Timsgarry () is a village on the

Isle of Lewis The Isle of Lewis () or simply Lewis () is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides archipelago in Scotland. The two parts are frequently referred to as if they were separate islands. The t ...

, in the

Outer Hebrides The Outer Hebrides ( ) or Western Isles ( , or ), sometimes known as the Long Isle or Long Island (), is an Archipelago, island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland. It is the longest archipelago in the British Isles. The islan ...

, Scotland. Timsgarry is home to the Baile na Cille Church and the Uig Museum, noted for its giant Chessmen, discovered in the sands in 1831.

Geography

Timsgarry lies on the western side of the Isle of Lewis on

Uig Bay Camas Uig (Uig Bay) is a bay on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The bay contains a variety of small islets including Fraoch Eilean, Leac Holm, Sgeir a' Chàis, Sgeir Liath, Sgeir Sheilibhig, Tom and Tolm. ...

, southwest of

Stornoway Stornoway (; ) is the main town, and by far the largest, of the Outer Hebrides (or Western Isles), and the capital of Lewis and Harris in Scotland. The town's population is around 6,953, making it the third-largest island town in Scotlan ...

on the

B8011 road B8, B VIII or B-8 may refer to: Transport Roads * B8 (Croatia), an expressway part of the Istrian Y highway network * B8 road (Cyprus) * B8 road (Kenya) * B8 road (Namibia) * Bundesstraße 8, a road in Germany Other uses in transport * B8 (Ne ...

, to the north of

Ardroil Ardroil () is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides The Outer Hebrides ( ) or Western Isles ( , or ), sometimes known as the Long Isle or Long Island (), is an Archipelago, island chain off the west coast of mainland Scot ...

. The Erista River flows in the sea at Timsgarry. The coastline here is known as Uig Sands (Tràigh Uuige).

History

Fragments of

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

pottery were recovered from Dun Borranish, just to the south of the main settlement, in 1991.

Landmarks

Timsgarry is home to the Baile na Cille Church, and is situated within the parish of

Uig Uig is a placename meaning "bay" (from Norse) and may refer to: Places * Uig, Coll, a hamlet on the island of Coll, Argyll and Bute, Scotland * Uig, Duirinish, a hamlet near Totaig, on the Isle of Skye, Highland Scotland * Uig, Lewis, a civil par ...

. Timsgarry used to have its own chapel, named ''Capail Mor'', further to the west of the present church, which was built in 1724 near to the site of an earlier church, known as ''Capail Beag''. The former manse is still present, with the churchyard. The ruins of an even earlier church, ''Teampall Chrìosd'' (St Christopher's), is located to the west of Timsgarry. There is a legend that this burial ground was once a bare rock and a man called Eidheann brought the soil from a nearby hill, Cnoc Eidheann to build the knoll it resides on. Under the mound is said to be a pagan temple or dun. At one time the burial ground was supposed to be for the exclusive use of

Clan Macaulay Clan MacAulay (, ), also spelt Macaulay or Macauley is a Scottish clan. The clan was historically centred on the lands of Ardincaple, which are today consumed by the little village of Rhu and burgh of Helensburgh in Argyll and Bute. The MacAul ...

. It is now a scheduled monument. The Uig Museum is located at Timsgarry, within the community centre, and displays local archaeology, such as replicas of the Uig Chessmen, discovered in the sands in 1831. These were identified as 12th century Viking chess pieces which were made from walrus ivory and whale teeth. Uig Lodge Golf Course, to the southwest of the village overlooking Uig Sands Bay, was originally established in 1930 and recently restored. It is currently run by the Uig Lodge and used exclusively by hotel guests.

References

External links

Canmore - Lewis, Timsgarry site recordCanmore - Timsgarry site record
{{Lewis and Harris Villages in the Isle of Lewis