| Scottish Gaelic name | Uibhist a Tuath |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | [ˈɯ.ɪʃtʲəˈt̪ʰuə]ⓘ |
| Scots name | North Uist[1] |
| Meaning of name | North Uist (etymology of "Uibhist" is unclear) |
 | |
| Location | |
  North Uist North Uist shown within the Outer Hebrides | |
| OS grid reference | NF835697 |
| Coordinates | 57°36′00″N7°19′59″W / 57.6°N 7.333°W /57.6; -7.333 |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Uist andBarra |
| Area | 30,305 ha (74,885 acres) |
| Area rank | 10 [2] |
| Highest elevation | Eaval 1,138 ft (347 m) |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Comhairle nan Eilean Siar |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 1,254[3] |
| Population rank | 12 [2] |
| Population density | 4.14 people/km2[3][4] |
| Largest settlement | Lochmaddy |
 | |
| References | [4][5][6][7] |
| Official name | North Uist Machair and Islands |
| Designated | 22 July 1997 |
| Reference no. | 1004[8] |
North Uist (Scottish Gaelic:Uibhist a Tuath;Scots:North Uise) is an island andcommunity in theOuter Hebrides ofScotland.
InDonald Munro'sA Description of the Western Isles of Scotland Called Hybrides of 1549, North Uist,Benbecula andSouth Uist are described as one island ofYwst (Uist). Starting in the south of this 'island', he described the division between South Uist and Benbecula where "the end heirof the sea enters, and cuts the countrey be ebbing and flowing through it". Further north of Benbecula he described North Uist as "this countrey is called Kenehnache of Ywst, that is in Englishe, the north head of Ywst".[9]
Some have taken theetymology of Uist fromOld Norse, meaning "west",[4] much likeWestray inOrkney.[10] Another speculated derivation of Uist from Old Norse isÍvist,[6] derived fromvist meaning "an abode, dwelling, domicile".[11]
AGaelic etymology is also possible, withI-fheirste meaning "Crossings-island" or "Fords-island", derived fromI meaning "island" andfearsad meaning "estuary, sand-bank, passage across at ebb-tide".[10][12] Place-names derived fromfearsad includeFersit, andBelfast.[12]Mac an Tàilleir (2003) suggests that a Gaelic derivation ofUist may be "corn island".[13] However, whilst noting that the-vist ending would have been familiar to speakers ofOld Norse as meaning "dwelling", Gammeltoft (2007) says the word is "of non-Gaelic origin" and that it reveals itself as one of a number of "foreign place-names having undergone adaptation in Old Norse".[14] In contrast, Clancy (2018) has argued thatÍvist itself is an Old Norsecalque on an earlier Gaelic name,Ibuid orIbdaig, which corresponds toPtolemy’sEboudai.[15]
Coates (2006) linked the namesUist andIbiza, an island in the Mediterranean, arguing for an origin in Semitic*bšm ("balsam") with the island-naming prefix*’y, acknowledging the possibility of a name transfer and the name being subject to the influence of Norseívist.[16]
A number of standing stones from theNeolithic period are scattered throughout the island, including astone circle atPobull Fhinn. In addition to these, a largeburial cairn, in almost pristine condition, is located atBarpa Langass. The island remained inhabited for at least part of theBronze Age; a burial from this period was found on the Udal peninsula (nearSollas). For theIron Age, in addition to thewheelhouses typical of the Outer Hebrides, the remains of abroch(fort), from the late Iron Age, can be found atDun an Sticir; there was formerly another broch nearScolpaig, but it was replaced byScolpaig Tower in the 19th century. In the 3rd century, stone houses came into use which were shaped likeJelly Babies[note 1].
Whoever the occupants of "Jelly Baby" houses were, they were followed in the 9th century byViking settlers, who established theKingdom of the Isles throughout the Hebrides. Initially, Vikings builtturf-based buildings; however, on the shore, the environmental and chemical composition ofmachair causes these buildings to rapidly degrade and turnmauve[note 2]. Following Norwegian unification, the Kingdom of the Isles became a crown dependency of the Norwegian king; to the Norwegians it wasSuðreyjar (meaning "southern isles").Malcolm III of Scotland acknowledged in writing that Suðreyjar was not Scottish, andKing Edgarquitclaimed any residual doubts.
