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Journal account of a trip to the Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis including archaeological notes, January 1866

 Item
Identifier: Coll-97/CW114/4

Scope and Contents

Journal account of a trip to the Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis including a description of the standing stones at Callanish [Calanais], telling how local people call them 'Na Tursachain' and 'na Fir bhreige' adding 'They make out that they cannot be counted'. He also describes another stone circle nearby at Gearradh na h-abhine [Gearraidh na h-Aibhne/Garynahine] as 'a circle within a circle' and names some of the island's other stone circles: Taigh nan Druiean at Grimartaidh and Gleann sagairt near Stornoway [Taigh nan Druidhean, Griomarstaidh, Gleann Sagairt and Steònabhagh]. He describes a Tormad MacLeoid [Norman MacLeod] 'who knows a good deal about these old things' as being 'a poet and a man of excellent memory' but does not note where this man is from. He describes the attitude towards the Free and the Established Churches as heard from a Tolsta [Tolstadh bho Thuath] man including that 'The ministers in the L[ong] Island will not marry a couple till they first promise to have no dancing nor whisky - rather tyranical (sic).' The end of the notes describe Dun-more or the Dun at Callaway [Dùn Mòr, Carlabhagh/Carloway] as being 'the most perfect in these isles' until a man used some of the stones for building his own house. The rest of the notes are incomplete. In the middle of the journal account is a short note entitled 'Parrafin works' which tells of the peat used by the works but which has been deleted in pencil.

Dates

  • Creation: January 1866

Language of Materials

Gaelic English

Conditions Governing Access

This material is unrestricted.

Extent

From the Series: 88 folios ; 16.6 x 19.8 cm