Lewis
Encyclopedia
Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris
, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides
(an archipelago
) of Scotland
. The total area of Lewis is 683 square miles (1,769 km²).
Lewis is, in general, the lower lying part of Lewis and Harris
, with the other part, Harris, being more mountainous. The flatter, more fertile land means Lewis contains the largest settlement, Stornoway
, and three-quarters of the population of the Western Isles. Beyond human habitation, the island's diverse habitats are home to an assortment of flora and fauna, such as the golden eagle
, red deer
and seal
s and are recognised in a number of conservation areas.
Lewis is of Presbyterian tradition with a rich history, having once been part of the Norse
Kingdom of Mann and the Isles. Today, life is very different from elsewhere in Scotland with Sabbath observance, the Gaelic language and peat
cutting retaining more importance than elsewhere. Lewis has a rich cultural heritage as can be seen from its myths and legends as well as the local literary and musical traditions.
The Gaelic name Leòdhas may be derived from Norse
Ljoðahús ("song house"), although other origins have been suggested—most notably the Gaelic leogach ("marshy"). It is probably the place referred to as Limnu by Ptolemy, which also means "marshy". It is also known as the "Isle of Lewis" (Gaelic: Eilean Leòdhais). Another name usually used in a cultural or poetic context is Eilean an Fhraoich, ("The Heather Isle"). This name however refers to the whole of the island of Lewis and Harris
.
habitation on Lewis is found in peat
samples which indicate that about 8,000 years ago, much of the native woodland was torched to make way for grassland to allow deer
to graze. The earliest archaeological
remains date from about 5,000 years ago. At that time, people began to settle in permanent farms rather than following their herds. The small houses of these people have been found throughout the Western Isles, in particular, at Dail Mhor, Carloway
.
The more striking great monuments of this period are the temples and communal burial cairns at places like Calanais.
About 500 BC, island society moved into the Iron Age
. The buildings became larger and more prominent, culminating in the broch
s – circular, dry-stone towers belonging to the local chieftains – testifying to the uncertain nature of life then. The best remaining example of a broch in Lewis is at Dun Charlabhaigh
. The Scots
are recorded as arriving from around 1AD, bringing the Gaelic language with them. As Christianity
began to spread through the islands in the sixth and later centuries, following Columban
missionaries, Lewis was inhabited by the Picts
.
In the 9th century AD, the Vikings began to settle on Lewis, after years of raiding from the sea. The Norse invaders intermarried with local families and abandoned their pagan beliefs. At this time, most buildings changed their forms from being round to rectangular, following the Scandinavian style. At this time, Lewis was part of the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles and officially part of Norway. The Lewis chessmen
, which were found on the island in 1831, date from the time of Viking
rule. The people were called the Gall-Ghaidheil, the ‘Foreigner Gaels', reflecting their mixed Scandinavian/Gaelic background, and probably their bilingual speech. The Norse language persists in many island placenames and some personal names to this day, although the latter are fairly evenly spread across Scottish Gaeldom.
Lewis (and the rest of the Western Isles) became part of Scotland once more in 1266 following the Treaty of Perth
when it was ceded by the Kingdom of Norway. Under Scottish rule, the Lordship of the Isles
emerged as the most important power in north-western Scotland by the 14th century. The Lords of the Isles were based on Islay
, but controlled all of the Hebrides
. They were descended from Somerled
(Somhairle) Mac Gillibride, a Gall-Gaidheil lord who had held the Hebrides and West Coast two hundred years earlier. Control of Lewis itself was initially exercised by the Macleod clan but after years of feuding and open warfare between and even within local clans, the lands of Clan MacLeod
were forfeited to the crown in 1597 and were awarded by King James VI to a group of Lowland
colonists known as the Fife adventurers
in an attempt to anglicise the islands. However the adventurers were unsuccessful and possession eventually passed to the Mackenzies of Kintail in 1609 when Coinneach, Lord MacKenzie, bought out the lowlanders
.
Following the 1745 rebellion, and Prince Charles Edward Stewart's flight to France, the use of Gaelic was discouraged, rents were demanded in cash rather than kind, and the wearing of folk dress was made illegal. Emigration to the New World increasingly became an escape for those who could afford it during the latter half of the century. In 1844 Lewis was bought by Sir James Matheson, co-founder of Jardine Matheson, but subsequent famine and changing land use forced vast numbers off their lands, and increased again the flood of emigrants. Paradoxically, those who remained became ever more congested and impoverished, as large tracts of arable land were set aside for sheep, deer-stalking or grouse shooting. Agitation for land re-settlement became acute on Lewis during the economic slump of the 1880s, with several land raids (in common with Skye, Uist and Tiree); this quietened down as the island economy recovered.
During the First World War, thousands of islanders served in the forces, many losing their lives, including 208 naval reservists from the island who were returning home after the war when the Admiralty yacht HMY Iolaire
, sank within sight of Stornoway harbour. Many servicemen from Lewis served in the Royal
and Merchant Navy
during the Second World War and again, many lives were lost. Following the war, many more inhabitants emigrated to the Americas and mainland Scotland.
In 1917 the Isle of Lewis was bought by the soap magnate Lord Leverhulme who intended to make Stornoway an industrial town and build a fish cannery. His plans were initially popular, but his opposition to land re-settlement led to further land raids especially around the farms of Coll, Gress
and Tong. These raids, commemorated in monuments in several villages, were ultimately successful, as the government was prepared to take legal action in support of land re-settlement. Faced with this, Leverhulme gave up on his plans for Lewis and concentrated his efforts on Harris, where the town of Leverburgh
takes his name.
There are also numerous 'lesser' stone circles and the remains of five further broch
s.
A cross-section of Lewis would see mostly sandy beaches backed by dunes and machair on the east coast, giving way to an expansive peat covered plateau in the centre of the island. The Atlantic coastline is markedly more rugged and is mostly rocky cliffs broken by small coves and beaches. The more fertile nature of the eastern side led to the majority of the population settling there, including the largest (and only) town, Stornoway
. Aside from the village of Achmore in the centre of the island, all settlements are on the coast.
Compared with Harris, Lewis is relatively flat, except in the south-west, where Mealisval, 574m (1,883 ft), is the highest point, and in the south-east, where Beinn Mhor reaches 572m (1,877 ft); but there are 16 high points exceeding 300 m (1000 ft) in height. Southern Lewis also has a large number of freshwater lochs compared to the north of the island.
South Lewis, Harris and North Uist
collectively is a National Scenic Area
, and there are 4 geographical Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on Lewis - Glen Valtos, Cnoc a' Chapuill, Port of Ness and Tolsta Head.
The coastline is severely indented into a number of large sea lochs, such as Lochs Resort and Seaforth which form part of the border with Harris, Loch Roag surrounding the island of Great Bernera and Loch Erisort. The principal capes are the Butt of Lewis, in the extreme north, with hundred foot (30 m) cliffs (the high point is 142 ft (43.3 m) high) and crowned with a lighthouse, the light of which is visible for 19 miles; Tolsta Head, Tiumpan Head and Cabag Head, on the east; Renish Point, in the extreme south; and, on the west, Toe Head and Gallon Head. The largest island associated with Lewis is Bernera or Great Bernera
in the district of Uig
and is linked to the mainland of Lewis by a bridge opened in 1953.
Lewis is composed of gneiss
rocks, excepting a patch of granite
near Carloway
, small bands of intrusive basalt
at Gress and in Eye Peninsula and some sandstone
at Stornoway, Tong, Vatisker and Carloway, originally thought to be Torridonian, now considered to probably be Permo
-Triassic
in age. Sedimentary rocks cover some low-lying areas around the Broad Bay area as well.
lead to a cool, moist climate on Lewis. There is little temperature difference between summer and winter, both of which are very cloudy, along with significant rainfall and frequent high winds, particularly during the autumn equinox. These winds have led to Lewis being designated a potential site for a significant wind-farm which has caused much controversy amongst the population.
as a Special Protection Area
, Special Area of Conservation
and a Ramsar
site, showing their importance as a wetland habitat for migratory and resident bird life.
s inhabit the coastal areas of Lewis, such as shag
, gannet
s, fulmar
s, kittiwakes
, guillemot
s, red grouse, woodcock and the ubiquitous gull
s.
In the Uig
hills, it is possible to spot golden eagle
s; it has also been claimed that white-tailed eagle
s have been seen in the area. In the Pairc area, it is possible to see feeding oyster catchers and curlew
s. A few pairs of peregrine falcon
s survive on coastal cliffs and merlin
and buzzard
are not uncommon anywhere on hill and moor. An important feature of the winter bird life is the great diversity of wildfowl. A variety of duck
, such as eider
and long-tailed are found in the shallow water around Lewis.
Salmon
frequent several Lewis rivers after crossing the Atlantic. Many of the fresh-water lochs are home to fish such as trout
. Other freshwater fish present include arctic char
, European eel
, 3 and 9 spined stickleback
s, thick-lipped mullet
and flounder
.
Offshore, it is common to see seal
s, particularly in Stornoway harbour, and with luck, dolphin
s, porpoise
s, shark
s and even the occasional whale
can be encountered.
and otter
. The rabbit
, blue hare
, hedgehog
, brown and black rat
, feral cat
, mink
and polecat
were introduced. The origin of mice
and vole
s is uncertain.
American mink
are another introduced species (escapees from fur farms
) and cause problems for native ground-nesting birds, the local fishing industry and poultry farmers. Due to this impact and following a successful eradication of the species from the Uists and Barra, the second and ongoing phase of the Hebridean Mink Project aims to rid mink from Lewis and Harris in similar fashion.
There are claims that the Stornoway castle grounds are home to bat
s. In addition, there are farmed animals such as Hebridean sheep, Highland cattle or kyloe and a few pig
s.
In common with Ireland, no snakes inhabit Lewis, only the slow-worm which is merely mistaken for a snake. Actually a legless lizard, it is the sole member of its order present. The common frog
may be found in the centre of the island though it, along with any newts or toads present are introduced species.
which is ever-present near water at certain times of the year.
During the summer months, several species of butterflies
and dragon flies
can be found, especially outwith Stornoway.
The richness of insect life in Lewis is evident from the abundance of carnivorous plants that thrive in parts of the island.
The machair is noted for different species of orchid and associated vegetation such as various grass
es. Three heather
s; ling, bell heather and cross-leaved heather are predominant in the large areas of moorland
vegetation which also holds large numbers of insectivorous plants such as sundew
s. The expanse of heather-covered moorland explains the name Eilean an Fhraoich, Gaelic for "The Heather Isle".
