Isle of Lewis: Stornoway

Stornoway Town Hall

After visiting the three sites, Callanish Standing Stones, Dun Carloway Broch, and Gearrannan Blackhouse Village on Isle of Lewis, we got off the bus in Stornoway. With about two hours to wait for the ferry, we had time to shop and eat. I bought some things, like scarves, at a street fair. (I love scarves.) It was around five pm and since we didn't know anything about Stornoway we were unsure where the good restaurants were. Actually, we had a hard time finding any restaurants at that late hour, but finally found one in a hotel. The food was delicious.

Martin's Memorial Church

 Stornoway, on Isle of Lewis, is the largest town in the Western Isles of Scotland with a population of around 9000. Stornoway is the 3^rd largest town in the Scottish Highlands, Inverness and Fort William being first and second.

County Hotel

 Stornoway has been an important port for many years, and was likely recognized from earliest times as having a safe harbor because of the natural landscape. Two "arms" of land jut out on either side making the waters much calmer than in the minch, the stretch of water between the islands and the mainland.

Lews Castle

Lews Castle was built between 1847 and 1852 by James Matheson who had bought Lewis in 1844. The castle was built on the site of the former Mackenzie's Seaforth Lodge (The Seaforth Lodge is said to have hosted the planners of the 1719 Jacobite Uprising.) Lews Castle was luxuriously furnished with crystal chandeliers, carved panels and tapestries. Lord Leverhulme, founder of Lever Brothers soap company, bought Lewis in 1917. In 1923, he gifted the vast estate of the Isle of Lewis to the citizens of Stornoway. It is administered by the Stornoway Trust on behalf of the townspeople.

No one knows when Stornoway was settled, but it was long before the Vikings started raiding in the ninth century. Chambered cairns nearby suggest the Stornoway area was settled before the Iron Age. In addition to the safe, natural harbor, other features no doubt valued by early inhabitants include fertile soils, shallow waters of Broad Bay for fish spawning, freshwater rivers that drew in salmon and sea-trout and safe anchorage.

Herring Girl Statue

 Stornoway is home to the Western Isles Council and other educational, sporting and media establishments. Education is important on Lewis, and our tour guide pointed out many of the newly build schools.

Stornoway Harbour

Carved Viking outside the ferry terminal

 When the Vikings rowed their longships into the bay they named the place 'Steering Bay' in the Norse tongue. And this name eventually became Stornoway. It is not known whether the Vikings killed all the native residents they found in the Stornoway area or whether they intermarried with them, or maybe a little of both. The Norse ruled Lewis for a time, until 1266 when the Treaty of Perth came into effect and the Norse were ordered to leave. All of Norway's possessions on the western seaboard were ceded to King Alexander III of Scotland. But Norse influence remains, including place names and clan names such as MacLeod, Morrison, Nicholson, and MacAulay.

The ferry terminal

 After we ate, we walked toward the ferry terminal early because we didn't want to miss the ferry, the last one for that day. We watched the ferry coming into port, and noticed several police officers heading through the terminal waiting area along with a black and white sheepdog, a Border Collie. An officer put the dog to work, sniffing each of the passengers' bags. But apparently nothing was found and no one was arrested.

Boats in Stornoway Harbour

Lewis was under the leadership of the Lord of the Isles from 1354 to 1493. By the end of the 14^th century, Lewis was held by one branch of the Clan MacLeod, with Harris (which connects to Lewis) being controlled from Skye by another branch of Clan MacLeod.

You can see the Stornoway War Memorial on the hill above the town.

  In the 15^th century the MacLeod clan possessed the Castle of Stornoway. It was said to resemble Kismul Castle. It was a symbol of power and status for this ruling clan. It was also a target of attacks from the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh who wanted to curb the independence of the unruly Clan MacLeod. The castle was attacked in 1506 and 1554 but survived both sieges. But it could not survive Cromwell's Commonwealth who caused the structure to be 'broken down.' Only ruins remained until 1882 when the site was demolished and overtaken by improvements to the harbor. Only a plaque remains as evidence that a castle once stood on the town's foreshore.

Leaving Isle of Lewis

On board the ferry, we found a warm comfortable place to sit inside, but I did venture outside in the icy wind a few times for some pics. Here's one of them as the sun was setting.

Thanks so much for visiting Stornoway with me! :)
Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

Excerpt from My Daring Highlander:

Seona's horse bolted during a gale storm in the Highlands. Keegan chased after her and pulled her off the terrified horse.

