Lewis ( , , also
Isle of 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 .
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 only town, 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 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 to 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.
Name of the island
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.
History
The first evidence of
human 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
.
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
brochs –
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 Charlabhagh
. 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.
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.
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. Lewis was bought by
Sir James Matheson in 1844, but
subsequent famine and land reform forced vast numbers off their
lands, and increased again the flood of emigrants. Lewis was the
site of numerous 'land struggles' which have recently been
commemorated in modern cairn-style monuments in various
villages.
During the
First World War, thousands of
islanders served in the forces, many losing their lives, including
over 200 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 1918
the Isle of Lewis was bought by William
Lever with the intention of making Stornoway
an industrial town and building a fish cannery, his
intentions were received badly by the islanders.
He gave
Lewis to its people in 1923, and concentrated his efforts on
Harris, where the town Leverburgh
takes his name.
Historical sites
The Isle of Lewis has a variety of locations of historical and
archaeological interest including:
There are also numerous 'lesser' stone circles and the remains of
five further
brochs.
Geography and geology
Satellite photograph of Lewis and
Harris
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.
Looking towards the uplands in the
centre of the Island of Lewis
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 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.
Geology
Abandoned house and croft in SW
Lewis, with exposed gneiss visible.
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.
Climate
Exposure to the Atlantic Ocean and the
Gulf
Stream 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 Heritage 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.
Birds
Many species of
seabirds inhabit the coastal
areas of Lewis, such as
shag,
gannets,
fulmars,
kittiwakes,
guillemots and the ubiquitous
seagulls.
In the
Uig hills, it is
possible to spot golden eagles; it has
also been claimed that white-tailed
eagles have been seen in the area. In the Pairc
area, it is
possible to see feeding oyster
catchers and curlews. A few pairs
of
peregrine falcons 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.
Marine life
Atlantic salmon
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
sticklebacks, thick-lipped
mullet and
flounder.
Offshore, it is common to see
seal,
particularly in Stornoway harbour, and with luck,
dolphins,
porpoises,
sharks and even the occasional
whale can be encountered.
Land mammals
There are only two native land mammals in the Western Isles, red
deer and
otter. The
rabbit,
blue
hare,
hedgehog, brown and black
rat,
feral cat,
mink and
polecat were
introduced. The origin of
mice and
voles 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
bats. In addition, there are farmed animals such
as
sheep,
cattle and a
few
pigs.
Reptiles and amphibians
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.
Insects
The island's most famous insect resident is the Scottish
midge 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.
Plant life
machair is noted for different species of
orchid and associated vegetation such as
various
grasses. Three
heather; 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
sundews. 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.
Politics and government
, 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.
Current representatives
Demographics
Lewis'
main settlement, the only burgh 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
coasts 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
lochs.
Parishes and districts of Lewis
- There
are four parishes: Barvas
(Barabhas), Lochs (Na
Lochan), Stornoway (Steòrnabhagh), and Uig on which the original civil registration districts
were based. The district of Carloway (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 Ness (Nis),
Carloway (Càrlabhagh), Back
, Lochs (Na Lochan), Park ( ), Point ( ), 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
Side
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 Tolsta
, 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:
|
Back |
Ness |
North Lochs |
Park (South Lochs) |
Point |
Uig |
West
Side |
Stornoway area |
Back, Coll , Gress , North Tolsta, Tong |
South Dell , North
Dell , Cross , Swainbost , Habost, Lionel , Port of
Ness , Eoropie , Fivepenny , Knockaird , Adabrock, Eorodale , Skigersta , Cross-Skigersta Road |
Balallan , Crossbost , Leurbost |
Gravir , Cromore |
Aird , Aignish , Flesherin , Lower
Bayble , Portnaguran , Portvoller , Shulishader , Upper
Bayble |
Aird Uig , Cliff , Kneep , Timsgarry , Valtos |
Arnol , Ballantrushal , Barvas, Borve , Bragar , Breasclete , Brue , Callanish , Carloway, Garynahine , Shader, Shawbost |
Branahuie , Holm, Laxdale, Marybank , Melbost , Newmarket , Newvalley , Parkend , Plasterfield , Sandwick, Steinish |
Economy
Industry
Arnish Industrial Estate
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.
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,
trademarked 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.
Commerce
Stornoway is the commercial centre of Lewis, there are several
national chains with shops in the town 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.
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.
Transport
MV
Isle of Lewis
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 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 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
.
Peats
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
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
Mormon church and a
Jehovah's Witness kingdom hall 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 Institute
, 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.
Culture and sport
Language
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.
Ljóðhús translates from
Old Norse
to English as
Home of the Poet (Ljóð = Poet, hús = house).
The 12th century ruler of the Island,
Leod, taking his
name from the Norse word for Poet.
Media and the arts
Lewis has been home to, or inspired, many writers. As well as
regularly playing host to the
Royal
National Mod, 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 is 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.
Sport
is a good provision of sporting grounds and sports centres in
Lewis. Sports such as
Football,
Rugby union and
Golf
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
League .
