Lochs, Outer Hebrides

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Lochs
Loch Erisort from Crobeag - geograph.org.uk - 642309.jpg
Loch Erisort
Outer Hebrides UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Lochs
Location within the Outer Hebrides
Area179.06 sq mi (463.8 km2)
Population1,810 (2011)
  Density 10/sq mi (3.9/km2)
Language Scottish Gaelic Gaidhlig
English
OS grid reference NB371259
Civil parish
  • Lochs
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town ISLE OF LEWIS
Postcode district HS2
Dialling code 01851
Police Scotland
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
58°08′38″N6°28′05″W / 58.144°N 6.468°W / 58.144; -6.468
Parish of Lochs (1891) Map of the parish of Lochs (1891).jpg
Parish of Lochs (1891)

Lochs is a civil parish on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles, Scotland. It is one of the four civil parishes in Lewis and extends over the south-eastern part. It is bordered by the parish of Stornoway in the north and Uig in the west. Loch Seaforth separates it from Harris in the south, apart from a 19 miles (31 kilometres) land border with Harris. It extends about 19 miles (31 kilometres) north to south and 16 miles (26 kilometres) east-west. The Shiant Islands, about five miles (8.0 km) to the south-east, also belong to the parish. The parish is so-named because of the profusion of lochs, sea and fresh-water, in the area. [1]

Contents

Lochs does not have a main village, but instead three clusters of townships within the three main divisions of the parish. The northern division, North Lochs, lies between the River Creed (Gaelic: Abhainn Ghrioda), which forms the border with Stornoway parish, and Loch Leurbost. Its main townships are Leurbost and Crossbost on the north side of that loch and also Grimshader and Ranish on either side of Grimshader Loch. The central division called Kinloch lies between Lochs Leurbost and Erisort and its main townships are Keose, Laxay and Balallan on the north side of Loch Erisort, and Arivruaich near the head of Loch Seaforth. The southern division, known as South Lochs or Park (Gaelic: Pairc), is a peninsula between Lochs Erisort and Seaforth. It is joined to the mainland of Lewis by an isthmus about three-quarters mile (1.2 km) wide. The main townships are Orinsay, Gravir, Habost, Caversta, Calbost, and Cromore. [2]

At the 2011 census, the population of the civil parish was 1,810. 62.0% had some knowledge of Gaelic. [3] A hundred years before, in 1911, 91.1% were Gaelic speaking (and 97.5% in 1881). [4] The area of the parish is 114,601 acres (179.1 sq mi; 463.8 km2). [5]

The parish originally belonged to the county of Ross and Cromarty. The parish council was formed in 1895 with 11 elected members. [6] This was replaced by Lewis District Council in 1930, which had 19 members, 9 of whom were the County Councillors for Lewis and 10 elected to the District Council from the four parishes. Lochs had 4 members. [7] [8] Since 1976, this has been superseded by a community council for each of three parts of the parish, namely North Lochs, Kinloch and Park. [9] [10] Also Ross and Cromarty county council was replaced by Western Isles Council (now called Comhairle nan Eilean Siar), based in Stornoway.

Lochs is also a ward of Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles) Council, with 2 members. [11]

The parish was not recorded prior to the Scottish Reformation and was subsequently known as St. Columbkil or Loghur, now Lochs. The old Parish Church, serving the whole parish was erected in 1830 on an island in Keose bay, but is now in ruins. [12] [2] There are now Church of Scotland churches in each of the three parts of the civil parish: Leurbost (for North Lochs), Laxay (for Kinloch) and Lemreway (for Park). [13]

Landmarks

Settlements

North Lochs

Kinloch

Park

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outer Hebrides</span> Archipelago and council area off the west coast of mainland Scotland

The Outer Hebrides or Western Isles, sometimes known as the Long Isle or Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland. The islands are geographically coextensive with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. They form part of the archipelago of the Hebrides, separated from the Scottish mainland and from the Inner Hebrides by the waters of the Minch, the Little Minch, and the Sea of the Hebrides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isle of Lewis</span> Region of Lewis and Harris island, Scotland

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 total area of Lewis is 683 square miles (1,770 km2).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross and Cromarty</span> Area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland

Ross and Cromarty, also referred to as Ross-shire and Cromartyshire, is a variously defined area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a registration county and a lieutenancy area in current use, the latter of which is 8,019 square kilometres in extent. Historically there has also been a constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, a local government county, a district of the Highland local government region and a management area of the Highland Council. The local government county is now divided between two local government areas: the Highland area and Na h-Eileanan Siar. Ross and Cromarty border Sutherland to the north and Inverness-shire to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Park, Lewis</span>

Park, 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. This had a wall called Gàrradh an Tighearna built across it by the Earl of Seaforth in the early 17th century, the outline of which can still be seen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Habost</span>

Habost is the name of two crofting townships on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carloway</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Carloway is a crofting township and a district on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The district has a population of around 500. Carloway township is within the parish of Uig, and is situated on the A858.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross-shire</span> Historic county in Scotland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leurbost</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Leurbost is a village on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is approximately 6 miles south of Stornoway on the road to Harris. It is the main settlement in the area of the island known as North Lochs. Leurbost is within the parish of Lochs.

