Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM8465_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013350)

Summary

Description

This monument consists of a simple tower and the remains of associated buildings.

The tower is oriented WNW-ESE and measures roughly 15m by 10m. The entrance is in the middle of the east wall and first floor level, the ground floor having two window slits but no door. The first floor contained the hall with a fireplace in the north wall and windows one window in each of the north, south and east walls. Access to the level above was by a mural stair rising to the south of the entrance passage. Local tradition holds that the castle was never finished, it is therefore possible that the mural stair rose to a second floor rather than a wallwalk.

The castle was built by Uisdein (Hugh) MacDonald in the second half of the sixteenth century. Uisdein was notorious pirate and marauder who was finally captured after the discovery of his plot to kill Donald Gorm, chief of MacDonald, at Caisteal Uisdein.

While there is no record of occupation of Caisteal Uisdein after Uisdein's capture, nearby, to the North of the castle, are the visible remains of three buildings which are probably later than the tower. The closest building, visible only as turf covered footings is on the same rock platform as the tower. Two other buildings lie below the summit and consist of turf topped wall standing up to 1m high.

The area to be scheduled includes the remains of the tower, the three lesser buildings mentioned and an area around them which may contain evidence of the construction and use of the site. The area to be scheduled is defined to the W and S by the high water mark, to the E by a line 10m out from the E wall of the tower and to the N by a line 30m out from the N wall of the tower and by the line of a burn. The area is irregular in shape, measuring at its greatest extent roughly 70m NNW-SSE by 50m, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as the well preserved remains of a late 16th-century towerhouse. Unlike many other towers of this date, Caisteal Uisdean was clearly built with defence, rather than display, as an over-riding concern. The existence of a variety of subsidiary and probably later buildings suggests that the site has seen longer occupation than the oral history surrounding the short-lived tower might suggest.

References

Bibliography

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.