Island 139 - Eilean Tioram, Scotland

Eilean Tioram (pronounced Cheerum) is a very small tidal island 100 metres from the coast of Loch Moidart near the village of Acharacle.  The name means 'dry island'.  The main item of interest  on the island is the ruined castle.  I visited less than 2 hours before high tide and the beach was not covered by water.  I was there for about half an hour and it rained continuously.  There are lots of pathways around the island but you cannot explore the ruins, as they are in danger of collapsing.

 

The island is covered in grass, heather, bracken, gorse and brambles.  There are a few small ash, rowan and oak trees.

 

 Castle Tioram

Looking west down Loch Moidart

Eilean Tioram

Eilean Tioram on a very calm afternoon

 

Eilean Tioram at low tide

 

Castle Tioram

 

Castle Tioram

 

In the 14th century Moidart was inherited by Christina MacRuari.  The curtain wall was built around this time of local Moine schist.  The castle may have been built by Amy MacRuari, who was Christina's niece and the first wife of John of Isla.  However it is more likely that she improved an existing castle.  The tower house may have been built by her or one of her descendants.  John of Isla granted the castle and what became the Clanranald lands to Ranald, who was his son by Amy.  He became the first chief of Clanranald.

The castle remained in the Clanranald family until the early 20th century, although it ceased to be the family residence in 1685 when Allan the 14th chief moved elsewhere.  The castle fell into disrepair after 1692 when it was garrisoned by government troops.  In 1905 the castle was sold to Lord Howard of Glossop.  After his death in 1924 it was sold to Miss Tredcroft who sold it to Sir Alexander Maguire.  It was sold again in1926 to James Wiseman MacDonald.  Some conservation work was carried out by the Ministry of Works in the late 1920s.  The castle was bought by Anta Estates in 1997.  They planned to rebuild it but were refused permission by Historic Scotland.

There was no road to the castle until the 19th century.  Before then it could only be approached by narrow tracks suitable only for people on foot or with highland ponies.  The remains of lazy beds, which were ridges used for growing potatoes in the late 18th and early 19th century, can be seen on the southern edge of the island and to the east of the castle.   The remains of a turf and stone wall can be seen on the south east side of the island.  This is thought to have once been a chapel.  On the south west died of the island are the remains of a 19th century bathing or smoke house.

More information about the history of the castle can be found here: 
http://www.moidart.org.uk/datasets/tioram.htm