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 island of Ywst (Uist). Starting in the south of this 'island', he described the division between South Uist and Benbecula where "the end heirof the sea enters, and cuts the countrey be ebbing and flowing through it". Further north of Benbecula he described North Uist as "this countrey is called Kenehnache of Ywst, that is in Englishe, the north head of Ywst".A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland Called Hybrides; Monro, Donald, 1549
Some have taken the etymology of Uist from Old Norse, meaning "west", much like Westray in Orkney. Another speculated derivation of Uist from Old Norse is , derived from meaning "an abode, dwelling, domicile".
A Gaelic etymology is also possible, with meaning "Crossings-island" or "Fords-island", derived from meaning "island" and meaning "estuary, sand-bank, passage across at ebb-tide". Place-names derived from include Fersit, and Belfast. (2003) suggests that a Gaelic derivation of Uist may be "corn island".Mac an Tàilleir (2003) p. 116 However, whilst noting that the ending would have been familiar to speakers of Old Norse as meaning "dwelling", Gammeltoft (2007) says the word is "of non-Gaelic origin" and that it reveals itself as one of a number of "foreign place-names having undergone adaptation in Old Norse".Gammeltoft, Peder "Scandinavian Naming-Systems in the Hebrides—A Way of Understanding how the Scandinavians were in Contact with Gaels and Picts?" in Ballin Smith et al (2007) p. 487 In contrast, Clancy (2018) has argued that Ívist itself is an Old Norse calque on an earlier Gaelic name, Ibuid or Ibdaig, which corresponds to Ptolemy’s Eboudai.
Geography North Uist is the tenth-largest Scottish islandList of islands of Scotland and the thirteenth-largest island surrounding Great Britain.List of European islands by area It has an area of , slightly smaller than South Uist. North Uist is connected by causeways to Benbecula via Grimsay, to Berneray, and to Baleshare. With the exception of the south east, the island is very flat, and covered with a patchwork of peat bogs, low hills and lochans, with more than half the land being covered by water. Some of the lochs contain a mixture of fresh and tidal salt water, giving rise to some complex and unusual habitats. Loch Sgadabhagh, about which it has been said "there is probably no other loch in Britain which approaches Loch Scadavay in irregularity and complexity of outline", is the largest loch by area on North Uist although Loch Obisary has about twice the volume of water.Murray and Pullar (1908) "Lochs of North Uist" Pages 188–89, Volume II, Part II. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 20 December 2009. The northern part of the island is part of the South Lewis, Harris and North Uist National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland."National Scenic Areas" . SNH. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
Geology In common with the rest of the Western Isles, North Uist is formed from the oldest rocks in Britain, the Lewisian gneiss which dates from the Archaean eon. A zone running west from Lochmaddy to Baleshare has abundant metasediments and metavolcanics. The direction of inclination of layered textures or foliation in this metamorphic rock is typically to the north but varies widely across the island. Pockets of metabasic rocks equivalent to the Scourie dyke suite are developed in certain areas, particularly in the north. Banded metabasic rocks and Archaean granites are found in the northwest around Loch Phaibeil. A band of pseudotachylyte curves north the northwest through the centre of the island. The island is traversed by numerous normal faults many of which run broadly NW-SE though ranging from E-W to NNW-SSE. Loch Eport is developed along one such fault. The Outer Hebrides Thrust Zone runs along the eastern coast of the island and brings distinctive gneisses which form the rough hilly terrain along that coast. More recent geological deposits include blown sand along the northern and western coasts and peat inland.
History
Prehistory
A number of standing stones from the Neolithic period are scattered throughout the island, including a stone circle at Pobull Fhinn. In addition to these, a large burial cairn, in almost pristine condition, is located at Barpa Langass. The island remained inhabited for at least part of the Bronze Age; a burial from this period was found on the Udal peninsula (near Sollas). For the Iron Age, in addition to the wheelhouses typical of the Outer Hebrides, the remains of a broch(fort), from the late Iron Age, can be found at Dun an Sticir; there was formerly another broch near Scolpaig, but it was replaced by Scolpaig Tower in the 19th century.
Kingdom of the Isles
In the 9th century Viking settlers established the Kingdom of the Isles throughout the Hebrides. Following Norwegian unification, the Kingdom of the Isles became a crown dependency of the Norwegian king; to the Norwegians it was the Suðreyjar (meaning "southern isles").
In the mid-12th century, Somerled, a Norse-Gael of uncertain origin, launched a coup, which made the Suðreyjar effectively independent. Following his death, Norwegian authority was nominally restored, but in practice, the kingdom was divided between Somerled's heirs (Clann Somhairle), and the dynasty that Somerled had deposed (the Crovan dynasty). The MacRory, a branch of Somerled's heirs, ruled Uist, as well as Barra, Eigg, Rùm, the Rough Bounds, Bute, Arran, and northern Jura.Kingship and Unity, Scotland 1000-1306, G. W. S. Barrow, Edinburgh University Press, 1981Galloglas: Hebridean and West Highland Mercenary Warrior Kindreds in Medieval Ireland, John Marsden, 2003Lismore: The Great Garden, Robert Hay, 2009, Birlinn LtdProceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 90 (1956–1957), A.A.M. Duncan, A.L Brown, pages 204–205The Kingdom of the Isles: Scotland's Western Seaboard, R. A. McDonald, 1997, Tuckwell Press
In the 13th century Scottish forces attempted to conquer parts of Suðreyjar, culminating in the indecisive Battle of Largs. In 1266, the matter was settled by the Treaty of Perth, which transferred the whole of Suðreyjar to Scotland, in exchange for the sum of 4000 marks.