Lewis was once covered by woodland, but the only natural woods remaining are in small pockets on inland cliffs and on islands within lochs, away from fire and sheep. In recent years, Forestry Commission
plantations of spruce
and pine
were planted, although most of the pines were destroyed by moth
infestation. The most important mixed woods are those planted around Lews Castle
in Stornoway, dating from the mid 19th century.
Historically, while Harris was part of Inverness-shire, Lewis was part of Ross-shire
or Ross and Cromarty
until the establishment of the Western Isles Islands Council in 1975. Now called Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
, its remit covers the whole of the Outer Hebrides and its headquarters are in Stornoway.
Lewis is home to the majority of the Western Isles electorate and 6 of the 9 multi-member council wards are within Lewis and one is shared with Harris. 22 councillors are effectively elected by Lewis residents using the Single Transferable Vote
system, and following the 2007 elections 19 are independents, 1 has Labour and 2 SNP party affiliation.
The Isle of Lewis is in the Highlands electoral region
and is part of the identical Western Isles
Scottish Parliamentiary and Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Westminster constituencies, both currently represented by members of the Scottish National Party
(SNP) and previously held by members of the Labour Party
before the respective elections.
on the Outer Hebrides, is Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh), from which ferries
sail to Ullapool
on the Scottish mainland. In the 2001 census Lewis had a usually resident population of 18,489.
The island's settlements are on or near the coast
s or sea lochs, being particularly concentrated on the north east coast. The interior of the island is a large area of moorland from which peat
was traditionally cut as fuel, although this practice has become less common. The southern part of the island, adjoining Harris, is more mountainous with inland loch
s.
It is claimed that the site of the Stornoway War Memorial was chosen as it would be visible from at least one location in each of the four parishes; therefore, it may be possible to see all four parishes of Lewis from the top of the monument.
, Carloway and Leurbost
with significant populations. Near Stornoway, Laxdale
, Sandwick
and Holm
, although still de-facto villages, have now become quasi-suburbs of Stornoway. The population of the greater-Stornoway area including these (and other) villages would be nearer 12,000.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of villages in Lewis according to their location:
Traditional industries on Lewis are crofting
, fishing
and weaving
. Though historically important they are currently in decline and crofting in particular is little more than a subsistence venture today. Over 40% of the working population is employed by the public sector (chiefly Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the local authority; or NHS Western Isles). Tourism is the only growing commercial industry, bringing in over £45 million a year in revenue to the islands.
Despite the name the Harris tweed
industry is today focused in Lewis with the major finishing mills in Shawbost and Stornoway. Every length of cloth produced is stamped with the official Orb
symbol, trademark
ed by the Harris Tweed Association in 1909, when Harris Tweed was defined as "hand-spun, hand-woven and dyed by the crofters and cottars in the Outer Hebrides"; Machine-spinning and vat dyeing have since replaced hand methods, and only weaving is now conducted in the home, under the governance of the Harris Tweed Authority, established by an Act of Parliament in 1993. Harris Tweed is now defined as "hand woven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides, finished in the islands of Harris, Lewis, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra and their several purtenances (The Outer Hebrides) and made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides."
Aside from the concentration of industry and services in the Stornoway area many of the historical sites have associated visitor centres, shops or cafes. There is a pharmaceutical plant near Breasclete
which specialises in fatty acid
research.
The main fishing fleet (and associated shoreside services) in Stornoway is somewhat reduced from its heyday, but many smaller boats perform inshore creel fishing and operate from smaller, local harbours right around Lewis. Fish farms are present in many of the sea lochs and along with the onshore processing and transportation required the industry as a whole is a major employer.
Itinerant, travelling shops also tour the island visiting some of the more remote locations. The ease of transport to Stornoway and the advent of the internet have led to many of the village shops closing in recent times. Mobile banking services are provided to remote villages by the Royal Bank of Scotland's travelling bank.
A daily Caledonian MacBrayne
ferry
(MV Isle of Lewis
) sails from Stornoway to Ullapool on the Scottish mainland, taking 2 hours 40 minutes connecting Lewis with the mainland. There are an average of two return crossings a day, with an increase and reduction in frequency in summer and winter months respectively. As ferry traffic has increased, a second ship (MV Muirneag) now provides a single early morning sailing to carry most of the island's freight lorries. Other ferries sailing from Harris are easily accessible by road enabling transport to Skye
and Uist
.
Suggestions for the possibility of an undersea tunnel linking Lewis to the Scottish mainland were raised in early 2007. One of the possible routes, between Stornoway and Ullapool, would be over 50 miles (80.5 km) long and hence become the longest road tunnel in the world; however, shorter routes would be possible.
Stornoway is the public transport hub of Lewis with bus service links to Point, Ness, Back and Tolsta, Uig, the West Side, Lochs and Tarbert, Harris
. These services are provided by the local authority and several private operators as well as some community-run organisations.
Stornoway Airport
is 2 miles (3.2 km) away from the town itself, and is located next to the village of Melbost
. From here services operate to Aberdeen
, Benbecula
, Edinburgh
, Inverness
and Glasgow
, with flights from Flybe
franchisee Loganair
, Eastern Airways
and Highland Airways
. The airport is also the base of a HM Coastguard Search & Rescue Sikorsky S-92
helicopter, and was previously home to RAF Stornoway
.
Peat
is still cut as a fuel in many areas of Lewis. Peat is usually cut in late spring with a tool called a peat knife or tosg (sometimes toirsgian, or tairsgeir) which has a long wooden handle with an angled blade on one end. The peat bank is first cleared of heather turfs. The peat, now exposed, is cut using the peat knife and the peats thrown out on the bank to dry. A good peat cutter can cut 1000 peats in a day.
Once dried,the peats are carted to the croft and built into a large stack. These often resembled the shape of the croft house - broad, curved at each end and tapered to a point about 2 metres high. They varied in length from about 4 to 14 metres. Peat stacking also follows local customs and a well built peat stack can be a work of art. Peat stacks provide additional shelter to houses. A croft can burn as many as 15,000 - 18,000 peats in a year.
The odour of the peat-smoke, especially in winter time, can add to the general atmosphere of the island. While peat burning still goes on, there has been a significant decline in recent years as people move to other, less labour-intensive forms of heating; however, it remains an important symbol of island life. In 2008, with the large increase in the price (and theft) of LPG and heating oil, there are signs that there may be a return to peat cutting.
Religion is important in Lewis, with much of the population belonging to the Free Church
and Church of Scotland
(both Presbyterian in tradition). The Sabbath is generally observed with most shops and licensed premises closed on that day, although there is a scheduled air service to mainland Scotland as well as a scheduled ferry service from 19 July 2009. While Presbyterianism dominates Lewis, other denominations and other religions have a presence with a Catholic
church, a Salvation Army
corps, a Pentecostal church (New Wine Church), a Brethren
church, a Baptist
church, a meetinghouse of the LDS Church and a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall
all present in Stornoway.
, the only six-year secondary school on the island. The large number of village schools lead to necessarily small rolls, and further recent falls in pupil numbers have led to plans being drawn up for closures including all of the rural secondary departments. The closure plans have been deferred pending a full review, but upcoming changes to the curriculum (a change to a 3 year junior secondary structure) would seem to place the rural secondaries under threat of change if nothing else.
Stornoway is home to a small campus of the University of Stirling
, teaching nursing, which is based in Ospadal nan Eilean (Western Isles Hospital). There is also a further education college, Lews Castle College
, which is part of the UHI Millennium Institute
. The college is the umbrella organisation for other vocational and community education, offered in several rural learning centres as well as on the main campus and covering subjects such as basic computer skills, Gaelic language classes and maritime qualifications.
Lewis has a linguistic heritage rooted in Gaelic and Old Norse
, which both continue to influence life in Lewis. Today, both Gaelic and English are spoken in Lewis, but in day to day life, a hybrid of English and Gaelic (Highland English
) is very common. As a result of the Gaelic influence, the Lewis accent is frequently considered to sound more Irish or Welsh than stereotypically Scottish in some quarters. The Gaelic culture in the Western Isles is more prominent than in any other part of Scotland. Gaelic is still the language of choice amongst many islanders and around 60% of islanders speak Gaelic, whilst 70% of the resident population have some knowledge of Gaelic (including reading, writing, speaking or a combination of the three). Most signposts on the islands are written in both English and Gàidhlig and much day-to-day business is carried out in the Gaelic language. Almost all of the Gaelic speakers are bilingual.
Most of the place names in Lewis and Harris come from Old Norse
. The name "Lewis" is the English spelling of the Gaelic Leòdhas which comes from the Old Norse Ljóðhús, as Lewis is named in medieval Norwegian maps of the island. Various suggestions have been made as to a Norse meaning such as "song house". The name is not of Gaelic origin, the Norse credentials are questionable and it may have a pre-Celtic root.
, there are annual local mods. Stornoway Castle Green hosts the annual 3 day Hebridean Celtic Festival
in July, attracting over 10,000 visitors. The festival includes events such as ceilidhs, dances and special concerts featuring storytelling, song and music with performers from all round the Isles and beyond.
The radio station Isles FM
is based in Stornoway and broadcasts on 103FM, featuring a mixture of Gaelic and English programming. The town is also home to a studio operated by BBC Radio nan Gàidheal
, and Studio Alba, an independent television studio from where the Gaelic TV channel TeleG was broadcast.
The Stornoway Gazette
is the main local paper, covering Lewis and beyond and is published weekly. The Hebridean is a sister paper of the Gazette and also provides local coverage. Some community organisations in the rural districts have their own publications with news and features for these particular areas, such as the Rudhach for the Point district.
Lewis has been home to, or inspired, many writers, including bestselling contemporary author Kevin MacNeil
, whose cult novel The Stornoway Way was set in the island's capital.
There is a good provision of sporting grounds and sports centres in Lewis. Sports such as Football
, Rugby union
and Golf
are popular.
- a water-spirit who had to be offered ale
in the area of Teampull Mholuaidh
in Ness
- and The Blue Men who inhabited the Minch, between Lewis and the Shiants
.
Lewis and Harris
Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides make up the largest island in Scotland. This is the largest single island of the British Isles after Great Britain and Ireland.-Geography:...
, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
(an archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
) of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The total area of Lewis is 683 square miles (1,769 km²).
Lewis is, in general, the lower lying part of Lewis and Harris
Lewis and Harris
Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides make up the largest island in Scotland. This is the largest single island of the British Isles after Great Britain and Ireland.-Geography:...
, with the other part, Harris, being more mountainous. The flatter, more fertile land means Lewis contains the largest settlement, Stornoway
Stornoway
Stornoway is a burgh on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.The town's population is around 9,000, making it the largest settlement in the Western Isles and the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and Fort William...
, and three-quarters of the population of the Western Isles. Beyond human habitation, the island's diverse habitats are home to an assortment of flora and fauna, such as the golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
and seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
s and are recognised in a number of conservation areas.
