Fresh hope for restoration of Scottish island castle

With electric lighting, state-of-the-art showers and a rare orchestrion – a machine which plays music that sounds like a band – the once luxurious Victorian retreat Kinloch Castle was frequented by royalty in its heyday but is now crumbling and closed to the public.

Now Kinloch Castle Friends Association (KCFA) has revealed that it is in talks about its restoration plans with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), which own the A-listed building on the Isle of Rum.

The KCFA said at the end of last year that they would appeal an SNH decision to reject its application for asset transfer of the Scottish baronial mansion, which was built by Lancashire mill owner Sir George Bullough.

However, KCFA secretary Catherine Duckworth said that after fresh talks with the governmenet bodies it would not be going through the long appeals procedure and felt positive there was a way forward.

Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum.

Having taken advice from SNH and HES, Mrs Duckworth said the group is hoping to bid to become the castle’s beneficial owner – a legal title where it would be responsible for raising the £6.9 million to fund the first stage of the restoration for the castle and its contents.

Mrs Duckworth said: “It’s all been a bit of a rollercoaster. You think it’s going OK and then it’s not, but we are now pursuing the beneficial ownership route and looking for funding from various outside sources.

“We had a meeting with Historic Environment Scotland and they were really very supportive and said that in the last two years we have moved things along enormously by showing that the castle was repairable, that there could be a future for it that was viable.”

She added: “For years they have talked about Kinloch Castle being Scots baronial but HES have now said it is important for different reasons, after all this time.

“There are examples there of art nouveau and the Arts and Crafts Movement, which was a recognition of the individuality of the 19th century, of making things by hand. Kinloch has beautiful stained glass windows and brass door plates.”

One report to SNH had 
estimated that it would take £11m-13m to restore the 
building but reports for the KCFA show that initial work to make the building wind- and watertight and to renew the 52-bed accommodation in the old castle hostel, to open for business, would cost about £6.9m.

Representatives of the association are meeting Scottish and Westminster politicians to see what help they can give to the plans.

A work party of 22 group members will meet at the castle next month to discuss their next step.

HES said: “We recently met with the Kinloch Castle Friends Association to provide them with advice on funding and to suggest other bodies who can provide more specific advice on putting together an alternative project proposal.

“Kinloch Castle is category A-listed as a nationally important example of late Victorian architecture and we look forward to continuing these discussions about finding a future for it.”

SNH said: “We look forward to continuing discussions with KCFA to look at new ways to secure Kinloch Castle’s future.”