Lordship of Garmoran
At the turn of the century, William I had created the position of Sheriff of Inverness, to be responsible for the Scottish highlands, which theoretically now extended to Garmoran.Dickinson W.C., The Sheriff Court Book of Fife, Scottish History Society, Third Series, Vol. XII (Edinburgh 1928), pp. 357-360The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007–2017), 15 July 1476 In 1293, however, King John Balliol established the Sheriffdom of Skye, which included the Outer Hebrides. Nevertheless, following his usurpation, the Skye sheriffdom ceased to be mentioned and the Garmoran lordship (including Uist) was confirmed to Ruaidhrí Mac Ruaidhrí. In 1343, King David II issued a further charter for this to Ruaidhrí's son.Regesta Regum Scottorum VI ed. Bruce Webster (Edinburgh 1982) no. 73.
In 1346, just three years later, the sole surviving MacRory heir was Amy of Garmoran. The southern parts of the Kingdom of the Isles had become the Lordship of the Isles, ruled by the MacDonalds (another group of Somerled's descendants). Amy married the MacDonald chief, John of Islay, but a decade later he divorced her. As part of the divorce, John deprived his eldest son, Ranald, of the ability to inherit the Lordship of the Isles, in favour of a son by his new wife. As compensation, John granted Lordship of the Uists to Ranald's younger brother Godfrey.
Godfrey had a younger brother, Murdoch, whose heirs, the Siol Murdoch, now claimed to own part of North Uist. This led to a great deal of violent conflict involving Godfrey's family (the Siol Gorrie) and those of his brothers.Townsend, Mike. (2015). Walking on Uist and Barra. pp. 76 - 77.
In 1427, frustrated with the level of violence generally in the Highlands, King James I demanded that highland magnates should attend a meeting at Inverness. On arrival, many of the leaders were seized and imprisoned. Alexander MacGorrie, son of Godfrey, was considered to be one of the two most reprehensible, and after a quick show trial, was immediately executed., p. 65
Early Lairds
In 1469 James III granted Lairdship of Garmoran, including North Uist, to John of Ross, the Lord of the Isles. In turn, John passed it to his own half-brother, Hugh of Sleat. Hugh died a few years later, and in 1505 his eldest son, John, granted North Uist (and Sleat) to Ranald Bane, the Captain of Clanranald. However, Hugh's second son, Donald Gallach, opposed Clan Ranald and established his own de facto control of North Uist and Sleat. In the following year (1506), Donald was stabbed to death by his own younger brother – Black Archibald. The king authorised Ranald Bane to retake the lands by force.Angus & Archibald Macdonald. The Clan Donald volume 3: Inverness, The Northern Counties Publishing Company Ltd, 1900.
Three years later Black Archibald returned. He managed to ingratiate himself with James IV, by capturing and handing over two pirates and in 1511, the king pardoned him for his crimes, and confirmed his possession of Sleat and North Uist.
At some point before 1520, Black Archibald was murdered by Donald Gallach's son. Consequently, in 1520, James IV issued a charter awarding lairdship of Sleat and North Uist to Alasdair Crotach MacLeod the leader of the Sìol Tormoid, who possessed neighbouring lands.
After the deaths of Alastair Crotach and his son William in quick succession Alastair's heir was his young granddaughter, Mary MacLeod. Donald Gormson, a descendant of Donald Gallach, took the opportunity to seize Sleat and North Uist. In 1554, Mary of Guise was appointed regent and issued a "commission of fire and sword" against Gormson, who managed to successfully resist. By 1565, the tables turned when he took the queen's side during the Chaseabout Raid and was consequently back in royal favour.
Donald Gorm Mor, Donald Gormson's grandson, was granted a charter in 1596 which acknowledged him as rightful heir of Hugh of Sleat, and confirmed him as laird of Sleat and North Uist. In an attempt to solidify peaceful relations with the Siol Tormoid, Donald Gorm Mor married the daughter of their leader, Rory Mor. Unfortunately, the marriage failed catastrophically, leading to the Battle of Carinish in North Uist, the last battle in Scotland that involved bows and arrows. It led to the Battle of Coire Na Creiche, where Donald Gorm Mor won a more decisive victory, at which point the privy council intervened, and imposed a lasting peace. Donald was succeeded by his nephew, Donald Gorm Og whose loyalty to the king resulted in him being made the first Baronet of Sleat.
18th Century
A century later, Sir Donald MacDonald, the 4th Baronet of Sleat, supported the Jacobite rising of 1715, but fell ill and was forced to flee to North Uist.Clan Donald, Donald J MacDonald, MacDonald Publishers (of Loanhead, Midlothian), 1978, p.426 When the Papists Act was passed the following year, requiring his attendance at Inverlochy, he argued that he was too ill to travel. Under the terms of the act, this made him a recusant, and his lairdships were accordingly forfeited, under the terms of the Forfeited Estates Act of the previous year.
On his succession in 1723, the 7th baronet arranged for a middleman to buy back Sleat and North Uist from the Commissioners for £21,000 and pass them on to him. In 1727, he was granted a royal charter formally acknowledging his position as laird of the Sleat and North Uist.