However, in the mid-12th century,Somerled, aNorse-Gael of uncertain origin, launched a coup, which made Suðreyjar entirely independent. Following his death, Norwegian authority was nominally restored, but in practice, the kingdom was divided between Somerled's heirs (Clann Somhairle), and the dynasty that Somerled had deposed (theCrovan dynasty). TheMacRory, a branch of Somerled's heirs, ruled Uist, as well asBarra,Eigg,Rùm, theRough Bounds,Bute,Arran, and northernJura.[17][18][19][20][21]
In the 13th century, despite Edgar's quitclaim, Scottish forces attempted to conquer parts of Suðreyjar, culminating in the indecisiveBattle of Largs.
In 1266, the matter was settled by theTreaty of Perth, which transferred the whole of Suðreyjar to Scotland, in exchange for a very large sum of money[note 3]. The treaty expressly preserved the status of the rulers of Suðreyjar; the MacRory lands, excepting Bute, Arran, and Jura, became the Lordship ofGarmoran, a quasi-independent crown dependency, rather than an intrinsic part of Scotland.
At the turn of the century,William I had created the position ofSheriff of Inverness, to be responsible for the Scottish highlands, which theoretically now extended to Garmoran.[23][24] In 1293, however, KingJohn Balliol established theSheriffdom of Skye, which included the Outer Hebrides. Nevertheless, following his usurpation, theSkye sheriffdom ceased to be mentioned[note 4], and the Garmoran lordship (including Uist) was confirmed tothe MacRory leader. In 1343, KingDavid II issued a further charter for this tothe latter's son.[25]
In 1346, just three years later, the sole surviving MacRory heir wasAmy of Garmoran. The southern parts of the Kingdom of the Isles had become theLordship of the Isles, ruled by theMacDonalds (another group of Somerled's descendants). Amy married the MacDonald leader,John of Islay, but a decade later he divorced her, and married the king's niece instead (in return for a substantialdowry). As part of the divorce, John deprived his eldest son,Ranald, of the ability to inherit the Lordship of the Isles, in favour of a son by his new wife. As compensation, John granted Lordship of the Uists to Ranald's younger brother Godfrey, and made Ranald Lord of the remainder of Garmoran.
However, on Ranald's death, his sons were still children, and Godfrey took the opportunity to seize the Lordship of Garmoran. Furthermore, Godfrey had a younger brother, Murdoch, whose heirs (theSiol Murdoch) now claimed to own part of North Uist. This led to a great deal of violent conflict involving Godfrey's family (theSiol Gorrie) and those of his brothers. Surviving records do not describe this in detail, but traditional accounts report an incident where the Siol Gorrie dug away the embankment of a Loch, causing it to flood a nearby village in which the Siol Murdoch lived (and hence drown them); the accounts claim that the floodwater formed Loch Hosta.[26]
In 1427, frustrated with the level of violence generally in the highlands, together with the insurrection caused byhis own cousin, KingJames I demanded that highland magnates should attend a meeting atInverness. On arrival, many of the leaders were seized and imprisoned. Alexander MacGorrie, son of Godfrey, was considered to be one of the two most reprehensible, and after a quickshow trial, was immediately executed.[27] As Alexander had by now inherited Godfrey'sde facto position as Lord of Garmoran, and in view of Ranald's heirs being no less responsible for the violence, King James declared the Lordship forfeit.
Following the forfeiture, most of Garmoran (including North Uist) remained with the Scottish crown until 1469, whenJames III granted Lairdship of it toJohn of Ross, the Lord of the Isles. In turn, John passed it to his own half-brother,Hugh of Sleat; the grant to Hugh was confirmed by the king –James IV – in a 1493 charter, but Ranald's heirs (Clan Ranald) disputed the charter.