He drew up beside the rocks that appeared stable enough and helped Seona slide to her feet, before he dismounted. He guided her toward the stones which blocked much of the fearsome west wind that pounded them and led Curry behind him. Keegan glanced upward, determining the stone was solid and that nothing would fall on their heads.

Immediately they were out of the wind and rain. He turned back to watch the gale rage across the moor behind them, the grasses, bushes and plants twisting and almost lying flat at times.

“There goes your horse,” he said, pointing. Seona’s mare was a distant black spot, running along the burn. The animal likely wouldn’t calm down until the gale had passed. “We’ll recapture her later.”

Following his gaze, Seona nodded.

“This is a decent shelter.” He was glad to get her out of the wind and rain.

“Aye,” she said, her breathing still elevated. Arms wrapped around herself, she shivered and her teeth chattered, though she tried to hide it.

“Come. I’ll warm you.” He took her into his arms, but he knew it wasn’t only the temperature of the chill wind that made her shiver. ’Twas also the waning of the extreme fear she must have felt taking a wild ride on that daft horse, tearing across the countryside. “’Tis all right, lass,” he murmured in her ear. “You’re safe now.”

Her body still trembled, but she nodded. He would do anything to keep her safe. Did she not know that?

His face against her cool damp hair, Keegan closed his eyes and drew in her sweet scent. She felt perfect against him, but he fought down his need to pull her even closer, to feel her body completely aligned with his.

Finally, her shivers diminished and her breathing returned to normal. Reluctantly, he removed his arms from around her and backed up a step. “Better?”

“Aye. I thank you for helping me. I don’t know what got into Juliana.”

“Juliana?” he asked.

“My mare.”

“’Tis a fancy name for a mare,” he said, unable to hide his amusement. But his main reason for smiling… he was thrilled she had not been injured.

She grinned, her dark blue eyes gleaming with happiness. Saints! He had never seen her look more beautiful.

“Did you know your eyes are the color of bluebells?” he asked.

She glanced away, but her smile widened and her cheeks turned an adorable pink, replacing the earlier paleness. She bit her lip, making him wish he could do the same.

Finally, her eyes met his again. He had the urge to tell her how incredibly beautiful she was, but he feared he might overdo it.

“You are mad to say such things,” she said. He barely heard her above the roar of the wind overhead.

He held up his hands in surrender. “I speak the truth.”

Seona felt her face burning despite the icy wind, but she forced herself to meet Keegan’s gaze. There was so much she wished to tell him, but fear held her back. He was perfect… or he would be perfect for her, at least. Simply gazing into his enchanting sky-blue eyes made her feel happy. And his grin was naught but charm and seduction. Most impressive of all, he was a strong, heroic man who didn’t fear anything.

“You are…” What should she say?

He moved his head closer to hear her better, and turned slightly so one of his ears was near her mouth.

“You are very brave and heroic. You saved my life,” she said, finding it easier to talk to him when he wasn’t looking directly into her eyes. “Twice.”

He pulled back a few inches, his lips twisting into a lopsided grin. “I thank you, m’lady,” he said. “I could never allow you to be injured.” He shook his head. “Over the past few months, I have wanted to talk to you or… dance with you but… you ken your aunt doesn’t like me.”

“Nonsense,” she said to be polite. Truth was Aunt Patience didn’t want her to go near him because she deemed him unacceptable as husband material for Seona.

“Come now, Lady Seona, you ken I speak the truth,” he said in a light tone. “Her glares are like sharp blades.”

She nodded. “My aunt is much like a guard dog.”

“Well, she has a right to be. You’re a beautiful lady and I’m…” He shrugged. “Just a guard.”

She frowned. “You are much more than that.”

’Twas obvious he was trying to maintain his pleasant expression, but a hint of sadness crept into his blue eyes that near broke her heart.

He shook his head. “Nay, I fear when it comes to you, Lady Seona, I’m naught but a knave and a rogue. I’ve hardly been able to concentrate today because of memories of that amazing kiss.” After shoving his fingers through his windblown, damp mane, he backed away and stared out at the blowing rain. “I must behave myself,” he muttered, as if to himself, but she heard it despite the roaring wind.

She could not take her eyes off him and the stunning passion in his gaze. He was right… completely and unequivocally right. He should never touch her again. She should’ve never allowed him to kiss her the night before, but she could not have stopped him any more than she could’ve stopped breathing. Speaking of which, her own breaths were now short and shallow. Her chest ached with the need to be closer to him. To touch him.