Lewis is of Presbyterian tradition with a rich history, having once been part of the Norse
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
Kingdom of Mann and the Isles. Today, life is very different from elsewhere in Scotland with Sabbath observance, the Gaelic language and peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
cutting retaining more importance than elsewhere. Lewis has a rich cultural heritage as can be seen from its myths and legends as well as the local literary and musical traditions.
Name of the island
| Pronunciation | |
|---|---|
| Scots Gaelic: | Eilean Leòdhais |
| Pronunciation: | elan ˈʎɔːəʃ |
| Scots Gaelic: | Eilean an Fhraoich |
| Pronunciation: |ˈelan ən̪ˠ rˠɯːç |
|
The Gaelic name Leòdhas may be derived from Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
Ljoðahús ("song house"), although other origins have been suggested—most notably the Gaelic leogach ("marshy"). It is probably the place referred to as Limnu by Ptolemy, which also means "marshy". It is also known as the "Isle of Lewis" (Gaelic: Eilean Leòdhais). Another name usually used in a cultural or poetic context is Eilean an Fhraoich, ("The Heather Isle"). This name however refers to the whole of the island of Lewis and Harris
Lewis and Harris
Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides make up the largest island in Scotland. This is the largest single island of the British Isles after Great Britain and Ireland.-Geography:...
.
History
The first evidence of humanHuman
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
habitation on Lewis is found in peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
samples which indicate that about 8,000 years ago, much of the native woodland was torched to make way for grassland to allow deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
to graze. The earliest archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
remains date from about 5,000 years ago. At that time, people began to settle in permanent farms rather than following their herds. The small houses of these people have been found throughout the Western Isles, in particular, at Dail Mhor, Carloway
Carloway
Carloway is a district situated in the parish of Uig on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides. The district has a population of around 500.- The District :...
.
About 500 BC, island society moved into the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
. The buildings became larger and more prominent, culminating in the broch
Broch
A broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland. Brochs include some of the most sophisticated examples of drystone architecture ever created, and belong to the classification "complex Atlantic Roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s....
s – circular, dry-stone towers belonging to the local chieftains – testifying to the uncertain nature of life then. The best remaining example of a broch in Lewis is at Dun Charlabhaigh
Dun Carloway
Dun Carloway is a broch situated in the district of Carloway, on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. It is a remarkably well preserved broch - on the east side parts of the old wall still reaches to 9 metres tall. In places there are also more modern repairs to the east wall...
. The Scots
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
are recorded as arriving from around 1AD, bringing the Gaelic language with them. As Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
began to spread through the islands in the sixth and later centuries, following Columban
Saint Columba
-Saints:* Columba , Irish Christian saint who evangelized Scotland* Columba the Virgin, also known as Saint Columba of Cornwall* Columba of Sens* Columba of Spain* Columba of Terryglass* Sancta Columba -Schools:...
missionaries, Lewis was inhabited by the Picts
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
.
Lewis chessmen
The Lewis Chessmen are a group of 78 12th-century chess pieces, most of which are carved in walrus ivory...
, which were found on the island in 1831, date from the time of Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
rule. The people were called the Gall-Ghaidheil, the ‘Foreigner Gaels', reflecting their mixed Scandinavian/Gaelic background, and probably their bilingual speech. The Norse language persists in many island placenames and some personal names to this day, although the latter are fairly evenly spread across Scottish Gaeldom.
Lewis (and the rest of the Western Isles) became part of Scotland once more in 1266 following the Treaty of Perth
Treaty of Perth
The Treaty of Perth, 1266, ended military conflict between Norway, under King Magnus VI of Norway, and Scotland, under King Alexander III, over the sovereignty of the Hebrides and the Isle of Man....
when it was ceded by the Kingdom of Norway. Under Scottish rule, the Lordship of the Isles
Lord of the Isles
The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
emerged as the most important power in north-western Scotland by the 14th century. The Lords of the Isles were based on Islay
Islay
-Prehistory:The earliest settlers on Islay were nomadic hunter-gatherers who arrived during the Mesolithic period after the retreat of the Pleistocene ice caps. In 1993 a flint arrowhead was found in a field near Bridgend dating from 10,800 BC, the earliest evidence of a human presence found so far...
, but controlled all of the Hebrides
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
. They were descended from Somerled
Somerled
Somerled was a military and political leader of the Scottish Isles in the 12th century who was known in Gaelic as rí Innse Gall . His father was Gillebride...
(Somhairle) Mac Gillibride, a Gall-Gaidheil lord who had held the Hebrides and West Coast two hundred years earlier. Control of Lewis itself was initially exercised by the Macleod clan but after years of feuding and open warfare between and even within local clans, the lands of Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan, whose chief is Macleod of Macleod, are known in Gaelic as Sìol Tormoid ; the Macleods of Lewis, whose chief is Macleod of The Lewes, are known in...
were forfeited to the crown in 1597 and were awarded by King James VI to a group of Lowland
Lowland
In physical geography, a lowland is any broad expanse of land with a general low level. The term is thus applied to the landward portion of the upward slope from oceanic depths to continental highlands, to a region of depression in the interior of a mountainous region, to a plain of denudation, or...
colonists known as the Fife adventurers
Fife adventurers
The Gentleman Adventurers of Fife or Fife Adventurers were a group of 12 Scottish Lowlander colonists awarded lands on the Isle of Lewis by King James VI in 1598 following the forfeiture of all MacLeod lands in 1597 when they failed to produce the title-deeds proving their ownership which had been...
in an attempt to anglicise the islands. However the adventurers were unsuccessful and possession eventually passed to the Mackenzies of Kintail in 1609 when Coinneach, Lord MacKenzie, bought out the lowlanders
Scottish Lowlands
The Scottish Lowlands is a name given to the Southern half of Scotland.The area is called a' Ghalldachd in Scottish Gaelic, and the Lawlands ....
.
During the First World War, thousands of islanders served in the forces, many losing their lives, including 208 naval reservists from the island who were returning home after the war when the Admiralty yacht HMY Iolaire
Iolaire
The Iolaire was an Admiralty yacht whose sinking on the 1 January 1919 in the Minch strait was one of the worst maritime disasters in United Kingdom waters during the 20th century...
, sank within sight of Stornoway harbour. Many servicemen from Lewis served in the Royal
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and Merchant Navy
Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency...
during the Second World War and again, many lives were lost. Following the war, many more inhabitants emigrated to the Americas and mainland Scotland.
In 1917 the Isle of Lewis was bought by the soap magnate Lord Leverhulme who intended to make Stornoway an industrial town and build a fish cannery. His plans were initially popular, but his opposition to land re-settlement led to further land raids especially around the farms of Coll, Gress
Gress
Gress is a thriving hamlet on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. Gress is adjacent to the larger village of Back.Between 1919 and 1921, Gress along with nearby Coll, Lewis and Tong was the scene of several land raids.- External links :...
and Tong. These raids, commemorated in monuments in several villages, were ultimately successful, as the government was prepared to take legal action in support of land re-settlement. Faced with this, Leverhulme gave up on his plans for Lewis and concentrated his efforts on Harris, where the town of Leverburgh
Leverburgh
Leverburgh is the second largest village, after Tarbert, on the island of Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-History:In his 30's, English businessman William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme had taken a boat trip and fallen in love with the Western Isles of Scotland...
takes his name.
Historical sites
The Isle of Lewis has a variety of locations of historical and archaeological interest including:- Callanish Stones;
- Dun CarlowayDun CarlowayDun Carloway is a broch situated in the district of Carloway, on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. It is a remarkably well preserved broch - on the east side parts of the old wall still reaches to 9 metres tall. In places there are also more modern repairs to the east wall...
Broch; - Iron AgeIron AgeThe Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
houses near Bostadh (Great BerneraGreat BerneraGreat Bernera , often known just as Bernera is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. With an area of just over , it is the thirty-fourth largest Scottish island....
); - The GareninGareninGarenin is a crofting township found on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Garenin is in the Carloway municipality and has a population of about 80 people. Today the village is most famous for the Blackhouse Village, which consists of 9 restored traditional...
Blackhouse Village in CarlowayCarlowayCarloway is a district situated in the parish of Uig on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides. The district has a population of around 500.- The District :...
and the Black House at ArnolArnolArnol is a small village typical of many settlements of the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Once a thriving township with over forty crofts it now has a population of about 100 and supports a much lower number of active crofters...
; - BragarBragarBragar is a village on the west side of the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, 14 miles from the island's only town, Stornoway.Residents are mainly Gaelic speaking, and many work as crofters....
whale bone arch; - St. Columba's church in AignishAignishAignish is located northwest of Knock and east of Stornoway on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis. The township is at the island side of the isthmus connecting to the Eye peninsula....
; - Teampull MholuaidhTeampull MholuaidhSt Moluag's church is a 13th Century temple in the village of Eoropie in Ness in the Isle of Lewis in Scotland.The church has a basic T shaped structure, with two small chapels on either side of the main body of the church. The southern chapel can only be accessed from outside...
in Ness; - Clach an Truiseil monolithMonolithA monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument...
; - Clach Na Thursa, CarlowayCarlowayCarloway is a district situated in the parish of Uig on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides. The district has a population of around 500.- The District :...
- Bonnie Prince Charlie's Monument, Arnish;
- Lews CastleLews CastleLews Castle is a Victorian era castle located west of the town of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. It was built in the years 1847-57 as a country house for Sir James Matheson who had bought the whole island a few years previously with his fortune from the Chinese Opium trade...
; - Butt of LewisButt of LewisThe Butt of Lewis is the most northerly point of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. The headland, which lies in the North Atlantic, is frequently battered by heavy swells and storms.-Lighthouse:...
cliffs and lighthouseLighthouseA lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
; - Dùn ÈisteanDùn ÈisteanDùn Èistean is a multi-period archaeological site on an inter- tidal sea stack on the north east coast of the Isle of Lewis, near the village of Knockaird in the area of Nis in the Western Isles of Scotland. It is accorded the status of traditional stronghold of Clan Morrison - once a highly...
, a small island which is the ancestral home of the Lewis Morrisons.
There are also numerous 'lesser' stone circles and the remains of five further broch
Broch
A broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland. Brochs include some of the most sophisticated examples of drystone architecture ever created, and belong to the classification "complex Atlantic Roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s....
s.
Geography and geology
Stornoway
Stornoway is a burgh on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.The town's population is around 9,000, making it the largest settlement in the Western Isles and the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and Fort William...
. Aside from the village of Achmore in the centre of the island, all settlements are on the coast.