Eilean Chaluim Chille is an unpopulated island in the Outer Hebrides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calbost</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Calbost is a village on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Calbost is within the parish of Lochs, and within the district of Pairc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cromore</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Cromore is a crofting township on the Isle of Lewis in the district of Pairc, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The settlement is within the parish of Lochs. Cromore is about 27 miles away by road from Stornoway, the nearest town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewis and Harris</span> Largest island in Scotland, part of the Outer Hebrides

Lewis and Harris, or Lewis with Harris, is a single Scottish island in the Outer Hebrides, divided by mountains. It is the largest island in Scotland and the third largest in the British Isles, after Great Britain and the island of Ireland, with an area of 841 square miles (2,178 km2), which is approximately 1% of the area of Great Britain. The northern two-thirds is called [the Isle of] Lewis and the southern third [the Isle of] Harris; each is referred to as if it were a separate island and there are many cultural and linguistic differences between the two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inverness-shire</span> Historic county in Scotland

Inverness-shire is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. Covering much of the Highlands and Outer Hebrides, it is Scotland's largest county, though one of the smallest in population, with 67,733 people or 1.34% of the Scottish population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lochbroom, Highland</span> Civil parish in Wester Ross, Scotland

Lochbroom is a civil parish in Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, part of the Highland Unitary Authority area. Its name is Gaelic (Lochbraon), meaning "loch of rain showers". It completely surrounds Loch Broom, a sea loch extending from 7 miles (11 km) inland from the Minch on the west coast of Scotland. The former parish church stands at the head of this loch, hence the name of the parish. Lochbroom is also a Community council area, but the north-west corner of the parish is the Coigach community council area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torosay</span> Civil parish on Isle of Mull, Scotland

Torosay is a civil parish on the Isle of Mull in the county of Argyll, Scotland, part of the Argyll and Bute council area. It is one of three parishes on the island and extends over the central and south-eastern part. It is bordered by the parish of Kilninian and Kilmore in the north and Kilfinichen and Kilvickeon in the south-west. It extends about 12 miles east-west and 10 miles north-south. On the north-east coast it is separated from the mainland by the Sound of Mull. On its south-east coast, part of it is almost severed from the rest of the parish by the sea lochs Spelve and Buie, together with the freshwater loch Uisg, in between. This peninsula, which includes the hamlet of Croggan, is joined to the main island by a small isthmus at Kinlochspelvie and another at the settlement of Lochbuie. There is a smaller sea loch Loch Don, which gives its name to the hamlet of Lochdon. Further north, there is a bay at Craignure which is the location of a ferry port.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilfinichen and Kilvickeon</span> Civil parish on Isle of Mull, Scotland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilninian and Kilmore</span> Civil parish on Isle of Mull, Scotland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keose</span> Settlement in the civil parish of Lochs on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland

Keose is a settlement in the Kinloch community council area of the Western Isles, Scotland, in the civil parish of Lochs. It lies on the north shore of Loch Erisort. The old Parish Church, serving the parish of Lochs, was erected in 1830 on an island in Keose bay, but is now in ruins. The adjacent township of Keose Glebe was formerly the glebe of the manse of the parish church, but after 1929 it was split into crofts. Near Keose on the Swordale peninsula are ruins of what Is probably the first post-Reformation church in the parish of Lochs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Logie Easter</span> Civil parish in Easter Ross, Scotland

Logie Easter is a civil parish in Easter Ross in the Highland area of Scotland. It is bordered by the parishes of Edderton and Tain in the north and Fearn and Nigg in the east. The Balnagown River on the south forms the border with Kilmuir Easter. It extends about 7.5 miles from east to west.

References

  1. Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, by Francis H. Groome; publ. Thomas C. Jack, Edinburgh,1901. (Article on Lochs)
  2. 1 2 Third Statistical Account of Scotland, Vol 13 Ross and Cromarty, ed.A.S. Mather, publ. Scottish Academic Press, Edinburgh, 1987; pp. 399-415
  3. Census of Scotland 2011, Table KS101SC Usually Resident Population, publ. by National Records of Scotland. Web site http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ retrieved April 2021. See "Standard Outputs", Table KS101SC, Area type: Civil Parish
  4. Twelfth Decennial Census of the Population of Scotland, 1911, publ. H.M.S.O. Edinburgh 1912; Vol 1, Part 31, Table I, p.1950
  5. Census of Scotland 1931. Preliminary Report. Table 17 - Population and Acreage of Civil Parishes alphabetically arranged. Publ. H.M.S.O. 1931
  6. Eighth Annual Report of the Local Government Board for Scotland, 1902, publ.H.M.S.O., Glasgow, 1903;p. 530
  7. Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1929
  8. The Edinburgh Gazette 11 March 1930; pp.296-298
  9. Community Councils website, managed on behalf of the Scottish Government www.communitycouncils.scot/community-council-finder Retrieved April 2021
  10. Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
  11. Boundaries Scotland Review of Electoral Arrangements Na h-Eileanan an Iar Council Area - Final Proposals, May 2021 boundaries.scot/sites/default/files/CNES_Final_Report_Reduced_0.pdf retrieved March 2024
  12. Origines parochiales Scotiae : the antiquities ecclesiastical and territorial of the parishes of Scotland, publ.by Bannatyne Club, Edinburgh 1851; pp.384,385
  13. Church of Scotland church finder website www.churchofscotland.org.uk/contact/find-your-local-church - retrieved March 2024