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Ness, Lewis

Coordinates: 58°28′N 6°15′W / 58.47°N 6.25°W / 58.47; -6.25
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Ness
Landsat image of the north of Lewis
Ness is located in Outer Hebrides
Ness
Ness
Location within the Outer Hebrides
Population1,300 
LanguageScottish Gaelic
English
OS grid referenceNB5261
Civil parish
  • Ness
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSTORNOWAY
Postcode districtHS2
Dialling code01851 810
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
58°28′N 6°15′W / 58.47°N 6.25°W / 58.47; -6.25

Ness (Scottish Gaelic: Nis) is the northernmost part of the Isle of Lewis, a community consisting of about 16 villages, including Lionel, Habost, Swainbost, Cross, North and South Dell, Cross Skigersta, Skigersta, Eorodale, Adabroc, Port of Ness, Knockaird, Fivepenny and Eoropie. It was the most north-westerly community in the European Union, when the United Kingdom was a member. Its most northerly point is the Butt of Lewis. The name Ness derives from the old Norse for headland and many of the other place names in the area also have a Norse origin. [1]

History

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In the medieval period, the Ness area was dominated by the Clan Morrison, including the island of Dùn Èistean where numerous archeologically remains have been discovered.[2]

In 1862, 31 fisherman from Ness were lost during a storm in what was named the 'Great Drowning of Ness'.[3][4] The incident resulted in 24 widows and 71 children being left without fathers.[3]

In 1919, a Ness boat builder called John F. Macleod from Port saved 40 lives following the sinking of H.M.Y. Iolaire by managing to take a line to shore.[5]

The Ness Historical Society, the first historical society to be established in the Outer Hebrides, was established in 1977.[6]

Since 2007, Ness is part of the Galson Estate, which is owned by Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn (Galson Estate Trust) which is managed by 10 local trustees elected by the community. The official hand-over took place on 12 January 2007.[7]

In 2011, the small school at Cross closed due to declining rolls, latterly having only 19 pupils. The buildings, including Ness Hall have now been taken over by Comunn Eachdraidh Nis, the Ness Historical Society as a museum.[8]

Community

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Scottish Gaelic is the language of the community with 75% being able to speak it.[citation needed] Peat cut from the moor, is used as a fuel for cooking and heating in many homes, but its use is on the decline. The 2001 Census results show a resident population of just under 1,000. In 1831 Ness had a population of just over 3,000.

Traditions

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Each year 10 men from Ness go out to the island of Sula Sgeir in late August to September for a fortnight to harvest around 2,000 young gannets known locally as Guga.[9][10] The Guga hunt is a Ness tradition and the bird considered a delicacy.[10] The practice was described at length as part of the story in the The Blackhouse novel by Scottish writer Peter May, much of which is set in Ness.[11]

Ness is known for its Sgoth, a type of clinker built skiff with a dipping lug sail. The boats were used for line fishing until the early half of the twentieth century.[12] There are several still in active use owned by community trusts which maintain them.[13][14]

Transport

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Ness is accessible via the A857 road[15] and is about 25 mi (40 km) by road from Stornoway. Ness can also be reached by walking across the moor from North Tolsta in Back to Skigersta. It is about 10 mi (16 km) and takes 6 hours at a leisurely pace.

Landmarks

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The main settlement at Ness in 2017

Landmarks include the 13th-century Teampull Mholuaidh in Eoropie and the small island of Dùn Èistean which is the ancestral home of the Lewis Morrisons of the Clan Morrison. There is a road sign to the bridge across to Dùn Èistean, and archaeological excavations have been taking place there. Morrisons of Harris and Lewis can traditionally be found around Nis, and in the north-west Highlands in the county of Sutherland around the town of Durness (Scottish Gaelic: Diùranais).

There is a Ness Fishery Memorial above the harbour at Port of Ness that honours the local fisherman who have died as a result of sinkings and drownings.[4] The memorial was unveiled in 2014 at the instigation of local veteran boat-builder John Murdo Macleod.[4]

Education

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Lionel School is the only remaining school providing for Ness. The school roll is 116.

Sport

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Football is the main sport with Ness FC playing their home matches on Fivepenny Machair. 'Spors Nis' is a new (2007) Community Sports Centre with all the modern facilities you would expect including a two lane 10 pin bowling alley. Lionel School also has a swimming pool which is open to the public when not in use by the school.

Notable People

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References

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  1. ^ Entry "nes", on page 312 in: Geir T. Zoëga (1910). "A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic" - archive.org
  2. ^ "Britain's earliest gun flints found on tiny island". BBC News. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Great Drowning of Ness 150 years ago remembered". BBC News. 18 December 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Ness Fishery Memorial". Hebrides News. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  5. ^ "The Iolaire Disaster". Ness Historical Society. Archived from the original on 22 January 2003. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
  6. ^ "Ness Historical Society". Outer Hebrides Heritage Services. 20 February 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  7. ^ "Islanders in huge estate buy-out". BBC News Online. 12 January 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2007.
  8. ^ Murray, Donald S (15 March 2019). "Country diary: a remote island, but still full of noises". the Guardian. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  9. ^ "The Guga Hunters of Ness: creating the programme". BBC. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  10. ^ a b Murray, Donald S. (2015). The Guga Hunters. La Vergne: Birlinn. ISBN 978-0-85790-765-3.
  11. ^ May, Peter (2011). The Blackhouse. London: Quercus Books. ISBN 978-1-84916-386-6.
  12. ^ "Jubilee - Last of the sgoth Niseach". Ness Historical Society. Archived from the original on 29 May 2007. Retrieved 22 October 2006.
  13. ^ "An Sulaire Trust Ltd". An Sulaire Trust Ltd. Archived from the original on 8 April 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
  14. ^ "Falmadair". North Lewis Maritime Society. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
  15. ^ "A857". Sabre. Retrieved 21 December 2014.

Further reading

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  • Nis Aosmhor: The photographs of Dan Morrison, edited by Finlay Macleod, October 1997, Acair Ltd, ISBN 0-86152-113-7
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