Amhuinnsuidhe Castle, Harris

Designed by David Bryce, architect; built 1864-67 (1867 datestone). Asymmetrical Scots baronial mansion house built for the Earl of Dunmore, whose grandfather acquired Harris in 1834. Unusually for a country house, main road skirts by front wall. Levelled garden area to front (now [1991] used as grazing), sea wall beyond; also out works to west. Mansion is relatively plain in terms of exterior sculptured detail, (painted) cable moulding over the main entrance, with knotted terminals, being the only sculptured detail; string course divides the 2 lower floors. Built of imported freestone, stugged and snecked ashlar; local rubble used at rear. Windows all plate glass sashes, crow-stepped gables, slate roofs with massive chimney stacks. South-facing, principal front with advanced/recessed elements and composed principally of 3 adjoining "tower houses", each with crenellated parapet and mostly unroofed bartizans; also recessed wing; inner tower is taller (4 storeys) with cross-window over main entrance, oriel alongside (public room evidently within), single angle turret loosely derived from the jamb of Pinkie/Hoddom). Flanking towers each a storey lower, that to left (ie west) recessed, that to right on same wall-plane, having deeply-recessed link to crow-stepped east range, intended to suggest a 17th century addition to a pre-existing house; east range has centre gable both on 3-bay east flank and on south front, the latter of which also has deep-corbelled oriel. Interior not inspected during 1989 resurvey.

SEA-WALL to front built of diagonally-set blocks beneath parapet, which is crenellated (with cannon facing outwards), granite coping slabs; flight of steps leading to sea, opposite main door of mansion.

Retaining walls to rear and to west of house, outbuilding set in to bank.