Hugh died a few years later, and in 1505 his eldest son, John, granted North Uist (and Sleat) toRanald Bane, the Captain ofClanranald; the reasons John had for this are not reported by surviving records. Nevertheless, Hugh's second son, DonaldGallach, opposed Clan Ranald and established his ownde facto control of North Uist and Sleat[note 5]. In the following year (1506), Donald was stabbed to death by his own younger brother –Black Archibald. The king authorised Ranald Bane to take the lands by force; according to traditional accounts, Ranald Bane's success led to Black Archibald resorting to piracy.[28]
Three years later, however, Black Archibald returned. Traditional accounts relate that while he had been away, Angus Collach[note 6] (Archibald's other brother) attempted to rape a woman on North Uist; outraged by this, an armed party made up of men from the Siol Gorrie (to which the woman belonged) and Clan Ranald (to which her husband belonged) captured Angus and drowned him at sea.[28] According to these accounts, Black Archibald now took revenge, killing large numbers of Siol Gorrie.[28] Despite his behaviour, Black Archibald managed to ingratiate himself with James IV, by capturing and handing over two pirates – distant relations fromClan MacAlister;[28] in 1511, the king rewarded Black Archibald by pardoning him for his crimes, and confirming his possession of Sleat and North Uist.[28]
At some point before 1520, Black Archibald was murdered by Donald Gallach's son, Donald Gruamach[note 7]. Consequently, in 1520, James IV issued a charter awarding lairdship of Sleat and North Uist toAlasdair Crotach MacLeod[note 8], the leader of theSìol Tormoid, who possessed the neighbouring lands, and had been loyal to James duringDonald Dubh's rebellion.
In 1539, Donald Gruamach's son – Donald Gorm[note 9] – invaded the Siol Tormoid lands on Skye, in an attempt to take back Sleat and North Uist[note 10]. However, that same year, Donald Gorm was hit by an arrow while besiegingEilean Donan castle; in the process of removing it, he severed an artery, and died[note 11]. In 1542, kingJames V issued a charter confirming Alastair Crotach as laird of Sleat and North Uist.
After the deaths of Alastair Crotach and his son William in quick succession (1547, and 1553, respectively), Alastair's heir was his young granddaughter, Mary MacLeod. Donald Gormson, Donald Gorm's son, took the opportunity to seize Sleat and North Uist. TheEarl of Arran, regent toMary, Queen of Scots, assigned nominalfeudal wardship of her to theEarl of Huntly, who himself proposed to sell it to theEarl of Argyll. Following Arran's death in 1554,Mary of Guise was appointed regent for her daughter and issued Argyll and Huntly with a"commission of fire and sword" against Donald Gormson and Clan Ranald, instructing the earls to pursue their "utter extermination".
However, the forces of the Earl of Huntly had previously been defeated by Clan Ranald at theBattle of the Shirts, which made them reluctant to enter Clan Ranald territory; the Earl abandoned the pursuit, but was promptly imprisoned by Mary of Guise for doing so. Three years later, theLords of the Congregation, the Earl of Argyll among them, emerged as an organised resistance to the Queen Regent. By 1562, the Earl of Huntly, now released, was in outright opposition to Queen Mary, and died opposing her at theBattle of Corrichel. In 1565 the tables turned when Donald Gormson took the queen's side during theChaseabout Raid and was consequently back in royal favour.
On 4 March 1567[note 12] Donald Gormson and the Earl of Argyll drew up a contract, according to which:
In 1594, as an opponent ofThe Reformation, Donald Gorm Mor[note 13] – Donald Gormson's grandson – sent troops toGaelic Ireland to assistAodh Mór Ó Néill andRed Hugh O'Donnell during theRising of the Northern Clans againstQueen Elizabeth I of England. In 1596, concerned by this, and similar action by otherScottish clan chiefs, KingJames VI of Scotland (Elizabeth's heir) demanded that highland leaders send well-armed men, as well as attending themselves, to meet him atDumbarton on 1 August. Donald Gorm Mor obeyed the summons, and was consequently pardoned for previous offences, and granted a charter which acknowledged him as rightful heir of Hugh of Sleat, and confirmed him as laird of Sleat and North Uist.
