Members of the public are being invited to sponsor a stone in a 13th century Highland castle to help raise the cash needed to restore it to its former glory.
Mingary Castle on the Ardnamurchan peninsula has not been occupied for more than 150 years.
But its owner, Donald Houston, has been granted permission to turn the ruin, which stands near Kilchoan on the most westerly point of the British mainland, into a residential property, through the Mingary Preservation Trust.
Local historian, Jon Haylett, said: “The trustees of the castle, who have somewhere over £2million to raise to preserve this wonderful building and bring it back to life, are asking supporters to sponsor a stone, starting with the stones of the east wall.”
He said anyone wishing to take part can select the stone they wish to sponsor on an online photograph of the east curtain wall.
Mr Haylett said: “The stone you select will be assigned to you alone, its serial number, exact location and a name that you may choose for it will be entered into the records.
“It’s a way you can become associated with the castle and with the effort to save it.”
Meanwhile, restoration work on the castle, which was the seat of the Clan MacIain, continues to reveal secrets from its past.
Archaeologists have recently opened up a lancet window (a tall, narrow window with an arch) in the east wall, which was blocked up when a long narrow room in the wall was filled with stone about 500 years ago to protect the building following the invention of cannons.
Mr Haylett said: “The wall here is only about 60-80cm (2ft-2ft7in) thick, and this explains why it was so important to infill the room once cannon threatened the fortifications.”
He added that the narrow window would have had several functions. “During a siege, defenders could fire arrows and crossbow bolts down onto their attackers.
“In more peaceful times, the gap would have allowed light and fresh air into the room,” said Mr Haylett.
Other interesting finds have included two windows in the battlements that are made of slate.
It is thought this section may have been severely damaged during one of Mingary’s sieges and rebuilt while the siege continued using slates from the roof of the north range.