His gaze shifted to her. “Hell. Seona, don’t look at me like that.”

She pressed her eyes closed, the moisture gathering there burning. Why did she feel the urge to cry? ’Twas insanity. She was not normally a very emotional person. She should face facts now—she could never have Keegan. Even though he had owned her heart for months.

His warm, rough fingers touched her face. Her eyes popped open and she sucked in a sharp, surprised breath.

 My Daring Highlander copyright 2013 Vonda Sinclair

Isle of Lewis: Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

This is a continuation of our tour of Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Last week I covered Dun Carloway Broch and the week before Callanish Standing Stones. Rain was still sprinkling when we arrived at Gearrannan Blackhouse Village but it didn't deter us from jumping off the bus and heading to the museum. As you can see, there are several cottages here. One is a gift shop and also where you buy tickets. One has been restored to the way it was when people lived here. One is set up with a video with historical information and beautiful signs telling a lot of information and showing photos of the village and those who lived in it in the past.

Blackhouses were built with double wall, dry-stacked stone and the space in between the walls was filled with packed earth. The houses have wooden rafters covered with turf and thatched with straw or reed. The floors were usually either flagstones or packed earth. Centuries ago, they didn't have chimneys. Instead, the fire was built in the center of the room and the smoke escaped through a hole left in the roof. The house had two sections, one for the people and a lower part for the livestock, like cows and sheep. This kept the animals warm during the harsh winters.

A peat fire.

 This peat fire was burning in the museum, which is a cottage just as it was when lived in in the early part of the 1900s.

The peat fire made the interior very smoky.

 A sign on the site reads: "The blackhouses were abandoned in 1974 when the last residents moved to Council Houses nearby. Being the last surviving group of such houses in the islands, and having such an attractive setting, their significance was recognized and the blackhouse village was formally designated as an outstanding conservation area in November 1976. Restoration began in 1991, and the main work was completed in 2001."

Click to enlarge. This shows the family tree of the family who lived in this cottage.

Old looms for weaving. Harris Tweed is a big industry here.

A bucket of dry peat to burn.

 Experts have found evidence of a settlement on this site two thousand years ago, but it was abandoned. In the 1500s another village was established. Records from the 1700s show that one extended family lived here. Most of those who lived here later, into the 1970s, were descended from one MacLeod family.

The plaque reads, in both Gaelic and English: "This stone commemorates the official opening of The Gearrannan Blackhouse Village by HRH The Princess Royal 5^th June 2001"

 An 1850 Ordnance Survey map shows that at that time, the houses were not where the current houses are. Instead they were a few yards to the south and the village was called Sithean. The land was farmed communally. After 1850, separate crofts (plots of farming land) were established for each family. In 1886, the Crofting Act went into effect and this improved conditions for the tenants. They didn't have to worry about eviction and they were then allowed to pass their land on to their families. The present blackhouses (further north than the older ones) and the crofts that go along with them were established at the end of the 1800s.

When the potato crop failed between 1845 and 1850, many people emigrated from Isle of Lewis. The Factor of the Lewis Estate at the time, J. Munro MacKenzie, recommended emigration to two of the Gearrannan families who could not pay their rents. This information is from his diary.

 The local economy improved in the late 1800s and some of the men from the village found work in the ling-fishing industry at the nearby Dunan pier at Carloway. Three men from the village skippered boats. Others from the village went into the military, which provided some income, while some wove tweed on wooden looms. In 1908, those over age 70 could draw a state pension. In 1891 the population of the village was 109. This number kept increasing to around 1910. In 1904, 84 of the students at Carloway School were from Gearrannan.

As you can probably tell because of my hood, it was still raining, even toward the end of the stop at this site. The midges were also really bad, especially on this hillside. For those who don't know, midges are like mean gnats. They happen to love my husband. They were getting inside his hood, biting his face and neck and dive-bombing his eyes. They got so bad, he returned to the bus early to escape them.

In 1891, 20 of the 165 people who lived in Gearrannan were fishermen, according to the census. The ling fish were caught on baited long lines, then salted and dried before being exported. This fishing industry was in successful operation until the outbreak of WWI. After the war, the old boats were in bad condition and the market for the fish had dried up.