In an attempt to solidify peaceful relations with the Siol Tormoid, Donald Gorm Mor married the daughter of the then Siol Tormoid leader,Rory Mor. Unfortunately, the marriage failed catastrophically, leading to theWar of the One-Eyed Woman. A series of initial skirmishes led to theBattle of Carinish in North Uist, the last battle in Scotland that involved bows and arrows. It led to theBattle of Coire Na Creiche, where Donald Gorm Mor won a more decisive victory, at which point theprivy council intervened, and imposed a lasting peace. Donald was succeeded by his nephew, Donald Gorm Og[note 14], whose loyalty to the king resulted in him being made the firstBaronet of Sleat[note 15].
A century later, Sir Donald MacDonald, the 4th Baronet of Sleat, was living comfortably inGlasgow. In 1715, he supportedthe Jacobite rebellion and attacked theEarl of Sutherland, but fell ill and fled to Skye. He was pursued and forced to flee to North Uist.[30] When thePapists Act was passed the following year, requiring his attendance at Inverlochy, he argued that he was too ill to travel, but magistrates could visit him instead. Under the terms of the act, this made him a recusant,[30] and his lairdships were accordingly forfeited, under the terms of theForfeited Estates Act of the previous year.[30]
The Commissioners of Forfeited Estates surveyed the land and found that it was in very poor condition; in North Uist, the local population had recently lost 745 cows, 573 horses, and 820 sheep to plague, and the sea had overflowed the land and destroyed many houses.[30] On his succession in 1723, the 7th baronet[note 16] arranged for a middleman, Kenneth MacKenzie,[note 17] to buy back Sleat and North Uist from the Commissioners[note 18] and pass them on to him.[30] In 1727, the 7th baronet was granted a royal charter formally acknowledging his position as laird of the Sleat and North Uist.[30]
According to historianJohn Lorne Campbell, Sir AlexanderMacDonald of Sleat and his clan took no part in theJacobite Uprising of 1745, but they were included in the repression of Highland dress and culture that followed theBattle of Culloden. However, North UistbardIain Mac Fhearchair (John MacCodrum), the official poet to the chief, wrote the satirical poem "Òran an Aghaidh an Eididh Ghallda" ("A Song Against the Lowland Garb"), which "shows clearly where his own sympathies lay".[31]
MacCodrum also composed poetry criticizing both theScottish clan chiefs and theAnglo-Scottish landlords of theHighlands and Islands for the often brutalmass evictions of the Scottish Gaels that followed theBattle of Culloden[32] and on mundane topics such as old age andwhiskey.[33]
Among MacCodrum's most popular anti-landlord poems mocks Aonghus MacDhòmhnaill, the post-Cullodentacksman ofGriminish. It is believed to date from between 1769 and 1773, when overwhelming numbers of Sir Alexander MacDonald's tenants on the isles of North Uist and Skye were reacting to hisrackrenting and other harsh treatments by immigrating to the region surrounding theCape Fear River inNorth Carolina. The song is known in the oral tradition of North Uist asÒran Fir Ghriminis ("A Song of the Tacksman of Griminish"). The song is equally popular among speakers ofCanadian Gaelic inNova Scotia, where it is known under the differing title,Òran Aimereaga ("The Song of America").[34]
During theFrench Revolutionary Wars, the scarcity of external supplies of minerals to theUnited Kingdom led to a boom in thekelp industry, which became North Uist's main source of income.[35] When the war ended, the availability of foreign mineral supplies led to an abrupt collapse in the demand for kelp-based products. The burning of kelp had also damaged the fertility of the land. As a result, thecrofters of North Uist could no longer afford the rents.[35] Even though the landlords reduced the rents (e.g. in 1827 the rents were reduced by 20%) many crofters resorted to emigration.[35]
In 1826 the villages of Kyles Berneray, Baile Mhic Coinein, and Baile Mhic Phàil, at the north-east corner of North Uist, were abandoned by their inhabitants. Although some moved further south-east to Loch Portain, most of those affected moved toCape Breton, inNova Scotia[note 19].[35] As the economic conditions worsened, and with reports of islanders having success overseas, the numbers of families emigrating from Scotland toNorth America greatly increased.[35] By 1838, the number of people having left North Uist was reported as 1,300; before the 1820s, the population of North Uist had been almost 5,000,[36] but by 1841 it had fallen to 3,870.
