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Armadale castle as we know it today was built in 1815 when the Macdonalds once again seeked a site on the Isle of Skye more comfortable than their former home. First having dwelt on Islay, thence at Duntulm, then at Kingsburgh and Monkstadt, also possessing Castle Knock, Dun Sciath (Dun Scathaich) and Castle Maol there was a more convenient place to be found in victorian times. But there must have been an Armadale house before this, as in 1690 the King's men burned Armadale House after Sir Donald having refused to receive the king's messengers.
Armadale had one of the two most important harbours on Skye, the other being at Broadford, further north. After World War II there had to be a decision made whether Broadford or Armadale was to be granted money from the government to improve the harbour and Armadale simply made it. Armadale served the ferry from Mallaig, the end train terminal of the Western Highland Railroad from Glasgow to Crianlarich, from there splitting southwards to Oban and northbound to Fort William and from there to Mallaig.
When I was there for the first time in 1984 we saw a lot of wrecked houses. There was but a small ferry which was far bigger when we came to Skye in 1988. I wonder if there is any ferry apart from the season-depending one from Glenelg to Kylerhea, as the Bridge from Caol Loch Aillse (Kyle of Lochalsh) to Caol Akin (Kyleakin) has replaced the necessity to use a ferry in general. The only advantage of Armadale was that it was much further south than Caol Loch Aillse.
The Castle itself nowadays contains the Clan Donald Visitor Centre,
which I last visited 1992, so I do not have any newer information than
of that date. But then there was a audio-visual display in variety of rooms
decorated with posters of ancient medieval times - especially about
Somerled,
the great Clan Chief. There is also a nice park for walking around and
just breathing the good sea air - in case there is time enough to sit and
relax.