There was an economic depression here after the war. What little work that could be found included seasonal employment in herring fishing crews, although it was not as popular or successful as it had been previously. Crofting provided the basic foods for the villagers. Gearrannan was always first to plant crops in spring and every piece of arable land was cultivated. They also grazed sheep and cattle. But the crofts couldn't support everyone and many were without employment. In the early 1920s, hundreds of islanders left for America and some went to the Scottish mainland for employment. In the 1930s the local economy improved with the growing Harris Tweed Industry.

When the village grew too crowded, some families acquired crofts three miles up the coast at Dalmore.

World War I took many of the villagers' lives, especially when the naval yacht, Iolaire, sank while taking island servicemen home from the war in the early hours of New Year's Day, 1919. A sign in the museum shows the photos and names of each man who was from Gearrannan. This is known as the Iolaire Disaster and was devastating for the islands of Lewis and Harris because the islands had already lost over a thousand men during the war. Tragically, 205 men died when the Iolaire crashed into rocks and sank twenty yards from shore. Forty men made it ashore.

 People of the village had good overall health in the 1800s. They worked hard, were physically fit and they ate a healthy diet of mostly oatmeal, potatoes, fish and milk. Of course, some diseases at that time were more prevalent than today, such as typhoid, infant tetanus and tuberculosis. The nearest doctor was eight miles away, but most people went to the local healer, John MacDonald (1829 – 1891.) He was skilled with blood-letting and herbal cures.

A very cool bench.

 How would you like to stay in one of these blackhouses? Well, you can. They are self-catering. These houses have been restored. The exteriors look as they might have two centuries ago, but the interiors offer all the modern comforts of home. The kitchens are modern and they have controllable heat along with separate stoves for burning peat or wood, electric showers, and nice bedrooms. This work was done by the Gearrannan Trust a charitable trust of volunteers, most from the local area.

The ceilidh is an evening of storytelling and music. Everyone participated and enjoyed these events. Other forms of entertainment for daytime were shinty and football. In June 1934, a traveling circus visited Gearrannan. The children of the area were enthralled by the acrobats, jugglers and bare-back riders.

This ruin was on the hillside overlooking the village. It looks like it was once a cottage.

In the 1950s many of the island men joined the Merchant Navy. When they returned home on leave, they brought presents and told exciting stories of their travels to distant lands, but they also missed their loved ones while away. One of the most popular Gaelic love songs "Gruagach Dhonn Bhrunail" was composed by a Gearrannan man named Donald John MacDonald on board the "Urstom Grange" in the early 1950s.

In the 1950s and 60s most of the residents of the blackhouses were elderly spinsters because the young people had moved away for employment, marriage or education. The ladies who remained had lived lives of hard work. They could still call on relatives in the local area, outside the village, for help in thatching or other heavy labor when necessary. By this time, there were very few blackhouses left anywhere in the islands. Tourism increased as more people wanted to experience the special atmosphere of this little village "at the edge of the world."

(Click to enlarge)

The houses began to deteriorate and the residents needed new places to live. In 1970, a site at the other end of the village was approved for building twelve new houses. After these were built, in 1974, all the remaining residents, four ladies and one gentleman moved to Gead Gorm. These new houses required no thatching, water was piped in instead of carried by hand, but the residents were allowed to have their cozy open peat fires.

If you would like to see more photos of Gearrannan or rent one of the blackhouses, please visit: http://www.gearrannan.com/

Thanks!

Vonda

www.vondasinclair.com

Gwyneth Carswell, an English lady banished by her father to the harsh Scottish Highlands, wants nothing more than to take her young son away from the violence of two fighting clans--her own distant kin, the MacIrwins, and their enemies, the MacGraths. She risks everything to rescue the fierce MacGrath warrior from the battlefield where he’s left for dead by her clan. She only knows she is inexplicably drawn to him and he wants peace as she does. When her clan learns of her betrayal, they seek vengeance. Dare she trust the enemy more than her own family?

Laird Alasdair MacGrath is driven to end two-hundred years of feuding with the MacIrwins. But by taking in and protecting Lady Gwyneth and her son, he provokes more attacks from his mortal enemy. As the danger and conflict surrounding them escalate, Alasdair and Gwyneth discover an explosive passion neither of them expected. With the arrival of a powerful man from her past, a horrible decision confronts her--give up her son or the man she loves.