South Lewis, Harris and North Uist
South Lewis, Harris and North Uist NSA
South Lewis, Harris and North Uist NSA is a large National Scenic Area in the Western Isles of Scotland.-Location:The designated area covers 109,600 hectares, including the mountainous south west of Lewis, all of Harris, the Sound of Harris and the northern part of North Uist.-Description:North...
collectively is a National Scenic Area
National Scenic Area
National Scenic Area is a designation for areas of natural beauty used by more than one nation.* National Scenic Area * National Scenic Area * National scenic areas in Taiwan* National Scenic Area...
, and there are 4 geographical Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on Lewis - Glen Valtos, Cnoc a' Chapuill, Port of Ness and Tolsta Head.
The coastline is severely indented into a number of large sea lochs, such as Lochs Resort and Seaforth which form part of the border with Harris, Loch Roag surrounding the island of Great Bernera and Loch Erisort. The principal capes are the Butt of Lewis, in the extreme north, with hundred foot (30 m) cliffs (the high point is 142 ft (43.3 m) high) and crowned with a lighthouse, the light of which is visible for 19 miles; Tolsta Head, Tiumpan Head and Cabag Head, on the east; Renish Point, in the extreme south; and, on the west, Toe Head and Gallon Head. The largest island associated with Lewis is Bernera or Great Bernera
Great Bernera
Great Bernera , often known just as Bernera is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. With an area of just over , it is the thirty-fourth largest Scottish island....
in the district of Uig
Uig, Lewis
Uig , also known as Sgìr' Ùig, is a civil parish and community on the western coast of the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It consists of scattered settlements around the bay of Camas Uig and the Bhaltos peninsula...
and is linked to the mainland of Lewis by a bridge opened in 1953.
Geology
Gneiss
Gneiss is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks.-Etymology:...
rocks, excepting a patch of granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
near Carloway
Carloway
Carloway is a district situated in the parish of Uig on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides. The district has a population of around 500.- The District :...
, small bands of intrusive basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
at Gress and in Eye Peninsula and some sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
at Stornoway, Tong, Vatisker and Carloway, originally thought to be Torridonian, now considered to probably be Permo
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
-Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
in age. Sedimentary rocks cover some low-lying areas around the Broad Bay area as well.
Climate
Exposure to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf StreamGulf Stream
The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates at the tip of Florida, and follows the eastern coastlines of the United States and Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean...
lead to a cool, moist climate on Lewis. There is little temperature difference between summer and winter, both of which are very cloudy, along with significant rainfall and frequent high winds, particularly during the autumn equinox. These winds have led to Lewis being designated a potential site for a significant wind-farm which has caused much controversy amongst the population.
| Average / Month | Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High temperature Celsius (°F) | 11 (52) | 7 (44) | 7 (44) | 8 (46) | 10 (50) | 12 (54) | 14 (58) | 16 (60) | 16 (61) | 14 (58) | 12 (53) | 9 (48) | 7 (45) |
| Low temperature Celsius (°F) | 5 (41) | 2 (35) | 2 (35) | 2 (36) | 3 (38) | 6 (42) | 8 (47) | 10 (50) | 10 (50) | 8 (47) | 6 (43) | 4 (38) | 2 (36) |
| Days of Air Frost | 34 | 7.22 | 7.01 | 6.52 | 2.62 | 0.56 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.86 | 3.48 | 6.30 |
| Rainfall (mm) | 1197 | 134.41 | 98.48 | 93.86 | 72.70 | 61.86 | 64.89 | 74.21 | 89.63 | 106.44 | 132.21 | 132.37 | 135.78 |
| Hours of Sun | 1223 | 34.46 | 63.43 | 104.85 | 147.07 | 192.18 | 166.44 | 127.94 | 132.57 | 106.63 | 77.19 | 44.26 | 26.21 |
| Temperature figures are average figures for that month; other figures are averages of monthly totals. | |||||||||||||
| Source: Met Office (Data Jan 1874-Nov 2006) | |||||||||||||
Nature
There are 15 Sites of Special Scientific Interest on Lewis in the biology category, spread across the island. Additionally, the Lewis Peatlands are recognised by Scottish Natural HeritageScottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage is a Scottish public body. It is responsible for Scotland's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e...
as a Special Protection Area
Special Protection Area
A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds.Together with Special...
, Special Area of Conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
and a Ramsar
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
site, showing their importance as a wetland habitat for migratory and resident bird life.
Birds
Many species of seabirdSeabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
s inhabit the coastal areas of Lewis, such as shag
Shag
Shag may refer to:*Collegiate shag, a swing dance that originated in the 1920s *Carolina shag, a swing dance that originated in South Carolina in the 1940s*St...
, gannet
Gannet
Gannets are seabirds comprising the genus Morus, in the family Sulidae, closely related to the boobies.The gannets are large black and white birds with yellow heads. They have long pointed wings and long bills. Northern gannets are the largest seabirds in the North Atlantic, with a wingspan of up...
s, fulmar
Fulmar
Fulmars are seabirds of the family Procellariidae. The family consists of two extant species and two that are extinct.-Taxonomy:As members of Procellaridae and then the order Procellariiformes, they share certain traits. First, they have nasal passages that attach to the upper bill called...
s, kittiwakes
Black-legged Kittiwake
The Black-legged Kittiwake is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae.This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Larus tridactylus....
, guillemot
Guillemot
Guillemots is the common name for several species of seabird in the auk family . In British use, the term comprises two genera: Uria and Cepphus. In North America the Uria species are called "murres" and only the Cepphus species are called "guillemots"...
s, red grouse, woodcock and the ubiquitous gull
Gull
Gulls are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders...
s.
In the Uig
Uig, Lewis
Uig , also known as Sgìr' Ùig, is a civil parish and community on the western coast of the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It consists of scattered settlements around the bay of Camas Uig and the Bhaltos peninsula...
hills, it is possible to spot golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
s; it has also been claimed that white-tailed eagle
White-tailed Eagle
The White-tailed Eagle , also known as the Sea Eagle, Erne , or White-tailed Sea-eagle, is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which includes other raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers...
s have been seen in the area. In the Pairc area, it is possible to see feeding oyster catchers and curlew
Curlew
The curlews , genus Numenius, are a group of eight species of birds, characterised by long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage. They are one of the most ancient lineages of scolopacid waders, together with the godwits which look similar but have straight bills...
s. A few pairs of peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
s survive on coastal cliffs and merlin
Merlin (bird)
The Merlin is a small species of falcon from the Northern Hemisphere. A bird of prey once known colloquially as a pigeon hawk in North America, the Merlin breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter.-European and North American...
and buzzard
Buzzard
A buzzard is one of several large birds, but there are a number of meanings as detailed below.-Old World:In the Old World Buzzard can mean:* One of several medium-sized, wide-ranging raptors with a robust body and broad wings....
are not uncommon anywhere on hill and moor. An important feature of the winter bird life is the great diversity of wildfowl. A variety of duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
, such as eider
Eider
Eiders are large seaducks in the genus Somateria. Steller's Eider, despite its name, is in a different genus.The three extant species all breed in the cooler latitudes of the Northern hemisphere....
and long-tailed are found in the shallow water around Lewis.
Marine life
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
frequent several Lewis rivers after crossing the Atlantic. Many of the fresh-water lochs are home to fish such as trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
. Other freshwater fish present include arctic char
Arctic char
Arctic char or Arctic charr is both a freshwater and saltwater fish in the Salmonidae family, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic and alpine lakes and coastal waters. No other freshwater fish is found as far north. It is the only species of fish in Lake Hazen, on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic...
, European eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
, 3 and 9 spined stickleback
Stickleback
The Gasterosteidae are a family of fish including the sticklebacks. FishBase currently recognises sixteen species in the family, grouped in five genera. However several of the species have a number of recognised subspecies, and the taxonomy of the family is thought to be in need of revision...
s, thick-lipped mullet
Mullet (fish)
The mullets or grey mullets are a family and order of ray-finned fish found worldwide in coastal temperate and tropical waters, and in some species in fresh water. Mullets have served as an important source of food in Mediterranean Europe since Roman times...
and flounder
Flounder
The flounder is an ocean-dwelling flatfish species that is found in coastal lagoons and estuaries of the Northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.-Taxonomy:There are a number of geographical and taxonomical species to which flounder belong.*Western Atlantic...
.
Offshore, it is common to see seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
s, particularly in Stornoway harbour, and with luck, dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s, porpoise
Porpoise
Porpoises are small cetaceans of the family Phocoenidae; they are related to whales and dolphins. They are distinct from dolphins, although the word "porpoise" has been used to refer to any small dolphin, especially by sailors and fishermen...
s, shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
s and even the occasional whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...
can be encountered.
Land mammals
There are only two native land mammals in the Western Isles, red deerDeer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
and otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
. The rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
, blue hare
Mountain Hare
The Mountain Hare , also known as Blue Hare, Tundra Hare, Variable Hare, White Hare, Alpine Hare and Irish Hare, is a hare, which is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. It is distributed from Fennoscandia to eastern Siberia; in addition there are isolated populations in the Alps,...
, hedgehog
Hedgehog
A hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. There are 17 species of hedgehog in five genera, found through parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand . There are no hedgehogs native to Australia, and no living species native to the Americas...
, brown and black rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
, feral cat
Feral cat
A feral cat is a descendant of a domesticated cat that has returned to the wild. It is distinguished from a stray cat, which is a pet cat that has been lost or abandoned, while feral cats are born in the wild; the offspring of a stray cat can be considered feral if born in the wild.In many parts of...
, mink
Mink
There are two living species referred to as "mink": the European Mink and the American Mink. The extinct Sea Mink is related to the American Mink, but was much larger. All three species are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and...
and polecat
European polecat
The European polecat , also known as the black or forest polecat , is a species of Mustelid native to western Eurasia and North Africa, which is classed by the IUCN as Least Concern due to its wide range and large numbers. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbelly and a dark...
were introduced. The origin of mice
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
and vole
Vole
A vole is a small rodent resembling a mouse but with a stouter body, a shorter hairy tail, a slightly rounder head, smaller ears and eyes, and differently formed molars . There are approximately 155 species of voles. They are sometimes known as meadow mice or field mice in North America...
s is uncertain.
American mink
American Mink
The American mink is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America. Because of this, it is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the...
are another introduced species (escapees from fur farms
Fur farming
Fur farming is the practice of breeding or raising certain types of animals for their fur.Fur used from wild caught animals is not farmed, and is instead known as 'free range fur' because the animals have lived their lives free and natural in the wild....
) and cause problems for native ground-nesting birds, the local fishing industry and poultry farmers. Due to this impact and following a successful eradication of the species from the Uists and Barra, the second and ongoing phase of the Hebridean Mink Project aims to rid mink from Lewis and Harris in similar fashion.
