Lewis and Harris
Encyclopedia
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
.
, the southern is Harris and both are frequently referred to as if they were separate islands. The boundary between Lewis and Harris is formed by a line with Loch Resort (Reasort) (opposite Scarp
) on the west and Loch Seaforth (Shiphoirt) on the east.
The island does not have a common name in either English
or Scottish Gaelic and is referred to as 'Lewis and Harris', 'Lewis with Harris', 'Harris with Lewis' etc. Rarely, the collective name of the Long Island is used, although this is normally applied to the entire Outer Hebrides
.
Most of Harris is very hilly, with more than thirty peaks above 1000 ft (304.8 m) high and seven mountains, defined as Corbetts. It has an area of 841 square miles (2,178 km²) - slightly under one per cent of the area of Great Britain. It is 24 miles (39 km) from the nearest point of the mainland, from which it is separated by the Minch
.
Lewis
is comparatively flat, save in the south-east, where Ben More reaches 1874 ft (571 m), and in the south-west, where Mealasbhal 1885 ft (575 m) is the highest point.
Until 1975, Lewis belonged to the county of Ross and Cromarty
and Harris to Inverness-shire
. The entire island group now belongs to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
, the Western Isles Council.
) with ferry links to Ullapool
and air services to Benbecula
(for Barra
), Inverness
, Aberdeen
, Glasgow
and Edinburgh
. An Tairbeart (Tarbert) is the ferry terminal in Harris with connections to Skye and North Uist
.
(Great Bernera) and Sgalpaigh
(Scalpay). Tarasaigh
(Taransay) and An Sgarp
(Scarp) are now-uninhabited islands close to the shore of Harris.
Clan MacLeod
, with those individuals on Harris being referred to as from the clan
MacLeod of Harris or MacLeod of MacLeod, and those on Lewis being referred to as from the clan MacLeod of Lewis.
Lewis island is also the ancestral home of Clan Morrison
.
which is hand made on the island; by law only fabric produced on the island can be called Harris tweed.
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...
make up the largest island in 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...
. This is the largest single island of the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
after Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Geography
The northern part of the island is called LewisLewis
Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The total area of Lewis is ....
, the southern is Harris and both are frequently referred to as if they were separate islands. The boundary between Lewis and Harris is formed by a line with Loch Resort (Reasort) (opposite Scarp
Scarp, Scotland
Scarp is an uninhabited island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, west of Hushinish on Harris. Once inhabited, the island was the scene of unsuccessful experiments with rocket mail, since commemorated in two films.-Geography:...
) on the west and Loch Seaforth (Shiphoirt) on the east.
The island does not have a common name in either English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
or Scottish Gaelic and is referred to as 'Lewis and Harris', 'Lewis with Harris', 'Harris with Lewis' etc. Rarely, the collective name of the Long Island is used, although this is normally applied to the entire 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...
.
Most of Harris is very hilly, with more than thirty peaks above 1000 ft (304.8 m) high and seven mountains, defined as Corbetts. It has an area of 841 square miles (2,178 km²) - slightly under one per cent of the area of Great Britain. It is 24 miles (39 km) from the nearest point of the mainland, from which it is separated by the Minch
The Minch
The Minch , also called The North Minch, is a strait in north-west Scotland, separating the north-west Highlands, and the northern Inner Hebrides, from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides...
.
Lewis
Lewis
Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The total area of Lewis is ....
is comparatively flat, save in the south-east, where Ben More reaches 1874 ft (571 m), and in the south-west, where Mealasbhal 1885 ft (575 m) is the highest point.
Until 1975, Lewis belonged to the county of 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...
and Harris to Inverness-shire
Inverness-shire
The County of Inverness or Inverness-shire was a general purpose county of Scotland, with the burgh of Inverness as the county town, until 1975, when, under the Local Government Act 1973, the county area was divided between the two-tier Highland region and the unitary Western Isles. The Highland...
. The entire island group now belongs to 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...
, the Western Isles Council.
Transport links
The main town in Lewis is Steòrnabhagh (StornowayStornoway
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...
) with ferry links 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...
and air services to 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...
(for Barra
Barra
The island of Barra is a predominantly Gaelic-speaking island, and apart from the adjacent island of Vatersay, to which it is connected by a causeway, is the southernmost inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland.-Geography:The 2001 census showed that the resident population was 1,078...
), 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...
, 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 ....
, 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...
and 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...
. An Tairbeart (Tarbert) is the ferry terminal in Harris with connections to Skye and North Uist
North Uist
North Uist is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:North Uist is the tenth largest Scottish island and the thirteenth largest island surrounding Great Britain. It has an area of , slightly smaller than South Uist. North Uist is connected by causeways to Benbecula...
.
Smaller islands
Other nearby inhabited islands in the Lewis and Harris group are BeàrnaraighGreat 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....
(Great Bernera) and Sgalpaigh
Scalpay, Outer Hebrides
Scalpay to distinguish it from the other Scalpay) is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:Scalpay is around 2.5 miles long and rises to a height of 341 ft at Beinn Scorabhaig. Scalpay's nearest neighbour, Harris is just 330 yds away over narrow Caolas...
(Scalpay). Tarasaigh
Taransay
Taransay is an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is famous for being the host of the British television series Castaway 2000. Uninhabited since 1974, except for holidaymakers, Taransay is the largest island in Scotland that lacks a permanent population...
(Taransay) and An Sgarp
Scarp, Scotland
Scarp is an uninhabited island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, west of Hushinish on Harris. Once inhabited, the island was the scene of unsuccessful experiments with rocket mail, since commemorated in two films.-Geography:...
(Scarp) are now-uninhabited islands close to the shore of Harris.
History
The island is the ancestral homeland of the HighlandScottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
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...
, with those individuals on Harris being referred to as from the clan
Scottish clan
Scottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...
MacLeod of Harris or MacLeod of MacLeod, and those on Lewis being referred to as from the clan MacLeod of Lewis.
Lewis island is also the ancestral home of Clan Morrison
Clan Morrison
Clan Morrison is a Scottish clan. There are numerous Scottish clans, both Highland and Lowland, which use the surname Morrison. In 1965, the Lord Lyon King of Arms decided to recognise one man as chief of all Morrisons, whether their clans were related or not.-Morrisons of mainland Scotland:The...
.
Economy
A major industry on the island is the production of the famous fabric Harris tweedHarris 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....
which is hand made on the island; by law only fabric produced on the island can be called Harris tweed.
External links
- Google map
- hebrides.ca Home of the Quebec-Hebridean Scots who were cleared from Lewis to Quebec 1838-1920's