Ruined Scottish castle with no roof asks $5.6 million

The world’s largest Scottish clan is selling a ruined castle on the Isle of Skye. 

Armadale Castle has been home to the Macdonalds of Sleat for over 300 years.

The castle boasts connections to some of Scotland’s leading historical figures. 

Flora Macdonald is said to have visited Armadale after helping Bonnie Prince Charlie escape over the sea to Skye – a journey that was later popularised in the ‘Skye Boat Song’.

In its heyday, Armadale Castle was a grand eighteenth-century family home built in a distinctive mock-Gothic style. 

Since then, the castle has fallen into ruin. 

The roof has caved in and ivy has taken over, leaving the building exposed to the elements.

In recent years, the castle has become a popular tourist attraction and wedding venue. 

It has been owned since the 1970s by the Clan Donald Lands Trust, a charity that aims to preserve the history of Clan Donald and promote the culture of the Scottish Isles. 

Armadale Castle and the surrounding 20,000-acre estate is now up for sale. 

The castle is listed with an asking price of £2.76 million ($5.65 million). Along with the castle, there are eight cottages, a five-bedroom house, and 358 acres of land. 

Buyers have the option of purchasing the castle property as a whole or in separate lots. 

The rest of the Clan Donald land is being sold separately for £6.57 million ($13.8 million). 

This massive 19,000 acre landholding encompasses most of the Sleat Peninsula, including a loch, river, and over 30 kilometres of rocky coastline.

The 19,000 acre estate was first listed for sale in March. Armadale Castle came to market a few months later in June 2025. 

“We have been open about the financial challenges facing our charity,” the Clan Donald Land Trust wrote in a public statement. 

“The sale of our property assets will allow the charity to stand on its own feet for the first time, no longer dependent on unstable external funding.”

The Trust’s decision was met with backlash from some Skye locals, who criticised the lack of community involvement.