There are claims that the Stornoway castle grounds are home to bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s. In addition, there are farmed animals such as Hebridean sheep, Highland cattle or kyloe and a few pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
s.
Reptiles and amphibians
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
may be found in the centre of the island though it, along with any newts or toads present are introduced species.
Insects
The island's most famous insect resident is the Scottish midgeMidge
A midge is a very small, two-winged flying insect. "Midge" may also refer to:-Real:* Midge Costanza , American politician* Mildred Gillars , aka "Midge", American broadcaster of Nazi propaganda during World War II...
which is ever-present near water at certain times of the year.
During the summer months, several species of butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
and dragon flies
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
can be found, especially outwith Stornoway.
The richness of insect life in Lewis is evident from the abundance of carnivorous plants that thrive in parts of the island.
Plant life
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
es. Three heather
Ericaceae
The Ericaceae, commonly known as the heath or heather family, is a group of mostly calcifuge flowering plants. The family is large, with roughly 4000 species spread across 126 genera, making it the 14th most speciose family of flowering plants...
s; ling, bell heather and cross-leaved heather are predominant in the large areas of moorland
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
vegetation which also holds large numbers of insectivorous plants such as sundew
Sundew
Drosera, commonly known as the sundews, comprise one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginous glands covering their leaf surface. The insects are used to supplement...
s. The expanse of heather-covered moorland explains the name Eilean an Fhraoich, Gaelic for "The Heather Isle".
Lewis was once covered by woodland, but the only natural woods remaining are in small pockets on inland cliffs and on islands within lochs, away from fire and sheep. In recent years, Forestry Commission
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
plantations of spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
and pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
were planted, although most of the pines were destroyed by moth
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
infestation. The most important mixed woods are those planted around Lews Castle
Lews Castle
Lews Castle is a Victorian era castle located west of the town of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. It was built in the years 1847-57 as a country house for Sir James Matheson who had bought the whole island a few years previously with his fortune from the Chinese Opium trade...
in Stornoway, dating from the mid 19th century.
Politics and government
Ross-shire
Ross-shire is an area in the Highland Council Area in Scotland. The name is now used as a geographic or cultural term, equivalent to Ross. Until 1889 the term denoted a county of Scotland, also known as the County of Ross...
or Ross and Cromarty
Ross and Cromarty
Ross and Cromarty is a variously defined area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a registration county and a lieutenancy area in current use...
until the establishment of the Western Isles Islands Council in 1975. Now called Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is the local government council for Na h-Eileanan Siar council area of Scotland.It is the only local council in Scotland to have a Gaelic-only name...
, its remit covers the whole of the Outer Hebrides and its headquarters are in Stornoway.
Lewis is home to the majority of the Western Isles electorate and 6 of the 9 multi-member council wards are within Lewis and one is shared with Harris. 22 councillors are effectively elected by Lewis residents using the Single Transferable Vote
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
system, and following the 2007 elections 19 are independents, 1 has Labour and 2 SNP party affiliation.
The Isle of Lewis is in the Highlands electoral region
Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region)
The Highlands and Islands is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Eight of the parliament's first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament .The...
and is part of the identical Western Isles
Western Isles (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Na h-Eileanan an Iar is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
Scottish Parliamentiary and Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Na h-Eileanan an Iar (UK Parliament constituency)
Na h-Eileanan an Iar is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, created in 1918. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :...
Westminster constituencies, both currently represented by members of the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
(SNP) and previously held by members of the Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
before the respective elections.
Current representatives
- Scottish Parliament: Alasdair AllanAlasdair AllanDr Alasdair Allan is the Scottish Government's Minister for Learning and Skills and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Na h-Eileanan an Iar.-Career:...
MSPMember of the Scottish ParliamentMember of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
(SNP) - British Parliament: Angus MacNeilAngus MacNeilAngus Brendan MacNeil is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Na h-Eileanan an Iar...
MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(SNP)
Demographics
Lewis' main settlement, the only burghBurgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
on the Outer Hebrides, is Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh), from which ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
sail to Ullapool
Ullapool
Ullapool is a small town of around 1,300 inhabitants in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest settlement for many miles around, and is a major tourist destination of Scotland. The North Atlantic Drift passes by Ullapool, bringing moderate temperatures...
on the Scottish mainland. In the 2001 census Lewis had a usually resident population of 18,489.
The island's settlements are on or near the coast
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
s or sea lochs, being particularly concentrated on the north east coast. The interior of the island is a large area of moorland from which peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
was traditionally cut as fuel, although this practice has become less common. The southern part of the island, adjoining Harris, is more mountainous with inland loch
Loch
Loch is the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for a lake or a sea inlet. It has been anglicised as lough, although this is pronounced the same way as loch. Some lochs could also be called a firth, fjord, estuary, strait or bay...
s.
Parishes and districts of Lewis
- There are four parishes: BarvasBarvasBarvas is a settlement, community and civil parish on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland.It developed around a road junction. North is the road to Ness; west takes the traveller to Carloway and the West Side; south runs the road to Stornoway...
(Barabhas), Lochs (Na Lochan), Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh), and UigUig-Place name:*Ùige - from Norse ** Uig, Skye, a village on the Isle of Skye in Scotland** Uig, Lewis, a placename, specifically a "bay backed machair and hills", on the island of Lewis in Scotland** Uig, Coll, a hamlet on the island of Coll, Scotland...
on which the original civil registration districts were based. The district of CarlowayCarlowayCarloway is a district situated in the parish of Uig on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides. The district has a population of around 500.- The District :...
(after the village of that name) which hitherto had fallen partly within the parishes of Lochs and Uig, became a separate civil registration district in 1859 . - The districts of Lewis are NessNess, Western IslesNess is the northernmost part of the Isle of Lewis, a community consisting of about 16 villages, including Lionel, Habost, Swainbost, Cross, North and South Dell, Cross Skigersta, Skigersta, Eoradale, Adabrock, Port of Ness, Knockaird, Fivepenny and Eoropie. It is the most north-westerly community...
(Nis), CarlowayCarlowayCarloway is a district situated in the parish of Uig on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides. The district has a population of around 500.- The District :...
(Càrlabhagh), BackBack, Outer HebridesBack is a district and a village on the Isle of Lewis on the coast of Broadbay, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The road through Back commences at a road junction in Newmarket, north of Stornoway. It is a little touristed part of the Hebrides despite having some of the best beaches in Lewis, but...
, Lochs (Na Lochan), Park , PointPoint, Outer HebridesPoint , also known as the Eye Peninsula, is a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, connected to the rest of the Isle of Lewis by a narrow isthmus, one mile in length and barely 100 metres wide...
, Stornoway, and Uig. These designations are traditional and in use by the entire population. - For civil registration purposes Lochs is nowadays split into North Lochs and South Lochs .
- The West SideWest Side, Outer HebridesThe West Side is the name used for the townships which lie on the Isle of Lewis between Dell in Ness and Shawbost in the south.One road, the A858 serves nearly all of the communities, which are predominantly Gaelic-speaking....
is a generic designation for the area covering the villages from Borve to Shawbost .
It is claimed that the site of the Stornoway War Memorial was chosen as it would be visible from at least one location in each of the four parishes; therefore, it may be possible to see all four parishes of Lewis from the top of the monument.
Settlements
While Lewis has only one town, Stornoway, with a population of approx 8,000, there are also several large villages and groupings of villages on Lewis, such as North TolstaNorth Tolsta
North Tolsta is a village in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, on the east side of the Isle of Lewis. Tolsta is notable for its long sandy beach popular with surfers. The village of Bail' Ùr Tholastaidh is to the north and Glen Tholastaid to the south...
, Carloway and Leurbost
Leurbost
Leurbost is a village on the east coast of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is approximately 6 miles south of Stornoway on the road to Harris. It is the main settlement in the area of the island known as North Lochs...
with significant populations. Near Stornoway, Laxdale
Laxdale
Laxdale is a village in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, on the island of Lewis. Although nominally a distinct village, Laxdale is now effectively a suburb of Stornoway. There is a school called Laxdale School.- External links :*...
, Sandwick
Sandwick, Lewis
Sandwick is a village in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, on the island of Lewis and a quasi-suburb of Stornoway.- Education :Sandwick is home to one of the three principal primary schools for the Stornoway area, Sandwickhill School....
and Holm
Holm, Lewis
Holm Village is a village in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, on the island of Lewis near Stornoway. The modern area of Holm can be split into two distinct areas - "Holm Village" and "Holm Road with Parkend"....
