World's largest clan sells off prized Scottish island castle due to financial pressures

The largest clan in Scotland - and the world - is to sell off one of its prized island castles due to financial pressures.

Armadale Castle on the Isle of Skye is to go on the market this spring following a “difficult decision” taken by the Clan Donald Lands Trust to sell off its land and property assets.

Armadale Castle on the Isle of Skye is to go up for sale. | CC

The 19th-century castle, once home to the Macdonalds of Sleat, was vacated by the family in 1925 and has since fallen into a largely ruinous state, with a large part of it long demolished.

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The surviving remnants adjoins part of the original 18th-century mansion house, where Jacobite heroine Flora Macdonald was married.

The trust bought the castle, which overlooks the Sound of Sleat and is surrounded by 40 acres of garden, in 1972 following the death of Alexander Godfrey Macdonald, 7th Lord Macdonald and High Chief of Clan Donald.

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But financial pressures at the trust, with the pandemic “disastrous” to the charity’s income, have led it to dispose of the former clan seat.

Costs have increased in the running of the attraction while outside funding to keep the “low income” historic attraction going diminishes, the trust said.

A statement from the trust said: “We write to let you know that after a thorough review, the Board of Trustees of the Clan Donald Lands Trust has taken the difficult decision to sell its land and property assets, including Armadale.

“We have been open about the financial challenges facing our charity. Due to the high-cost, low-income nature of Armadale, we have always been reliant on external grant funding to cover our operating costs.

“The availability of this funding has been reduced by the impact of ongoing investment market volatility. At the same time our core costs, including electricity ,insurance and essential building repairs, have massively increased.”

The Clan Donald Lands Trust charity was founded by Clan Donald community members across the world to promote and preserve the history and heritage of Clan Donald, the Lordship of the Isles, and the culture of the western seaboard of Scotland and the Hebrides.

Following the sale of the castle and land assets, the trust said it would now “reform” its operations to “focus on our core purpose of protecting and promoting clan and indigenous Highland heritage”.

Grants will be considered for "organisations and individuals supporting clan and indigenous Highland heritage projects including art, music, literature, history and education”, the statement added.

The statement continued: “The sale of our property assets will allow the charity to stand on its own feet for the first time, no longer dependent on unstable external grant funding. We are required to sell these assets to a buyer that is in a strong financial position. We believe Sleat will benefit from the wealth and investment that such a buyer will bring into the area.”

Bookings for the 2025 season at the castle, its gardens and the museum will not be affected by the proposed sale, the trust confirmed. Armadale Castle is due to be sold by Strutt and Parker, while the future of castle’s Museum of the Isles is as yet unknown.