Public Ownership

Lord Leverhulme's gift to the community in 1923 specified that Lews Castle should be used for civic purposes and as the official residence of the Provost of Stornoway.  However, in the the difficult economic circumstances of the 1920's and 30's, the upkeep of the Castle became a growing problem for the Stornoway Trust.

The terms of the original Deed were amended to give the Trust greater freedom in the use of the Castle and as a result it was let to sporting tenants on a seasonal basis along with the 'home shootings and fishings'.  Lord and Lady Portarlington were the principal tenants of this period.

During the 1939-45 war, the Castle was requisitioned by the Admiralty and used as a naval hospital. As noted in Peter Cunningham's excellent booklet on the Castle Grounds

¹, "this period of change allowed the woods to degenerate to a wild state and led to the destruction of the splendid glass houses which had housed exotic plants, including a New Zealand tree fern which survived in the open into the 1950's."

In the early 1950's the Stornoway Trust sold the Castle and about 10 acres of ground to Ross & Cromarty County Council and the building became the first home for Lews Castle College in 1953.

In 1975 the College came under the remit Comhairle nan Eilean, the newly created islands council.  A year later the College moved to new premises built within the former walled kitchen gardens. The Castle continued in educational use up to 1988 when structural problems were discovered and the Lews Castle School had to vacate the building.  Following major repairs, the Castle was partially re-occupied for a period in the early 90's.

The Castle Grounds have benefited from major improvements undertaken by Stornoway Trust.  A 5-year Millennium Forest Project enabled clearance of invasive salmonberry and rhododendrum, extensive tree planting, re-surfacing of paths, bridge renewals and the building of a new sawmill and the Woodlands visitor centre.

^{1. The Castle Grounds -  Peter Cunningham.  Published by Stornoway Trust, Stornoway,
Isle of Lewis, HS1 2DD Tel: +44(0)1851 702002}