Isle of Lewis: Dun Carloway Broch

Next on our tour of Isle of Lewis in Scotland, we visited Dun Carloway Broch (Dun Charlabhaigh). This is one of the best preserved Iron Age brochs in Scotland. What is a broch, you might wonder. It's a dwelling constructed during the last few centuries BC. Dun Carloway is believed to have been one of the last constructed, in the last century BC. Brochs had been used for centuries before then and they are found all over western and northern Scotland from Sutherland and Caithness, Orkney, Shetland, Isle of Skye, Barra, various other islands of the Hebrides, and on the western mainland too. We later stayed at a B&B near Dornie and the owner told us about a broch nearby that I'd never heard of. I definitely want to visit that one in the future.

When we arrived at Dun Carloway, it was raining again, a bit more heavily than it had at Callanish, which I covered in the post last week. We put up the hoods of our rain jackets and hurried up the hill toward the broch. It's hard to take photos in the rain because I always fear my camera will get too wet. Also drops get on the lens and distort the photos.

Brochs are interesting architecturally because they are built with two concentric walls fastened together by banks of stone slabs to form a series of internal galleries and stairs. In other words, the stairs are in between the walls. Some believe these were fortifications where extended families could go inside for protection during invasions. Others believe they were simply impressive homes for prominent families. The construction would've protected them in winter from the harsh wind and rain of the islands. It is believed farm animals were kept on the ground floor in winter to protect them from the cold.

the stairs

 The roof of the broch would've been conical and made of thatch, supported by wooden timbers. The brochs would've also had a few timber floors for living quarters for perhaps large extended families.

at the top of the stairs

 Brochs have no big exterior windows, just a few voids in the wall for a small amount of light and air circulation, and one low entrance door, so you can imagine how dark they must have been.

view out over the broch

 Brochs were generally tall and imposing, often constructed on hills. Some were at least 13 meters high and they were built without mortar. The builders of the time must have been very skilled for these structures to have stood for so many centuries.

The interior at ground level showing the two doorways. We went into the one on the far left to access the stairs.

 Some brochs are smaller so it could be that almost everyone, or those who held land, lived in a broch of one size or another because on the islands of Barra and North Uist, it was discovered that there were as many broch ruins as there were tenant farmers during the 18^th century. So, big impressive brochs like Dun Carloway may have been the home of a chief or tribal leader, while smaller brochs were homes of landholding families of lesser rank.

Very low doorway into what might have been a guard room.

 Many brochs of the Hebrides were lived in for generations of the same family. Experts believe the people of the western isles stopped building brochs around the first century AD but many were still occupied. Some people even built later houses within the walls of the roofless brochs.

The loch below the broch.

Local legend says that during the 1500s the Morrison Clan of Ness carried out a cattle raid on the local Clan MacAuly. They were caught red-handed but took refuge in Dun Carloway and blocked the door. Donald Cam MacAuly climbed up the outside wall of the broch and threw burning heather down into the interior to smoke out the raiders. This leads historians to believe the walls of the broch were much higher and more complete at that time.

Local resident

 After it was abandoned, prior to 1797, Dun Carloway was mostly ignored by the general public. That year marks the first mention of the broch in print. It is believed ancient sites like this broch were simply considered to be part of the landscape and not worthy of mention. In the 1800s people became more interested in ancient structures and monuments. They soon discovered the brochs predated the Viking age by several centuries. Dun Carloway was taken into state care in 1887.

Click on photo to enlarge

click on photo to enlarge

The above photos show what the interior of a broch might have looked like and gives some historical information.

I hope you've enjoyed this peek inside a broch. We'll continue our tour of Isle of Lewis next time.
Thanks!
Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

Battle-hardened warrior Dirk MacLerie isn't who everyone thinks he is. He's Dirk MacKay, heir apparent to the MacKay chiefdom and Dunnakeil Castle on the far north coast of Scotland. When he returns home after a long absence, will his clan know him and will the duplicitous enemy who tried to murder him twelve years ago kill him in truth this time?

Lady Isobel MacKenzie is a beautiful young widow betrothed to yet another Highland chief by her brother's order. But when her future brother-in-law accosts her and threatens to kill her, she is forced to flee into a Highland snowstorm. When she runs into a rugged and imposing man she thought dead, she wonders if he will turn her over to her enemy or take her to safety.

Dirk remembers the enchanting, dark-eyed Isobel from when he was a lad, but now she is bound to another man by legal contract—an important detail she would prefer to forget. She wishes to choose her own husband and has her sights set on Dirk. But he would never steal another man's bride… would he? The tantalizing lady fires up his passions, testing his willpower and honor at every turn, even as some of his own treacherous clansmen plot his downfall.