, although still de-facto villages, have now become quasi-suburbs of Stornoway. The population of the greater-Stornoway area including these (and other) villages would be nearer 12,000.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of villages in Lewis according to their location:
| Back | Ness Ness, Western Isles Ness is the northernmost part of the Isle of Lewis, a community consisting of about 16 villages, including Lionel, Habost, Swainbost, Cross, North and South Dell, Cross Skigersta, Skigersta, Eoradale, Adabrock, Port of Ness, Knockaird, Fivepenny and Eoropie. It is the most north-westerly community... |
North Lochs North Lochs North Lochs, , an area in southeast Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, is named for the many lochans which dot the landscape. Because of its largely undulating and rocky terrain, it is sparsely populated apart from flat ground near the coast... |
Park Park, Outer Hebrides Park , also known as South Lochs, is a huge area of land connected to the rest of Lewis only by a narrow neck between Loch Seaforth and Loch Erisort... (South Lochs) |
Point Point, Outer Hebrides Point , also known as the Eye Peninsula, is a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, connected to the rest of the Isle of Lewis by a narrow isthmus, one mile in length and barely 100 metres wide... |
Uig Uig, Lewis Uig , also known as Sgìr' Ùig, is a civil parish and community on the western coast of the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It consists of scattered settlements around the bay of Camas Uig and the Bhaltos peninsula... |
West Side West Side, Outer Hebrides The West Side is the name used for the townships which lie on the Isle of Lewis between Dell in Ness and Shawbost in the south.One road, the A858 serves nearly all of the communities, which are predominantly Gaelic-speaking.... |
Stornoway area Stornoway Stornoway is a burgh on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.The town's population is around 9,000, making it the largest settlement in the Western Isles and the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and Fort William... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back, Coll Coll, Lewis This article is about the farmland of Coll, on Lewis. For other uses, see Coll Coll is a farming settlement near Stornoway, on the island of Lewis in Scotland.... , Gress Gress Gress is a thriving hamlet on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. Gress is adjacent to the larger village of Back.Between 1919 and 1921, Gress along with nearby Coll, Lewis and Tong was the scene of several land raids.- External links :... , North Tolsta North Tolsta North Tolsta is a village in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, on the east side of the Isle of Lewis. Tolsta is notable for its long sandy beach popular with surfers. The village of Bail' Ùr Tholastaidh is to the north and Glen Tholastaid to the south... , Tong |
South Dell South Dell South Dell is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the parish of Ness, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.... , North Dell North Dell North Dell is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the parish of Ness, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.... , Cross, Swainbost Swainbost Swainbost is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the parish of Ness, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. At the shore, there is a large depression called Suaineabost Sands which displays glaciar activities and is run through by a river.... , Habost Habost Habost is the name of two crofting townships on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.One is in the Ness area at the northern tip of the island at and is home to an arts and music centre.... , Lionel, Port of Ness Port of Ness Port of Ness is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the parish of Ness, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.Each year men from Ness district sail from the port to Sula Sgeir in the Atlantic Ocean in order to collect young gannets for food. The event, which was first recorded in the 16th century, is now... , Eoropie Eoropie Eoropie is the most northerly village on the Isle of Lewis in the parish of Ness, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The Teampull Mholuaidh is to be found here.... , Fivepenny Fivepenny Fivepenny is one of the many villages in the Lewis district of Ness and part of the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland.... , Knockaird Knockaird Knockaird is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the parish of Ness, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It is the highest point in Port of Ness and is home to Dùn Èistean an ancient ruined fort on a small island that is joined by a bridge.... , Adabrock, Eorodale Eorodale Eorodale is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the parish of Ness, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.... , Skigersta Skigersta Skigersta is a village in the south east of Ness, Outer Hebrides in Scotland. There is a quay built in 1901 and a shingle beach. Skigersta was a location for fish curing in the 19th century with the ruins of the curing bothies still visible next to the river and a man made channel in the shoreline... , Cross-Skigersta Road |
Balallan Balallan Balallan has the distinction of being the longest village in Lewis . Straggled along the head of a long sea loch between Arivruach and Laxay, it developed due to a mixture of crofting along the loch shore and fishing... , Crossbost Crossbost Crossbost is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the parish of North Lochs, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It is located approximately ten miles away from Stornoway, the main town on the island. Due to its close proximity to the main island town there are very few local amenities... , Leurbost Leurbost Leurbost is a village on the east coast of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is approximately 6 miles south of Stornoway on the road to Harris. It is the main settlement in the area of the island known as North Lochs... |
Gravir Gravir Gravir , is a village on the shore of Loch Odhairn in the Park district of the Isle of Lewis. There is a church, a school and a voluntary fire station in the village. There is also a pier. Most of the plots of land used to be used for crofting, but this has declined in the last 50 years... , Cromore Cromore Cromore is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the parish of Pairc, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Cromore is about 27 miles away from Stornoway, the nearest town.... Orinsay Lemreway |
Aird, Aignish Aignish Aignish is located northwest of Knock and east of Stornoway on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis. The township is at the island side of the isthmus connecting to the Eye peninsula.... , Flesherin Flesherin Flesherin is a small village on the Point peninsula of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Located near Portnaguran, the village has a population of around 100, and is home to the famous accordianists Tommy Darky and John 'Tonkan' Macdonald... , Lower Bayble, Portnaguran Portnaguran Portnaguran in Point, Isle of Lewis is the township at the north-easternmost point of the peninsula. It lies one mile southwest of Tiumpan Head and just south of the headland called Geòdha 'ic Sheòrais or sometimes Small Head amongst locals.There is a small pier in the harbour, and the... , Portvoller Portvoller Portvoller is a small village on the north tip of the Eye Peninsula , on the Isle of Lewis in northwestern Scotland... , Shulishader Shulishader Shulishader is a small village with a population of around 120 people in Point, Outer Hebrides on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Located on the north-western side of the Eye Peninsula, it overlooks Broad Bay... , Upper Bayble, Eagleton Eagleton -People:* Elizabeth "Betty" Eagleton is a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale played by Paula Tilbrook.* Nathan Eagleton an Australian-rules footballer for the Western Bulldogs.... |
Aird Uig Aird Uig Aird Uig is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the parish of Uig, Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.... , Cliff, Kneep Kneep Kneep is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the parish of Uig, Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.... , Timsgarry Timsgarry Timsgarry is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the parish of Uig, Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.... , Valtos Valtos Valtos can refer to:* Bhaltos or Valtos, the largest village in Uig, Lewis in the Outer Hebrides* Valtos Province in Aetolia-Acarnania in western Greece... , Carloway Carloway Carloway is a district situated in the parish of Uig on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides. The district has a population of around 500.- The District :... , Garynahine Garynahine Garynahine lies at a T-junction where roads from Stornoway, Uig and the West Side of Lewis all meet.... , Callanish Callanish Callanish is a village on the West Side of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides , Scotland. A linear settlement with a jetty, it is situated on a headland jutting into Loch Roag, a sea loch... , Breasclete Breasclete Breasclete is a village and community on the west side of the Isle of Lewis, in Scotland.One of the main services in the village is Breasclete Primary School, which has a current total of 27 students... , Bernera |
Arnol Arnol Arnol is a small village typical of many settlements of the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Once a thriving township with over forty crofts it now has a population of about 100 and supports a much lower number of active crofters... , Ballantrushal Ballantrushal Ballantrushal is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the West Side district, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It is home to the Clach an Trushal and was the site of the last battle between the Lewis Macaulays and Morrison clans.... , Barvas Barvas Barvas is a settlement, community and civil parish on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland.It developed around a road junction. North is the road to Ness; west takes the traveller to Carloway and the West Side; south runs the road to Stornoway... , Borve, Bragar Bragar Bragar is a village on the west side of the Isle of Lewis in Scotland, 14 miles from the island's only town, Stornoway.Residents are mainly Gaelic speaking, and many work as crofters.... , Brue Brue Brue is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the West Side district, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It is a crofting township and it is composed of two areas: Am Baile Staigh, which is nearer the coast, and Pàirc Bhrù, which runs towards the moor. In total it covers a road distance of 2.5 km... , Shader Shader In the field of computer graphics, a shader is a computer program that is used primarily to calculate rendering effects on graphics hardware with a high degree of flexibility... , Shawbost Shawbost Shawbost is a large township in the West Side of the Isle of Lewis. The village of Shawbost has a population of around 500 and lies around 20 miles to the west of the island's capital Stornoway. A recent development in the village was the renovation of the old school into the new community centre... , Dalbeg |
Branahuie Branahuie Branahuie is a village on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It is close to Stornoway, Stornoway Airport and Melbost.- External links :* * ] with links to other resources]* * *... , Holm Holm, Lewis Holm Village is a village in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, on the island of Lewis near Stornoway. The modern area of Holm can be split into two distinct areas - "Holm Village" and "Holm Road with Parkend".... , Laxdale Laxdale Laxdale is a village in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, on the island of Lewis. Although nominally a distinct village, Laxdale is now effectively a suburb of Stornoway. There is a school called Laxdale School.- External links :*... , Marybank, Melbost Melbost Melbost is a traditionally Gaelic-speaking village to the east coast of the Isle of Lewis, in Scotland's north-west. It is largely a crofting township and is about 2½ miles east of Stornoway at the head of an isthmus connecting with the Eye Peninsula... , Newmarket, Newvalley, Parkend Parkend, Lewis Parkend is a village near Stornoway, on the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Nearby is Holm Village.- External links :* * ] with links to other resources]* * *... , Plasterfield Plasterfield Plasterfield is a village in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, on the island of Lewis and is effectively a suburb of Stornoway.... , Sandwick Sandwick, Lewis Sandwick is a village in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, on the island of Lewis and a quasi-suburb of Stornoway.- Education :Sandwick is home to one of the three principal primary schools for the Stornoway area, Sandwickhill School.... , Steinish Steinish Steinish is a village in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, on the island of Lewis, near Plasterfield and Stornoway Airport.... |
Industry
Crofting
Crofting is a form of land tenure and small-scale food production unique to the Scottish Highlands, the Islands of Scotland, and formerly on the Isle of Man....
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
. Though historically important they are currently in decline and crofting in particular is little more than a subsistence venture today. Over 40% of the working population is employed by the public sector (chiefly Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the local authority; or NHS Western Isles). Tourism is the only growing commercial industry, bringing in over £45 million a year in revenue to the islands.
Despite the name the Harris tweed
Harris Tweed
Harris Tweed is a cloth that has been handwoven by the islanders on the Isles of Harris, Lewis, Uist and Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, using local wool....
industry is today focused in Lewis with the major finishing mills in Shawbost and Stornoway. Every length of cloth produced is stamped with the official Orb
Globus cruciger
The globus cruciger is an orb topped with a cross , a Christian symbol of authority used throughout the Middle Ages and even today on coins, iconography and royal regalia...
symbol, trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
ed by the Harris Tweed Association in 1909, when Harris Tweed was defined as "hand-spun, hand-woven and dyed by the crofters and cottars in the Outer Hebrides"; Machine-spinning and vat dyeing have since replaced hand methods, and only weaving is now conducted in the home, under the governance of the Harris Tweed Authority, established by an Act of Parliament in 1993. Harris Tweed is now defined as "hand woven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides, finished in the islands of Harris, Lewis, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra and their several purtenances (The Outer Hebrides) and made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides."
Aside from the concentration of industry and services in the Stornoway area many of the historical sites have associated visitor centres, shops or cafes. There is a pharmaceutical plant near Breasclete
Breasclete
Breasclete is a village and community on the west side of the Isle of Lewis, in Scotland.One of the main services in the village is Breasclete Primary School, which has a current total of 27 students...
which specialises in fatty acid
Fatty acid
In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with a long unbranched aliphatic tail , which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have a chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. Fatty acids are usually derived from...
research.
The main fishing fleet (and associated shoreside services) in Stornoway is somewhat reduced from its heyday, but many smaller boats perform inshore creel fishing and operate from smaller, local harbours right around Lewis. Fish farms are present in many of the sea lochs and along with the onshore processing and transportation required the industry as a whole is a major employer.
Commerce
Stornoway is the commercial centre of Lewis, there are several national chains with shops in the town, two national supermarket chains as well as numerous local businesses. Outwith Stornoway, many villages have an all-purpose shop (often combined with a post-office). Some villages have more than one, with these usually being specialist stores such as pharmacies or petrol stations. There are almost no rural public houses (for the sale of alcohol); instead, local hotels or inns function as meeting, eating and drinking places, often with accommodation provided.Itinerant, travelling shops also tour the island visiting some of the more remote locations. The ease of transport to Stornoway and the advent of the internet have led to many of the village shops closing in recent times. Mobile banking services are provided to remote villages by the Royal Bank of Scotland's travelling bank.
Transport
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
(MV Isle of Lewis
MV Isle of Lewis
MV Isle of Lewis is a Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited owned ferry operated between Ullapool and Stornoway by Caledonian MacBrayne. She is currently their only ship over in length.-History:...
