Canna (; gd, Canaigh; Eilean Chanaigh; sco, Canna) is the westernmost of the
Small Isles
The Small Isles ('' gd, Na h-Eileanan Tarsainn'') are a small archipelago of islands in the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland. They lie south of Skye and north of Mull and Ardnamurchan – the most westerly point of mainla ...
archipelago, in the
Scottish Inner Hebrides
The Inner Hebrides (; Scottish Gaelic: ''Na h-Eileanan a-staigh'', "the inner isles") is an archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland, to the south east of the Outer Hebrides. Together these two island chains form the Hebrides, whic ...
. It is linked to the neighbouring island of
Sanday by a road and sandbanks at
low tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another.
Tide tables can ...
. The island is long and wide. The isolated
skerries
A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation.
Skerry, skerries, or The Skerries may also refer to:
Geography
Northern Ireland
* Skerries, County Armagh, a townland in County Armagh
* Skerry, County Antrim, a ...
of
Hyskeir
Hyskeir ( gd, Òigh-sgeir) or Heyskeir is a low-lying rocky islet (a skerry) in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland. The Hyskeir Lighthouse marks the southern entrance to the Minch.
Geography
Hyskeir lies in the southern entrance to the Minch, 10 kilo ...
and Humla lie south-west of the island.
The islands were left to the
National Trust for Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland ( gd, Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba), is a Scottish conservation organisation. It is the largest membership organ ...
(NTS) by their previous owners, the Gaelic folklorists and scholars
John Lorne Campbell
Dr John Lorne Campbell FRSE LLD OBE ( gd, Iain Latharna Caimbeul) (1906–1996) was a Scottish historian, farmer, environmentalist and folklorist, and recognized scholar of Scottish Gaelic literature.
Early life
According to his biographer, Ray ...
and
Margaret Fay Shaw
Margaret Fay Shaw (9 November 1903 – 11 December 2004) was a pioneering Scottish-American ethnomusicologist, photographer, and folklorist. She is best known for her work among Scottish Gaelic-speakers in the Hebrides and among Canadian Gaelic ...
in 1981, and are run as a farm and conservation area. Canna House, one of two big houses on the island (the other being Tighard), contains John Campbell's important archives of Gaelic materials that were donated with the islands to the nation.
Since then the NTS has engaged in new initiatives to attract new residents and visitors to Canna. However, these initiatives have enjoyed only limited success (see 'Call for families for Canna' below), and in December 2017 it was announced that the NTS would be devolving to the island community the responsibility for attracting and retaining new residents on the island.
Facilities
There are some 20 buildings on Canna and Sanday, including three churches, one of which has been
deconsecrated
Deconsecration, also called secularization, is the act of removing a religious blessing from something that had been previously consecrated by a minister or priest of that religion. The practice is usually performed on churches or synagogues to b ...
(see below). There is also a post office which was converted from a garden shed. The Canna tea room, which closed in 2008, reopened in 2010 as the Gille Brighde Cafe and Restaurant. This restaurant closed in 2013 but has since re-opened again as Cafe Canna. A new resident manager for the island was appointed in 2010. The island is isolated and in the past inhabitants have had to buy all their provisions from the mainland, but it now has a small unstaffed shop operated on an 'honesty' basis. There is a
telephone link, a
red telephone box
The red telephone box, a telephone kiosk for a public telephone designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, is a familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom, Malta, Bermuda and Gibraltar.
Despite a reduction in their numbers in recent years, ...
and
broadband internet access
Internet access is the ability of individuals and organizations to connect to the Internet using computer terminals, computers, and other devices; and to access services such as email and the World Wide Web. Internet access is sold by Internet ...
, although there is no
mobile phone
A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link whil ...
coverage. Electricity is provided by a diesel generator, at mainland voltage and frequency, and there is a private water supply.
In 2010 a proposal to establish a fish farm off Canna was defeated in a residents' ballot, even though it would have created a number of new jobs.
The island has a very low crime rate, but a mainland-based police officer visits the island twice a year, mainly to inspect gun licences. A doctor based on the neighbouring island of
Skye
The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye (; gd, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach or ; sco, Isle o Skye), is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated b ...
is available for house calls once a month. The roads on Canna are not
metalled
A road surface (British English), or pavement (American English), is the durable surface material laid down on an area intended to sustain vehicular or foot traffic, such as a road or walkway. In the past, gravel road surfaces, hoggin, cobble ...
and are privately owned; local vehicles therefore do not require
road tax
Road tax, known by various names around the world, is a tax which has to be paid on, or included with, a motorised vehicle to use it on a public road.
