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Uist is a group of six islands that are part of the Outer Hebridean Archipelago, which is part of 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 ...
of
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
.
North Uist North Uist (; ) is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Etymology In Donald Munro's ''A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland Called Hybrides'' of 1549, North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist are described as one isla ...
and
South Uist South Uist (, ; ) is the second-largest island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. At the 2011 census, it had a usually resident population of 1,754: a decrease of 64 since 2001. The island, in common with the rest of the Hebrides, is one of the ...
( or ; ) are two of the islands and are linked by
causeway A causeway is a track, road or railway on the upper point of an embankment across "a low, or wet place, or piece of water". It can be constructed of earth, masonry, wood, or concrete. One of the earliest known wooden causeways is the Sweet T ...
s running via the isles of
Benbecula Benbecula ( ; or ) is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. In the 2011 census, it had a resident population of 1,283 with a sizable percentage of Roman Catholics. It is in a zone administered by ...
and
Grimsay Grimsay () is a tidal island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Geography Grimsay is the largest of the low-lying stepping-stones which convey the Oitir Mhòr (North Ford) causeway, a arc of single track road linking North Uist and Benbecul ...
. From south to north, the inhabited islands in the island group are (
Eriskay Eriskay (), from the Old Norse for "Eric's Isle", is an island and community council area of the Outer Hebrides in northern Scotland with a population of 143, as of the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census. It lies between South Uist and Bar ...
), (South Uist), Grimsay (South), (
Benbecula Benbecula ( ; or ) is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. In the 2011 census, it had a resident population of 1,283 with a sizable percentage of Roman Catholics. It is in a zone administered by ...
), (
Flodaigh Flodaigh is a tidal island lying to the north of Benbecula and south of Grimsay in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It is connected to Benbecula by a causeway. The island is 145 hectares The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric un ...
),
Grimsay Grimsay () is a tidal island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Geography Grimsay is the largest of the low-lying stepping-stones which convey the Oitir Mhòr (North Ford) causeway, a arc of single track road linking North Uist and Benbecul ...
, , (North Uist), ( Baleshare) and ( Berneray). The islands, collectively, have a population of 4,723.


Major settlements

The main settlements in Uist are:


South Uist

* (
Daliburgh Daliburgh () is a crofting township on South Uist, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Daliburgh is situated west from Lochboisdale, has the second largest population of any township in South Uist, and is also in the parish of South Uist. Dalibur ...
) * (
Lochboisdale Lochboisdale ( ) is the main village and port on the island of South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Lochboisdale is within the parish of South Uist, and is situated on the shore of Loch Baghasdail at the southern end of the A865. History The ...
) * ( Snishvale) * (
Stoneybridge Stoneybridge () is a village on the island of South Uist in Scotland. The Crois Chnoca Breaca standing stone is situated to the west of the village. Stoneybridge is within the parish of South Uist and the chapel was also situated west of the se ...
) * (
Eochar Iochdar (), also spelled ''Eochar'', is a hamlet and community on the west coast of the island of South Uist, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Iochdar is also in the parish of South Uist. It is the largest of several crofting settlements in the n ...
) * ( Polochar) * (
Eriskay Eriskay (), from the Old Norse for "Eric's Isle", is an island and community council area of the Outer Hebrides in northern Scotland with a population of 143, as of the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census. It lies between South Uist and Bar ...
)


Benbecula

* (
Balivanich Balivanich ( ) is a village on the island of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. It is the main centre for Benbecula and the adjacent islands of North Uist, South Uist and several smaller islands. Balivanich is with ...
) * ( Creagorry) * ( Liniclate, Lionacleit)


