 the castle and its grounds were given to the people of Stornoway and subsequently served as a naval hospital before becoming a technical college for Ross and Cromarty County Council in 1953, closing in 1988. The Castle has been unoccupied since 1996. (M. Miers)

February 2009: The Stornoway Gazette reports on Lews Castle Trust seeking a development partner for the Castle and are inviting formal expressions of interest.

March 2009: The Press and Journal reports several developers have expressed interest in plans to regenerate the Castle and policies.

March 2010: Inspection finds the sea walls remain collapsed in parts.

May 2010: Stornoway Gazette reports whilst the second stage application to the HLF for redevelopment funding for the Lews Castle estate is progressing, repair works are due to commence over summer to the surrounding walls.

January 2011: BBC news website reports on a number of heritage projects having secured funding from the Scottish Government. Lews Castle is noted has securing £500,000.

7 May 2015: Listed Building Consent for localised repairs and restoration of the crenellated sea wall is being sought ref: 15/00138/LBC.

12 June 2015: Inspection finds the walls continue to deteriorate, accelerated in parts by extensive vegetation growth.

7 March 2016: Local planners advise a significant section of the sea wall has been repaired, as part of the Stornoway Townscape Heritage Initiative, using traditional lime mortar and masonry skills. Condition moved to Fair and Risk to Moderate.