National implementations Australia
All states and territories require an annual vehicle registra ...
. The previous footbridge to Sanday was destroyed by storms during 2005, and has recently been replaced by a road bridge. This allows vehicular access at all tide levels for the first time, although the road on Sanday is still covered by high tides.
["The Internet Guide to Scotland: Canna"]
scotland-inverness.co.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2008.["Westword"]
road-to-the-isles.org.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2008. However, in 2017 an appeal was launched to raise funds for the reconstruction of the road on Sanday so that it is also available at high tide.
Geology
In contrast to neighbouring
Rùm
Rùm (), a Scottish Gaelic name often anglicised to Rum (), is one of the Small Isles of the Inner Hebrides, in the district of Lochaber, Scotland. For much of the 20th century the name became Rhum, a spelling invented by the former owner, Sir ...
, the geology of Canna is very much a layered sequence of
basalt
Basalt (; ) is an aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the planetary surface, surface of a terrestrial ...
lava flows of
Palaeocene
The Paleocene, ( ) or Palaeocene, is a geological epoch that lasted from about 66 to 56 million years ago (mya). It is the first epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name is a combination of the Ancient Greek ''palai ...
age, all ascribed to the Canna Lava Formation. Many are of
hawaiitic composition. Within the lower half of the succession there are also coarse
conglomerates deposited by rivers
The island is traversed by numerous
normal fault
In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock across which there has been significant displacement as a result of rock-mass movements. Large faults within Earth's crust result from the action of plate tectonic ...
s most of which run broadly north–south. Basalt
dykes ascribed to the North Britain Palaeogene Dyke Suite are seen in the east of the island.
Quaternary
The Quaternary ( ) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). It follows the Neogene Period and spans from 2.58 million years ...
deposits include glacial
till
image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...
of limited extent around Tarbert and
scree
Scree is a collection of broken rock fragments at the base of a cliff or other steep rocky mass that has accumulated through periodic rockfall. Landforms associated with these materials are often called talus deposits. Talus deposits typically ha ...
s which are found beneath various of the small basalt cliffs.
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological Epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fina ...
and
Holocene
The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togethe ...
raised beach
A raised beach, coastal terrace,Pinter, N (2010): 'Coastal Terraces, Sealevel, and Active Tectonics' (educational exercise), from 2/04/2011/ref> or perched coastline is a relatively flat, horizontal or gently inclined surface of marine origin,P ...
deposits are frequent around Canna's coastline, some being late glacial and others post-glacial in age.
Wildlife
Canna is renowned for its wildlife, including
sea eagle
A sea eagle or fish eagle (also called erne or ern, mostly in reference to the white-tailed eagle) is any of the birds of prey in the genus ''Haliaeetus'' in the bird of prey family Accipitridae.
Taxonomy and evolution
The genus ''Haliaeetus'' ...
s,
golden eagle
The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of p ...
s and
puffins
Puffins are any of three species of small alcids (auks) in the bird genus ''Fratercula''. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crev ...
. Recently, peregrine falcons and merlins have also been sighted. The island is also inhabited by a number of rare butterfly species. In the nearby waters one can spot
dolphin
A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the ...
s and smaller
whale
Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals. As an informal and colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea, i.e. all cetaceans apart from dolphins and ...
s.
Canna is noted for its tiers of
basalt
Basalt (; ) is an aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the planetary surface, surface of a terrestrial ...
pillars that rise over the eastern half of the island and the
sea cliff
Seacliff or Sea Cliff or Sea Cliffe may refer to:
;Places
''Australia''
*Seacliff, South Australia, suburb of Adelaide
*Seacliff Park, South Australia, a suburb of Adelaide
*Sea Cliff Bridge, in Illawarra, New South Wales
''New Zealand''
*Seacli ...
s that dominate its northern shore. The highest point on the island is Càrn a' Ghaill (
Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...
for ''rocky hill of the storm'') at . Another point of interest is Compass Hill. Its peak is at and sits on the eastern edge of the island. It is made of volcanic rock called
tuff
Tuff is a type of rock made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during a volcanic eruption. Following ejection and deposition, the ash is lithified into a solid rock. Rock that contains greater than 75% ash is considered tuff, while rock cont ...
