Dunvegan ( Scottish Gaelic : Dùn Bheagain ) is a village on the Isle of Skye in Scotland . It is famous for Dunvegan Castle , seat of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod . Dunvegan is within the parish of Duirinish . In 2011, it had a population of 386.
8-560: Dunvegan Castle (Caisteal Dhùn Bheagain) is located 1 mile (1.6 km) to the north of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye , off the west coast of Scotland . It is the seat of the MacLeod of MacLeod , chief of the Clan MacLeod . Probably a fortified site from the earliest times, the castle was first built in the 13th century and developed piecemeal over the centuries. In the 19th century
16-476: A north-facing inlet or bay. On the eastern, landward side of the site is a partly natural ditch around 18 feet (5.5 m) deep. Notable family heirlooms kept at Dunvegan Castle include: The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle a novel by T.L. Huchu is set Dunvegan Castle and the Fairy Flag features in the plot. Dunvegan In The Norse Influence on Gaelic Scotland (1910), George Henderson suggests that
24-616: The A850 and the A863 . The B884 road also has a junction with the A863, at the eastern end of Dunvegan. Dunvegan's permanent population is declining. However, numbers staying in the area during holidays have increased dramatically over the years since 2001. Tourist information used to be situated in the parade of shops at Lochside, but is now available on a seasonal basis at Dunvegan Castle's St Kilda Shop. The Giant MacAskill Museum, which celebrates
32-409: The 24th and 25th chiefs, with the addition of mock battlements and the new approach over a drawbridge from the east. The present appearance of the castle dates from around 1840 when this process of "baronialisation" was completed. The castle is a Category A listed building . Dunvegan Castle occupies the summit of a rock some 50 feet (15 m) above sea level, which projects on to the eastern shore of
40-487: The 8th chief, added the Fairy Tower as a separate building around 1500. During the 17th century, new ranges of buildings were put up between the old tower and the Fairy Tower, beginning in 1623 with the state apartment built by Ruairidh Mòr . The old tower was subsequently abandoned until the late 18th century, when the 23rd chief began the process of homogenising the appearance of the castle. This process continued under
48-515: The life of Angus Mòr MacAskill , was established in 1989 and is managed by Peter MacAskill, father of the street trials cycle rider Danny MacAskill . Dunvegan Parish Church, also known as Duirinish Parish Church, is located in Dunvegan. It is a Gothic Revival rectangular church with a battlemented tower, which belongs to the Church of Scotland . The church was built between 1823 and 1832 and
56-538: The name Dùn Bheagain derives from Old Gaelic Dùn Bheccáin ([the] fort of Beccán), Beccán being a Gaelic personal name. Dùn Bheagain would not mean 'little fort' as this would be Dùn Beag in Gaelic . Dunvegan sits on the shores of the large Loch Dunvegan , and the Old School Restaurant in the village is noted for its fish, caught freshly from the loch itself. Dunvegan is situated at the junction of
64-428: The whole castle was remodelled in a mock-medieval style. The castle is built on an elevated rock overlooking an inlet on the eastern shore of Loch Dunvegan , a sea loch. The promontory was enclosed by a curtain wall in the 13th century, and a four-storey tower house was built in the late 14th century. This tower was similar in style to contemporary structures at Kisimul Castle and Caisteal Maol . Alasdair Crotach ,
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