) sails from Stornoway to Ullapool on the Scottish mainland, taking 2 hours 40 minutes connecting Lewis with the mainland. There are an average of two return crossings a day, with an increase and reduction in frequency in summer and winter months respectively. As ferry traffic has increased, a second ship (MV Muirneag) now provides a single early morning sailing to carry most of the island's freight lorries. Other ferries sailing from Harris are easily accessible by road enabling transport to Skye
Skye
Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...
and Uist
Uist
Uist or The Uists are the central group of islands in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.North Uist and South Uist are linked by causeways running via Benbecula and Grimsay, and the entire group is sometimes known as the Uists....
.
Suggestions for the possibility of an undersea tunnel linking Lewis to the Scottish mainland were raised in early 2007. One of the possible routes, between Stornoway and Ullapool, would be over 50 miles (80.5 km) long and hence become the longest road tunnel in the world; however, shorter routes would be possible.
Stornoway is the public transport hub of Lewis with bus service links to Point, Ness, Back and Tolsta, Uig, the West Side, Lochs and Tarbert, Harris
Tarbert, Harris
Tarbert is the main community on Harris in the Western Isles of Scotland. It is also a car ferry terminal to Uig on Skye. Its name means "isthmus".-1990 RAF air crash:...
. These services are provided by the local authority and several private operators as well as some community-run organisations.
Stornoway Airport
Stornoway Airport
-Other Tenants:* Maritime and Coastguard Agency - 2 Sikorsky S-92 helicopters operated by CHC Helicopter-Accident and incidents:...
is 2 miles (3.2 km) away from the town itself, and is located next to the village of Melbost
Melbost
Melbost is a traditionally Gaelic-speaking village to the east coast of the Isle of Lewis, in Scotland's north-west. It is largely a crofting township and is about 2½ miles east of Stornoway at the head of an isthmus connecting with the Eye Peninsula...
. From here services operate to Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Benbecula
Benbecula
Benbecula is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,249, with a sizable percentage of Roman Catholics. It forms part of the area administered by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar or the Western...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, with flights from Flybe
Flybe
Flybe Group PLC is a British low-cost regional airline headquartered at the Jack Walker House at Exeter International Airport in Devon, England...
franchisee Loganair
Loganair
Loganair is a Scottish airline with its registered office on the grounds of Glasgow International Airport and in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Loganair operates scheduled services under a Flybe franchise in mainland Scotland and to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. In addition it operates...
, Eastern Airways
Eastern Airways
Eastern Airways is an airline with its head office at Humberside Airport in Kirmington, North Lincolnshire, England. It operates scheduled domestic and international services and private charter services...
and Highland Airways
Highland Airways
Highland Airways was an airline based in Inverness, Scotland. It ceased trading on 24 March 2010 after failing to secure new investment. The airline operated passenger and freight charters as well as scheduled services from its main base at Inverness Airport...
. The airport is also the base of a HM Coastguard Search & Rescue Sikorsky S-92
Sikorsky S-92
The Sikorsky S-92 is a four-bladed twin-engine medium-lift helicopter built by Sikorsky Aircraft for the civil and military helicopter market. The S-92 was developed from the Sikorsky S-70 helicopter and has similar parts such as flight control and rotor systems.The H-92 Superhawk is a military...
helicopter, and was previously home to RAF Stornoway
RAF Stornoway
RAF Stornoway was a Royal Air Force station near the burgh of Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, in the Western Isles of Scotland.- Beginnings :...
.
Peats
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
is still cut as a fuel in many areas of Lewis. Peat is usually cut in late spring with a tool called a peat knife or tosg (sometimes toirsgian, or tairsgeir) which has a long wooden handle with an angled blade on one end. The peat bank is first cleared of heather turfs. The peat, now exposed, is cut using the peat knife and the peats thrown out on the bank to dry. A good peat cutter can cut 1000 peats in a day.
Once dried,the peats are carted to the croft and built into a large stack. These often resembled the shape of the croft house - broad, curved at each end and tapered to a point about 2 metres high. They varied in length from about 4 to 14 metres. Peat stacking also follows local customs and a well built peat stack can be a work of art. Peat stacks provide additional shelter to houses. A croft can burn as many as 15,000 - 18,000 peats in a year.
The odour of the peat-smoke, especially in winter time, can add to the general atmosphere of the island. While peat burning still goes on, there has been a significant decline in recent years as people move to other, less labour-intensive forms of heating; however, it remains an important symbol of island life. In 2008, with the large increase in the price (and theft) of LPG and heating oil, there are signs that there may be a return to peat cutting.
Religion
Religion is important in Lewis, with much of the population belonging to the Free Church
Free Church
The proper noun Free Church may refer to:Europe-wide:* Evangelical Lutheran Free Churchin Germany:* Evangelical Lutheran Free Church * Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Churchin Iceland:*Reykjavík Free Churchin Norway:...
and Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
(both Presbyterian in tradition). The Sabbath is generally observed with most shops and licensed premises closed on that day, although there is a scheduled air service to mainland Scotland as well as a scheduled ferry service from 19 July 2009. While Presbyterianism dominates Lewis, other denominations and other religions have a presence with a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
church, a Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
corps, a Pentecostal church (New Wine Church), a Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
church, a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church, a meetinghouse of the LDS Church and a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall
Kingdom Hall
A Kingdom Hall is a place of worship used by Jehovah's Witnesses. The term was first suggested in 1935 by Joseph Franklin Rutherford, then president of the Watch Tower Society, for a building in Hawaii...
all present in Stornoway.
Education
School education in Lewis is under the remit of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, there are a total of 23 schools covering the 5-18 age range. Unusual features are the prevalence of Gaelic medium education (offered in 15 of 22 primary schools) and the five 2-year secondary schools in communities outside Stornoway. Pupils who attend the rural 2-year secondaries then move to the Nicolson InstituteNicolson Institute
The Nicolson Institute in Stornoway, is the largest school in the Western Isles, Scotland.The Nicolson is the only six-year secondary school in Lewis. Sir E. Scott School is in Harris. Together, they provide education up to Advanced Higher level.The student population is around 2000...
, the only six-year secondary school on the island. The large number of village schools lead to necessarily small rolls, and further recent falls in pupil numbers have led to plans being drawn up for closures including all of the rural secondary departments. The closure plans have been deferred pending a full review, but upcoming changes to the curriculum (a change to a 3 year junior secondary structure) would seem to place the rural secondaries under threat of change if nothing else.
Stornoway is home to a small campus of the University of Stirling
University of Stirling
The University of Stirling is a campus university founded by Royal charter in 1967, on the Airthrey Estate in Stirling, Scotland.-History and campus development:...
, teaching nursing, which is based in Ospadal nan Eilean (Western Isles Hospital). There is also a further education college, Lews Castle College
Lews Castle College
Lews Castle College is a further and higher education college in the Western Isles of Scotland. The main campus is in the grounds of Lews Castle, Stornoway. The College also has two learning centres in Benbecula and Barra. The College is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands.The...
, which is part of the UHI Millennium Institute
UHI Millennium Institute
The University of the Highlands and Islands is a federation of 13 colleges and research institutions in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland delivering higher education. Its executive office is in Inverness.-History:...
. The college is the umbrella organisation for other vocational and community education, offered in several rural learning centres as well as on the main campus and covering subjects such as basic computer skills, Gaelic language classes and maritime qualifications.
Language
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
, which both continue to influence life in Lewis. Today, both Gaelic and English are spoken in Lewis, but in day to day life, a hybrid of English and Gaelic (Highland English
Highland English
Highland English is the variety of Scottish English spoken by many in the Scottish Highlands. It is more strongly influenced by Gaelic than other forms of Scottish English. Island English is the variety spoken as a second language by native Gaelic speakers in the Outer Hebrides...
) is very common. As a result of the Gaelic influence, the Lewis accent is frequently considered to sound more Irish or Welsh than stereotypically Scottish in some quarters. The Gaelic culture in the Western Isles is more prominent than in any other part of Scotland. Gaelic is still the language of choice amongst many islanders and around 60% of islanders speak Gaelic, whilst 70% of the resident population have some knowledge of Gaelic (including reading, writing, speaking or a combination of the three). Most signposts on the islands are written in both English and Gàidhlig and much day-to-day business is carried out in the Gaelic language. Almost all of the Gaelic speakers are bilingual.
Most of the place names in Lewis and Harris come from Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
. The name "Lewis" is the English spelling of the Gaelic Leòdhas which comes from the Old Norse Ljóðhús, as Lewis is named in medieval Norwegian maps of the island. Various suggestions have been made as to a Norse meaning such as "song house". The name is not of Gaelic origin, the Norse credentials are questionable and it may have a pre-Celtic root.
Media and the arts
As well as regularly playing host to the Royal National ModRoyal National Mod
The Royal National Mod is the annual national mod, a festival of Scottish Gaelic song, arts and culture.The Mod is run by An Comunn Gàidhealach , and includes competitions and awards.-History:...
, there are annual local mods. Stornoway Castle Green hosts the annual 3 day Hebridean Celtic Festival
Hebridean Celtic Festival
The Hebridean Celtic Festival is an international Celtic music festival, which takes place annually in Stornoway on Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The biggest headliners to date have been Runrig, The Waterboys, Proclaimers and Van Morrison...
in July, attracting over 10,000 visitors. The festival includes events such as ceilidhs, dances and special concerts featuring storytelling, song and music with performers from all round the Isles and beyond.
The radio station Isles FM
Isles FM
Isles FM is a local radio station operating from Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.The station is operated entirely by a volunteer staff, from a building in the Newton area of the town. Isles FM is the trading name of Western Isles Community Radio Limited, which owns all the equipment...
is based in Stornoway and broadcasts on 103FM, featuring a mixture of Gaelic and English programming. The town is also home to a studio operated by BBC Radio nan Gàidheal
BBC Radio nan Gàidheal
BBC Radio nan Gàidheal is a British radio station, broadcasting in Scottish Gaelic. It is operated by the BBC as part of its portfolio of television and radio services broadcasting to Scotland....
, and Studio Alba, an independent television studio from where the Gaelic TV channel TeleG was broadcast.
The Stornoway Gazette
Stornoway Gazette
The Stornoway Gazette is a local newspaper reporting on local issues in the Western Isles of Scotland, specifically Stornoway and the Outer Hebrides.- External links :* of the Stornoway Gazette...
is the main local paper, covering Lewis and beyond and is published weekly. The Hebridean is a sister paper of the Gazette and also provides local coverage. Some community organisations in the rural districts have their own publications with news and features for these particular areas, such as the Rudhach for the Point district.
