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A long-forgotten castle found on a Hebridean location may have been home to rulers who commanded extensive regions of the Scottish west.

Archaeologists suggest the structure, built on two small islands within a loch at this historic site, belonged to nobility some 700 years previously.

Their descendants comprised MacDonald clan chiefs who earned the title of the Island Sovereigns.

The clan leaders turned this location into a center of power from which they oversaw the Hebrides, the Argyll region and sections of the northern Highlands.

Archaeologists have dedicated nearly 30 years studying the site to gain a better insight of its role in the kingdom of the clan leaders, as well as the area’s prior uses.

Ruins of a stronghold were uncovered and traced back to the 1100s and 1200s, prior to the chieftains rose to power.

The castle contained a rectangular stone tower resembling those built within well-defended castles in English border towns, Bamburgh and Lancaster.

The tower contained living quarters, central yards, kitchens, a feasting room where celebrations were held and a chapel with an nearby cemetery.

Experts mentioned that Anglo-French kings in Britain and Ireland were famous for erecting stone structures, and they suggested that this castle’s was designed as a demonstration of influence and resources.

The structure could have been dismantled because it was structurally unsound or compromised during conflicts.

A grand building was later constructed on the exact spot for the clan chief.

The MacDonald chiefs considered themselves monarchs and believed they were equals of Scottish and English royalty.

They carried out raids in the Scottish mainland and struck locations such as a well-known fortress on the edge of a Scottish loch.

According to a new book, archaeologists affirmed that this location was the rulers' primary headquarters.

The publication has been produced by a research organization.

A project director guided a crew of specialists and volunteers in uncovering fresh findings about this location.

"Review of all the evidence that was collected has been a significant aspect of my life since the 1990s, and I aim I have not only delivered an account of importance but also a basis for others to pursue further exploration in the time ahead."

Another expert remarked that the society’s mission was to communicate understanding of the history as widely as possible.