The 7th baronet's heir, Godfrey MacDonald[note 20] (the 4thBaron of Slate[note 21]) ran sheep on the abandoned crofts.[37] The land was poor for farming but sufficient to sustain sheep, bringing the baron a better profit. As a result, he orchestrated one of the most notable massevictions of theHighland Clearances.[38] In 1849, an attempt to evict 603 crofters fromSollas[note 22] caused rioting. Rocks were reportedly thrown at the police officers sent from Glasgow to quell the riot.[41][42] In the convictions that followed[note 23], thejury added the following written comments:
...the jury unanimously recommend the pannels to the utmost leniency and mercy of the Court, in consideration of the cruel, though it may be legal, proceedings adopted in ejecting the whole people of Solas from their houses and crops without the prospect of shelter, or a footing in their fatherland, or even the means of expatriating them to a foreign one...[43]
In 1855, Sir Godfrey decided to sell North Uist to SirJohn Powlett Orde.[36]
According to Bill Lawson, "The MacDonalds of Sleat possessed the island from 1469 until 1855, though the later proprietors took little interest in their estate except as a source of income. In 1855 the Lord MacDonald of the day sold the island to Sir John Powlett Orde, who had gained the reputation of being the worst type of landlord, utterly opposed to any attempt to improve the lot of his tenants, though it is only fair to point out that every one of the major evictions on the island was in fact carried out by the MacDonalds; they, being of a local source, are forgiven, and the blame is reserved for the incoming Sir John. He, in turn, sold parts of the island to his son SirArthur Campbell-Orde, mainly in order to frustrate the terms of theCrofter's Acts, which could have allowedcrofters to apply for more land, but only on land with the same ownership. Sir Arthur eventually inherited the whole estate; he seems to have been a very different type of landlord, and was involved in the re-crofting ofSollas and other areas."[44]
The pre-clearance population of North Uist was about 5,000. Families particularly depleted during the clearances were the MacAulays, Morrisons, MacCodrums, MacCuishs, and MacDonalds.[35]
In 1889, counties were formally created in Scotland, on shrieval boundaries, bya dedicated Local Government Act; North Uist, therefore, became part of the newcounty of Inverness. Following late 20th century reforms, it became part of the Highland Region.
In 1944, the Campbell-Orde family sold North Uist toDouglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton, who in 1960 sold it in turn to the5th Earl Granville,[45] and the current laird isFergus Leveson-Gower, 6th Earl Granville, who lives on the island.[46] The Granville family administers the island through atrust fund called the North Uist Trust.[36]
Some of themachair townships, however, were taken over by theBoard of Agriculture and its successors.[45]
The population of North Uist has dwindled to around 1,300.
