Lews Castle

It was built in 1844-51 as a country home for Sir James Matheson who had bought the Island a few years previously with his fortune from the chinese opium trade.
In 1918, the Lews Estate was bought by Lord Leverhulme who gave the castle to the people of Stornoway in 1923.
It was used in the war for air and ground crew.
Then used for students accommodation.
It is a grade A listed building and is now owned by the council and in 2011 it was awarded £4.6 million by the heritage lottery after remaining empty for several decades.