- Shinty is not as popular as in the rest
of the West of Scotland, but the Lewis
Camanachd team is based around the town.
- Attached to the Nicolson
Institute 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 Golf Club (the only 18-hole golf course in the Outer
Hebrides).
- Angling is a very popular pass-time in
Lewis as there are several good lochs and rivers for fishing.
- As Lewis is an island, various water sports, such as surfing are popular activities.
- Lewis
has a terrain very suited to hillwalking, particularly in Uig and near the
border with Harris.
Myths and legends
The Isle
of Lewis has a rich folklore, including Seonaidh - 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
.
Gastronomy
- Each
year, men from Ness go out to the island of Sula Sgeir
in late August for two weeks to harvest young
gannets known locally as Guga, which are a
local delicacy.
- Lewis has many hotels and restaurants serving varied menus from
the more remote locations to the centre of Stornoway. In the town,
there are Chinese, Thai and Indian restaurants as well as numerous
establishments with authentic Scottish menus. Chefs use local
produce as much as possible, and the crofting and fishing industry
on the islands ensures they have a wide range of high quality
ingredients from which to choose. Naturally, fresh seafood is
featured heavily with the catch landed that morning, often put
straight into the pot.
People with Lewis connections
- Sheilagh M. Kesting, first woman minister to be
nominated to be Moderator
of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
- Angus MacAskill, the strongest
man to have ever lived - born in Berneray and briefly lived in
Stornoway before emigrating to Canada.
- John MacKay, anchorman of STV News
at 6 Central
- Alexander
MacKenzie, explorer, after whom the Mackenzie River
in Canada is named
- Colin Mackenzie, 1st
Surveyor-General of India
- Anne MacKenzie, BBC current affairs presenter and radio presenter
- Ken MacLeod, science fiction
writer
- Hans Matheson, plays the title
role in Granada's £8.5m serialisation of Boris Pasternak's novel, Doctor Zhivago.
- Arthur Pink, Christian evangelist
and Biblical scholar.
- Donald Stewart, politician
- Donald Trump,
American billionaire, whose mother came from Tong
, a village from Stornoway.
- Derick Thomson, Scottish Gaelic
poet, born on Lewis, and educated in Stornoway.
- Alistair Darling, Chancellor of the Exchequer and
MP for Edinburgh Central has a house in the village of
Breacleit.
- Alyth McCormack, singer
- Alasdair White, musician (Fiddle,
Whistle, Pipes, Bouzouki) plays with Battlefield Band
- Andy Gray ,
former footballer and current Sky Sports pundit, his Grandmother
hails from the village of Back.
See also
References
- Thompson, Francis (1968) Harris and Lewis. Newton
Abbott. David & Charles. Page 15. The sub-totals provided are:
Land - ; inland water - ; saltmarsh - ; foreshore - ; tidal water -
.
- Murray, W.H.
(1966) The Hebrides. London. Heinemann. p. 173.
- Roman Map of Britain
- Macdonald, D. (1978). Lewis: A History of the Island.
Edinburgh: Gordon Wright
- Local Authority Web Site
- Pankhurst R.J. & Mullin, J.M. (1991) Flora of the Outer
Hebrides, London: HMSO
- http://bubl.ac.uk/org/tacit/marilyns/region24.htm
- Scottish
National Heritage - Protected Areas
-
http://digital.nls.uk/index.cfm?TB_iframe=true&height=450&width=600&place=1000003%3E7008591%3E7002444%3E7008094%3E1007849%3E1010887
- 1911 Britannica
- Steel, R.J. & Wilson, A.C. 1975. Sedimentation
and tectonism (?Permo-Triassic) on the margin of the North Minch
Basin, Lewis. Journal of the Geological Society, 131,
181-200.
- Isle-of-Lewis.com
- Local Authority Web Site
- SNH - Hebridean Mink Project
- BBC News
- Hebridean Mink Project
- An Introduction to the Bats of Scotland
- Morris, Dr P. (1984). Animals of Britain, Field Guide to
the. London: Reader's Digest Association
- Scotsman piece with 'Eilean an Fhraoich'
translation
- Local Authority Web Site
- Article on flags for Hebridean Islands
- Comhairle nan Eilean Siar - Council
Members
- Stornoway Historical Society.
- Harris Tweed Authority, "Fabric History", retrieved 21
May 2007.
- Calanais Stones Visitor Centre
- Scottish Enterprise - Life Sciences
Directory
- Stornoway Today
- The Independent
- Am Baile Education - Crofting
- Local Authority Education Dept.
- Local Authority - Gaelic Medium
- BBC News
- BBC News
- Lews Castle College - Learning Centres
- Linguae-Celticae.Org
- Local Authority Web Site
- Johnston Press - Publishers
- Rudhach -
Community Newspaper
- - Breasclete Community Newspaper
- Wonder Tales From Scottish Myth and Legend
(1917)
External links
;
Blackhouse Village in Carloway
;
cliffs and lighthouse;
, a small island which is the ancestral home of the
Lewis Morrisons.
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