Ceann Iar
Disambiguation: "Ceann Iar" is a common Scottish placename meaning Western Headland
Scottish Gaelic name | Ceann Iar |
---|---|
Meaning of name | Western Headland |
Location | |
OS grid reference | NF616623 |
Coordinates | 57°31′N 7°39′W / 57.52°N 7.65°W |
Physical geography | |
Island group | Monach Islands |
Area | 154 ha |
Area rank | 122 [1] |
Highest elevation | Cnoc Bharr 19 m |
Administration | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Country | Scotland |
Council area | Comhairle nan Eilean Siar |
Demographics | |
Population | 0[2] |
References | [3][4] |
Ceann Iar (
Geography
Ceann Iar is the second largest of the Monach Islands. It is connected at low tide to Ceann Ear via Sibhinis. It is said that it was at one time possible to walk all the way to Baleshare, and on to North Uist, five miles away, at low tide. In the 16th century, a large tidal wave was said to have washed this[what?] away.[3] Despite Ceann Iar's name, Shillay is in fact the westernmost of the group.
Like the other islands of the group, it is a low-lying, sandy island, subject to intense coastal erosion. Not unlike the Isles of Scilly, it is possible that Ceann Iar, Sibhinis and Ceann Ear formed a single body of land within historic times, and that their land area has greatly decreased due to overgrazing, and wind erosion as well.
On the east side is Baile Beag (little town), the settlement of the island, on the slopes of Cnoc Bhàrr (top hill), which at 19 metres in height is a mere metre higher than neighbouring Ceann Ear's hillocks. In the north, there is also Cnoc Mòr (big hill), which is the other "height" on the island. The west is formed by Rubha Shulabhaig (a headland), and the north east by Hearnish. Just to the north is the island of S(t)ròmaigh (from Old Norse meaning "storm island")
History
A cairn on Ceann Iar marks the grave of Lieutenant
The island had been settled intermittently for over a thousand years, although the main settlement was on Ceann Ear. It was resettled in the wake of the Highland Clearances, but finally abandoned in 1942.
Notes and references
- 2011 census.
- ^ National Records of Scotland (15 August 2013). "Appendix 2: Population and households on Scotland's Inhabited Islands" (PDF). Statistical Bulletin: 2011 Census: First Results on Population and Household Estimates for Scotland Release 1C (Part Two) (PDF) (Report). SG/2013/126. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
- ISBN 9780319226223.