Lewis has been home to, or inspired, many writers, including bestselling contemporary author Kevin MacNeil
Kevin MacNeil
Kevin MacNeil is a British novelist, poet and playwright born and raised in the Outer Hebrides. His novels, A Method Actor's Guide to Jekyll and Hyde and best-selling debut, The Stornoway Way , were both published to widespread critical acclaim...
, whose cult novel The Stornoway Way was set in the island's capital.
Sport
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, Rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and Golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
are popular.
- Football is the most popular amateur sport in Lewis with Goathill Park in Stornoway hosting special matches involving select teams and visiting clubs and other organisations. Local teams currently participate in the Lewis and Harris Football LeagueLewis and Harris Football LeagueThe Lewis and Harris Football League is the annual football league contested between clubs from the Isle of Lewis and the Isle of Harris in Scotland.Lewis contributes eight clubs to the league and Harris contributes one...
.
- ShintyShintyShinty is a team game played with sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands, and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread, being once competitively played on a widespread basis in England and other areas in the...
is not as popular as in the rest of the West of Scotland, but the Lewis CamanachdLewis CamanachdLewis Camanachd AKA Comann Camanachd Leòdhais in Scots Gaelic, is the senior shinty team from the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. The club entered North Division Three for the first time in 2011. This was the first time a team from the Western Isles was allowed to compete in league shinty...
team is based around the town.
- the village of Tong about 2 miles from Stornoway plays host to the Highland GamesHighland gamesHighland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &(-è_çà in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain...
and the Western Isles Strongest manWestern Isles Strongest manWestern Isles Strongest man is held annually at the village of Tong on the island of Lewis and Harris. It is usually held in conjunction with the local Highland Games where the heavy athletes compete against each other over the coveted title, a trophy and prize money...
competition each summer.
- Attached to the Nicolson InstituteNicolson InstituteThe Nicolson Institute in Stornoway, is the largest school in the Western Isles, Scotland.The Nicolson is the only six-year secondary school in Lewis. Sir E. Scott School is in Harris. Together, they provide education up to Advanced Higher level.The student population is around 2000...
School is the Ionad Spors Leòdhas (Lewis Sports Centre), an all-weather pitch and running track.
- The Lews Castle Grounds is the home of Stornoway GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
Club (the only 18-hole golf course in the Outer Hebrides).
- AnglingAnglingAngling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
is a very popular pastime in Lewis as there are several good lochs and rivers for fishing.
- As Lewis is an island, various water sports, such as surfingSurfingSurfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
are popular activities.
- Lewis has a terrain very suited to hillwalkingHillwalkingIn the British Isles, the terms hillwalking or fellwalking are commonly used to describe the recreational outdoor activity of walking on hills and mountains, often with the intention of visiting their summits...
, particularly in Uig and near the border with Harris.
Myths and legends
The Isle of Lewis has a rich folklore, including SeonaidhSeonaidh
Seonaidh was according to Martin Martin, the name of a water spirit in Lewis.Dwelly defines seonadh as "1. augury, sorcery. 2. Druidism" and quotes Martin further.Martin says that the inhabitants of Lewis used to propitiate Seonaidh by a cup of ale in the following manner...
- a water-spirit who had to be offered ale
Ale
Ale is a type of beer brewed from malted barley using a warm fermentation with a strain of brewers' yeast. The yeast will ferment the beer quickly, giving it a sweet, full bodied and fruity taste...
in the area of Teampull Mholuaidh
Teampull Mholuaidh
St Moluag's church is a 13th Century temple in the village of Eoropie in Ness in the Isle of Lewis in Scotland.The church has a basic T shaped structure, with two small chapels on either side of the main body of the church. The southern chapel can only be accessed from outside...
in Ness
Ness
- Places :* The Germanic word for promontory, found in Northern European placenames* Loch Ness, a large, deep, freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands** Loch Ness Monster, a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness...
- and The Blue Men who inhabited the Minch, between Lewis and the Shiants
Shiant Isles
The Shiant Isles are a privately owned island group in the Minch, east of Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. They are five miles south east of Lewis.-Etymology:...
.
Gastronomy
- Each year, men from NessNess, Western IslesNess is the northernmost part of the Isle of Lewis, a community consisting of about 16 villages, including Lionel, Habost, Swainbost, Cross, North and South Dell, Cross Skigersta, Skigersta, Eoradale, Adabrock, Port of Ness, Knockaird, Fivepenny and Eoropie. It is the most north-westerly community...
go out to the island of Sula SgeirSula SgeirSula Sgeir is a small, uninhabited Scottish island in the North Atlantic, west of North Rona...
in late August for two weeks to harvest young gannets known locally as Guga, which are a local delicacy.
People with Lewis connections
- Kevin MacNeilKevin MacNeilKevin MacNeil is a British novelist, poet and playwright born and raised in the Outer Hebrides. His novels, A Method Actor's Guide to Jekyll and Hyde and best-selling debut, The Stornoway Way , were both published to widespread critical acclaim...
, novelist, poet and playwright - Sheilagh M. KestingSheilagh M. KestingSheilagh Kesting is a Scottish minister and the first female minister to be elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland...
, first woman minister to be nominated to be Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of ScotlandModerator of the General Assembly of the Church of ScotlandThe Moderator of the General Assembly of Church of Scotland is a Minister, Elder or Deacon of the Church of Scotland chosen to "moderate" the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every May....
. - Angus MacAskillAngus MacAskillAngus Mòr MacAskill, frequently referred to as Giant MacAskill or Black Angus , was a Scottish-Canadian giant, and is the world's largest "true" giant...
, the strongest man to have ever lived - born in Berneray and briefly lived in Stornoway before emigrating to Canada. - Murdo Stewart MacDonaldMurdo Stewart MacDonaldCaptain Murdo Stewart MacDonald was known to the whole of the nautical world as the last of the Sea-Barons.-Early life:MacDonald was born in about 1852 in Tigh a Chaolais, Great Bernera, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. He was the 6th child of John MacDonald 'an Domhnullach' of Tigh a Chaolais...
Clipper Captain and Lloyds Surveyor of Shipping. - John MacKayJohn MacKayJohn MacKay or John McKay may refer to:* John Mackay , founder of the city of Mackay, Australia* John MacKay , Scottish television journalist and newscaster...
, anchorman of STV News at 6 Central - Alexander MacKenzie, explorer, after whom the Mackenzie RiverMackenzie RiverThe Mackenzie River is the largest river system in Canada. It flows through a vast, isolated region of forest and tundra entirely within the country's Northwest Territories, although its many tributaries reach into four other Canadian provinces and territories...
in Canada is named - Colin MackenzieColin MackenzieColonel Colin Mackenzie was Surveyor General of India, and an art collector and orientalist.Mackenzie was born in Stornoway, Outer Hebrides, Scotland...
, 1st Surveyor-General of India - Anne MacKenzie, BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
current affairs presenter and radio presenter - Ken MacLeodKen MacLeodKen MacLeod , is a Scottish science fiction writer.MacLeod was born in Stornoway. He graduated from Glasgow University with a degree in zoology and has worked as a computer programmer and written a masters thesis on biomechanics....
, science fiction writer - Ronnie McKinnonRonnie McKinnonRonald "Ronnie" MacKinnon is a former Scottish professional footballer who played for Rangers and the Scotland national team.MacKinnon, a defender, made his Rangers debut against Hearts on 8 March 1961 in a 3-0 win at Ibrox...
, Played football for Glasgow Rangers and Scotland, Now lives in Point - Hans MathesonHans MathesonHans Matheson is a British actor.-Life and career:Matheson was born in Stornoway, Scotland, the son of Sheena, a therapist, and Iain , a folk musician and painter. He made his feature film debut as Johnny Silver in Jez Butterworth's critically acclaimed directorial debut, Mojo...
, plays the title role in Granada's £8.5m serialisation of Boris PasternakBoris PasternakBoris Leonidovich Pasternak was a Russian language poet, novelist, and literary translator. In his native Russia, Pasternak's anthology My Sister Life, is one of the most influential collections ever published in the Russian language...
's novel, Doctor ZhivagoDoctor Zhivago (novel)Doctor Zhivago is a 20th century novel by Boris Pasternak, first published in 1957. The novel is named after its protagonist, Yuri Zhivago, a physician and poet...
. - Linda Norgrove, kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan, and killed in rescue effort.
- Arthur PinkArthur PinkArthur Walkington Pink was an English Christian evangelist and Biblical scholar known for his staunchly Calvinist and Puritan-like teachings.-Biography:...
, Christian evangelist and Biblical scholar. - Donald Stewart, politician
- Donald TrumpDonald TrumpDonald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, American billionaire, whose mother came from Tong, a village 4 miles (6.4 km) from Stornoway. - Derick ThomsonDerick ThomsonProfessor Derick S. Thomson MA, BA, Dlitt, FRSE, FBA , known as Ruaraidh MacThòmais in his native Scottish Gaelic, is a Scottish poet, publisher, lexicographer, academic and writer. He is originally from Lewis, but has spent much of his life in Glasgow, where he was Professor of Celtic at the...
, Scottish Gaelic poet, born on Lewis, and educated in Stornoway. - Alistair DarlingAlistair DarlingAlistair Maclean Darling is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament since 1987, currently for Edinburgh South West. He served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2007 to 2010...
, Chancellor of the ExchequerChancellor of the ExchequerThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
and MP for Edinburgh Central has a house in the village of Breascleit. - Alyth McCormack, singer
- Alasdair WhiteAlasdair WhiteAlasdair White is a Scottish folk musician who played with the Battlefield Band as a fiddler since 2001, when he was 18 years old.White is a Scottish Gaelic speaker, and originates from Tong on the Island of Lewis one of Scotland's Outer Hebrides islands, a geographical area where the Gaelic...
, musician (Fiddle, Whistle, Pipes, Bouzouki) plays with Battlefield BandBattlefield BandBattlefield Band is a Scottish traditional music group. Founded in Glasgow in 1969, they have released over 30 albums and undergone many changes of lineup. As of 2010, there are no founder members in the band.... - Andy Gray, former footballer and Sky Sports pundit, his Grandmother hails from the village of Back.
External links
- Visitor's guide for the Island of Lewis
- hebrides.ca Home of the Quebec-Hebridean Scots who were cleared from Lewis to Quebec 1838-1920's
- http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/Website of the Western Isles CouncilComhairle nan Eilean SiarComhairle nan Eilean Siar is the local government council for Na h-Eileanan Siar council area of Scotland.It is the only local council in Scotland to have a Gaelic-only name...
with links to other resources] - Panoramas of the Island (QuickTime required)
- Wind power dilemma for Lewis
- Disabled access to Lewis for residents and visitors
- 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica article on Lewis and Harris
- A Guide to living in the Outer Hebrides, with most information pertaining to Lewis
- Dedicated Isle Of Lewis Chessmen Website