Plunder siege!
Treasures are stolen from remote island castle... again
A SCOTTISH castle once dubbed the ‘pleasure palace’ for its lavish parties has had valuable artefacts stolen in a raid.
The theft from Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum was disclosed in a newsletter by campaigners trying to save the dilapidated building.
Security has been stepped up at the castle after the second robbery in three years.
Details of what was stolen have not been released, but the Kinloch Castle Friends Association said it has been denied entry to the building in light of the incident.
Secretary Catherine Duckworth said: ‘A group of us are going in October, which will be our first visit since before the pandemic.
‘We have learned that for the first time in many, many years, we will not be allowed the privilege of entering the castle at all. This is hugely disappointing. It comes about, apparently, because items were stolen from the castle and as the case is still to be heard in court I cannot say more, but castle security has been tightened.’
It is understood someone is due to appear in court in December in connection with the alleged crime. The castle’s owner, NatureScot, said it was unable to comment on an ‘ongoing police incident’.
In a separate incident in 2018, some of the castle’s art treasures including an elaborately decorated mirror and historic tribal weapons, ‘disappeared’.
The building has been languishing in a deteriorating state, with NatureScot keen to dispose of it. It has been seeking a ‘beneficial owner’ for some time and placed a deadline of the end of this month for interested parties.
There have been more than 90 expressions of interest, with 25 firmed-up proposals.
It is understood that established hotel chains are among the suitors.
The castle, commissioned by Lancashire industrialist Sir George Bullough in 1897, was once the haunt of socialites, aristocrats and royalty.
Rumours abounded of lavish parties and debauchery.
Bullough died in 1939 and in 1957 his widow sold the castle to the Government, which entrusted it to the Nature Conservancy Council, now NatureScot.