North Uist

* (
Carinish Carinish (), is a hamlet on North Uist, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It is in the south of the island, about from the causeway to Benbecula. The hamlet is known for the Carinish Stone Circle and the Trinity Temple. Carinish is within the pa ...
) * (
Bayhead A bayhead or baygall is a specific type of wetland or swamp habitat.Watson, Geraldine Ellis (2006) Big Thicket Plant Ecology: An Introduction, Third Edition (Temple Big Thicket Series #5). University of North Texas Press. 152 pp. Natural Communi ...
) * (
Sollas Sollas () is a small crofting township on the northern coast of the island of North Uist, Scotland. History The Battle of Sollas From Sollas, the road that heads towards Bayhead is known as the ''Committee Road''. It is called this as it was o ...
) * (
Lochmaddy Lochmaddy ( , "Loch of the Hounds") is the administrative centre of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. ''Na Madaidhean'' (the wolves/hounds) are rocks in the bay after which the loch, and subsequently the village, are named. Lochmaddy i ...
) * (Balemore)


16th century


Geography

Writing in 1549, Sir Donald Monro, High Dean of the Isles stated of "Ywst" that it was a fertile country full of high hills and forests on the east coast with five parish kirks. He also noted that in the north of "Ywst ther is sundrie covis and holes in the earth, coverit with heddir above, quhilk fosters maney rebellis in the countrey".Monro (1549) no. 154


Fishing

Monro referred to the "infinite number of fresh water loches", including Loch Bì, which is South Uist's largest loch and at long it all but cuts the island in two. Monro stated that "the sea has gotten enteries to this fresche water loche" and described the "thicke dyke of rough staines" that had been created to prevent salt water ingress. This apparently resulted in numerous fish being caught in the stones, including "fluikes, podloches, skatts, and herings" and he described another "kynd of fishe, the quhantitie and shape of ane salmont, but it has na skaills at all; the under haffe, narrest his vombe is quhite, and the upmaist haffe narrest his back is als black as jett".


Land tenure

Monro's description was:
This countrey is bruiked by sundrey captains; to witt, the south southwest end of it, callit Bayhastill, be M’Neill of Barray, the rest of the ile, namit Peiter’s parochin, the parochin of Howes, and the mayne land of the mid countrey callit Mackermeanache, perteins to Clanronald, halding of the Clandonald. At the end heirof the sea enters, and cuts the countrey be ebbing and flowing through it: and in the north syde of this there is ane parochin callit Buchagla, perteining to the said Clandonald. At the north end thereof the sea cuts the countrey againe, and that cutting of the sea is called Careynesse, and benorth this countrey is called Kenehnache of Ywst, that is in Englishe, the north head of Ywst, whilk term is twa paroche kirks, and is mair of profit than the rest of haill of Ywst, perteining to Donald Gormesone.


See also

*


Bonnie Prince Charlie

Benbecula Benbecula ( ; or ) is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. In the 2011 census, it had a resident population of 1,283 with a sizable percentage of Roman Catholics. It is in a zone administered by ...
was the island from which
Flora MacDonald Flora MacDonald (1722 – 5 March 1790) is best known for helping Charles Edward Stuart evade government troops after the Battle of Culloden in April 1746. Her family had generally backed the government during the 1745 Rising, and MacDonald l ...
aided the escape of Prince Charles Edward Stuart (
Bonnie Prince Charlie Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (31 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, making him the grandson of James VII and II, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, ...
) to
Kilbride, Skye Kilbride (Scottish Gaelic: ''Cille Bhrìghde'', or the Church of Saint Bride) is a small township in Strath Swordale, Isle of Skye, Scotland. The township is situated in a pocket of fertile lime-rich soil, between the Red Hills to the north and ...
in June 1746, following his defeat at the
Battle of Culloden The Battle of Culloden took place on 16 April 1746, near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. A Jacobite army under Charles Edward Stuart was decisively defeated by a British government force commanded by the Duke of Cumberland, thereby endi ...
.


Notes


References


See also

*
List of Outer Hebrides The Outer Hebrides is a chain of more than 100 islands and small skerry, skerries located about west of mainland Scotland. There are 15 inhabited islands in this archipelago, which is also known as the Western Isles and archaically as the Long ...
* *
Force-fire In European folklore, a need-fire (; , , , ) is a fire kindled by friction, which is lit in a ritual and used as protective magic against murrain (infectious diseases affecting cattle), plague and witchcraft. It was a tradition in parts of Eu ...


External links


Panoramas of Uist
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Local Site Dedicated to Uist
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