Skye, Portree, Meall Na H-acairseid, Tower

Beyond this group elevated above the harbour, the Meall (lump) was laid out and planted as a pleasure ground in the earlier 19th century, its focus an octagonal tower folly of 1834, recently restored.

Taken from "Western Seaboard: An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Mary Miers, 2008. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk

NG44SE 100 48385 43356

See also NG44SE 99.

A small octagonal building standing on Meall na h-Acairseid it is for no purpose only as an ornament to the hill. It was built by a factor of Lord Macdonald.

OS Name Book 1876-8

In the neighbourhood of Portree Harbour, there is a romantic and beautiful rock called Fancy Hill, commanding a fine view of the surrounding country. It is proposed, we understand, to erect a Beacon, or tower on the summit of this hill, the expense to be defrayed by public subscription. A gentleman who has taken a warm interest in this local ornament or improvement says ‘ my idea of the beacon is that it should be a neat little octagon tower, about 20 feet in height , 14 feet square, or thereabout, with 4 windows on the lower flat and 8 on the second flat; some of them to be composed of the fragments of painted glass, made up tastefully, in cast-metal frames, in very small diamonds. I find the broken fragments of all sorts f painted glass can be got at Liverpool at 2s the pound.

Inverness Courier, 3 September 1834

Portree now contains an observatory. On the top of the mountain known by the rather cockneyish name of 'Fancy Hill', this building has recently been erected, and the hill is finely planted and laid out in tasteful winding walks.

Inverness Courier, 18 November 1835