In common with the rest of theWestern Isles, North Uist is formed from the oldest rocks in Britain, theLewisian gneiss which dates from theArchaean eon. A zone running west from Lochmaddy to Baleshare has abundantmetasediments andmetavolcanics. The direction of inclination of layered textures orfoliation in thismetamorphic rock is typically to the north but varies widely across the island. Pockets ofmetabasic rocks equivalent to the Scourie dyke suite are developed in certain areas, particularly in the north. Banded metabasic rocks and Archaeangranites are found in the northwest around Loch Phaibeil. A band ofpseudotachylyte curves north the northwest through the centre of the island.[47]The island is traversed by numerousnormal faults many of which run broadly NW-SE though ranging from E-W to NNW-SSE.Loch Eport is developed along one such fault. The Outer Hebrides Thrust Zone runs along the eastern coast of the island and brings distinctive gneisses which form the rough hilly terrain along that coast. More recent geological deposits includeblown sand along the northern and western coasts andpeat inland.[48]
North Uist is the tenth-largest Scottish island[49] and the thirteenth-largest island surroundingGreat Britain.[50] It has an area of 117 square miles (303 square kilometres),[4] slightly smaller thanSouth Uist. North Uist is connected bycauseways toBenbecula viaGrimsay, toBerneray, and toBaleshare. With the exception of the south east, the island is very flat, and covered with a patchwork ofpeat bogs, low hills andlochans, with more than half the land being covered by water. Some of the lochs contain a mixture of fresh and tidal salt water, giving rise to some complex and unusual habitats.Loch Sgadabhagh, about which it has been said "there is probably no other loch in Britain which approaches Loch Scadavay in irregularity and complexity of outline", is the largest loch by area on North Uist although Loch Obisary has about twice the volume of water.[51] The northern part of the island is part of theSouth Lewis, Harris and North UistNational Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland.[52]
The main settlement on the island isLochmaddy, afishing port and home to amuseum, anarts centre and acamera obscura.Caledonian MacBrayne ferries sail from the village toUig on Skye, as well as from the island of Berneray (which is connected to North Uist by roadcauseway), toLeverburgh inHarris. Lochmaddy also has theTaigh Chearsabhagh — a museum and arts centre with a cafe, small shop and post office service. Nearby is the Uist Outdoor Centre.
The island's main villages areSollas, Hosta,Tigharry,Hougharry,Paible,Grimsay andCladach Kirkibost. Other settlements includeClachan Carinish,Knockquien,Port nan Long,Greinetobht andScolpaig, home to the nineteenth-centuryScolpaig Towerfolly.Loch Portain is a small hamlet on the east coast — some 9 mi (14 km) from Lochmaddy, with sub areas of Cheesebay and Hoebeg.
According to the 2011 census North Uist had a population of 1,254.
North Uist has many prehistoric structures, including theBarpa Langasschambered cairn, thePobull Fhinnstone circle,Dun an Sticir, theFir Bhreigestanding stones,Eilean Dòmhnuill (which may be the earliestcrannog site in Scotland),[53] and theBaile Searroundhouses, which were exposed by storms in January 2005.[54]
The Vikings arrived in the Hebrides in AD 800 and developed large settlements.
Newer sites of interest are the Uist sculpture trail with two art installations in Lochmaddy. Close by is the Hut of Shadows, a camera obscura.
On the Northern and western side of the island are several white sandybeaches such as Clachan Sands.
The island is known for its bird life, includingcorncrakes,Arctic terns,gannets,corn buntings andManx shearwaters. TheRSPB has a nature reserve atBalranald.[55]
In the 18th century, the total population of the combinedUists rose dramatically, before the population crash of theHighland Clearances. In 1755, the Uists' estimated combined population was 4,118; by 1794 it rose to 6,668; and in 1821 to 11,009.[4]
| pre 1820s[36] | 1841 | 1881 | 1891 | 1931 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001[56] | 2011[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| about 5,000 | 3,870 | 3,398 | 3,250 | 2,349 | 1,622 | 1,469 | 1,454 | 1,404 | 1,271 | 1,254 |
From Haswell-Smith (2004)[4] except as stated.
According to the 2011 Census, there are 887 Gaelic speakers (61%) on North Uist.[57]
The penultimate segment of "Lochdown", the 41st episode (3rd episode of 4th season) of the popular motoring television seriesThe Grand Tour, was filmed on a narrow strait close to Griminish, at the northwest corner of the island, with the presenters building a floating bridge to drive their cars across to the island ofVallay (unlike suggested in the episode, the last segment was filmed inSwindon, not onVallay).[64]
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North Uist travel guide from Wikivoyage
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