Park ( gd, A' Phàirc), 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
Loch Erisort ( gd, Èireasort) is an 8-mile-long narrow sea inlet on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides () or Western Isles ( gd, Na h-Eileanan Siar or or ("islands of the strangers"); sco, Wast ...
. This had a wall called ''Gàrradh an Tighearna'' (''"The Laird's Dyke"'') built across it by the
Earl of Seaforth
Earl of Seaforth was a title in the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland. It was held by the family of Mackenzie from 1623 to 1716, and again from 1771 to 1781.
History
The Mackenzies trace their descent to Colin of Kintail (died 127 ...
in the early 17th century, the outline of which can still be seen.
Only the north of Park is now inhabited: settlements in the south were cleared by
Sir James Matheson in the nineteenth century. A famous deer raid took place here in 1887 as a demonstration by starving people, commemorated by a broch resembling a cairn at the Eishken junction. Much of this area is still used for deer stalking.
Community buyout
The Pairc Estate extends to and includes 11
crofting townships with a combined population of nearly 400. In 2011 the Pairc
Community Trust received approval from
Roseanna Cunningham, the
Environment Minister, for a bid to buy the estate under the crofting "Right to Buy" provisions of the
Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which establishes statutory public rights of access to land and makes provisions under which bodies representing rural and crofting communities may buy land.
Provisions
T ...
. Pairc Trust chairman Angus McDowall, said: "This is an historic step forward for our community, and sends an unambiguous message to the landlord that the economic and social development of Pairc in the interests of the whole community should be ranked above private financial gain. It is a complete vindication of the persistence which we and the whole community have shown over so many years in trying to exercise our rights under the Act in order to plan a better future for local crofters and residents." In May 2014 the community voted to proceed with the buyout. In December 2015, residents formally took over the land.
Crofting townships in Park
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Orinsay
Orinsay ( gd, Orasaigh) is a crofting village on the Isle of Lewis in the district of Pairc, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The settlement is within the parish of Lochs. Orinsay is from Stornoway
Stornoway (; gd, Steòrnabhagh; sco, St ...
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Lemreway
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Gravir
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Garyvard
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Kershader
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Habost
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Caversta
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Marvig
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Calbost
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Eishken
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Shiltenish
*
Torastay
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Cromore
Natural environment
Loch Cromore, which has a slight salt water content, is good for wildfowl, including wintering whooper swans and common seals frequent the inlets. The deserted village of Stiomrabhagh is a short walk from Orinsay. Fine views of the
Shiant Islands may be obtained from Lemreway and Orinsay.
References
External links
The Park Deer Raid
Isle of Lewis
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