, and it has such a high iron content that the compass of nearby ships are distorted, pointing to the hill rather than north.
History
Prehistory
![Punishment Stone, A'Chill - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Punishment_Stone%2C_A%27Chill_-_geograph.org.uk_-_902260.jpg)
Canna is littered with numerous pottery sherds evidencing the island's occupation in the
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
era, along with a small number of mysterious cellars dug into the ground. A distinctively shaped
standing stone
A menhir (from Brittonic languages: ''maen'' or ''men'', "stone" and ''hir'' or ''hîr'', "long"), standing stone, orthostat, or lith is a large human-made upright rock (geology), stone, typically dating from the European middle Bronze Age. T ...
is found at
Keill, around which a local legend has grown: according to the legend, when people on Canna were badly behaved, they would be punished by having their thumb jammed into a particular hole in the stone, at about 6'4" above ground level (hence the stone's name - the ''punishment stone'').
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
remains are some of the most extensive in the North-Western Highlands, particularly at the western end of the island; these include fragments of huts arranged in circles, and ancient field walls, as well as pottery artefacts from the
Beaker Culture
The Bell Beaker culture, also known as the Bell Beaker complex or Bell Beaker phenomenon, is an archaeological culture named after the Inverted bell, inverted-bell beaker (archaeology), beaker drinking vessel used at the very beginning of the E ...
. In the
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
a
hillfort
A hillfort is a type of earthwork used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze Age or Iron Age. Some were used in the post-Roma ...
- Dun Channa - was constructed at the far western edge of Canna; another was probably constructed at the eastern edge, at
Coroghon, in the same period.
Early Christian period
In the 6th century, when the Irish missionary
Columba
Columba or Colmcille; gd, Calum Cille; gv, Colum Keeilley; non, Kolban or at least partly reinterpreted as (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is toda ...
first sailed to
Iona
Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there ...
, he first arrived at the island of ''
Hinba
Hinba is an island in Scotland of uncertain location that was the site of a small monastery associated with the Columban church on Iona. Although a number of details are known about the monastery and its early superiors, and various anecdotes da ...
'', which he later treated to as a place of contemplative retreat. The extensive early Christian sculptures and structures on Canna, and its traditional association with Iona, have made many consider it to be the otherwise unidentified ''Hinba''.
["Ernan"]
Catholic Encyclopedia
The ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'' (also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedia'') i ...
. Retrieved 9 December 2007. However,
Adomnán
Adomnán or Adamnán of Iona (, la, Adamnanus, Adomnanus; 624 – 704), also known as Eunan ( ; from ), was an abbot of Iona Abbey ( 679–704), hagiographer, statesman, canon jurist, and saint. He was the author of the ''Life of Co ...
(the chronicler of the life of Columba) noted that
Brendan the Navigator
Brendan of Clonfert (c. AD 484 - c.577), is one of the early Celtic Christianity, Irish monastic saints and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. He is also referred to as Brendan the Navigator, Brendan the Voyager, Brendan the Anchorite, Br ...
stopped at ''Hinba'' while travelling from Ireland to Iona; Canna is a most unlikely landfall on such a journey as it is well beyond the destination.
![Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Volume 31, p301](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Proceedings_of_the_Society_of_Antiquaries_of_Scotland%2C_Volume_31%2C_p301.png)
At Keill are two large richly decorated Celtic crosses, dating from the 8th to 9th centuries,
which are thought to attest to the presence of a monastery. A
cursing stone, was located at the site;
a device normally associated with Ireland, this only the second cursing stone ever to be found in Scotland.
![Ruins of the nunnery](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Ruins_of_the_nunnery.jpg)
On the south coast of the island are the remains of a small, isolated,
cashel-like building, which would have been difficult to supply with provisions, except by sea. In Gaelic the site is known as ''Sgorr nam Ban-naomha'', meaning "''grassy slope of the holy women''"; in the 19th century, local people believed it had once been a
nunnery
A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican C ...
, but it is now thought to have been a
hermit
A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions.
Description
In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...
age, associated with the monastery at Keill. The enclosure contains three carved stones, bearing crosses, and was once believed to have had a healing spring.
Norse rule
Following raids by the Vikings in the 9th century, the Hebrides became part of the
Kingdom of the Isles
The Kingdom of the Isles consisted of the Isle of Man, the Hebrides and the islands of the Firth of Clyde from the 9th to the 13th centuries AD. The islands were known to the Norse as the , or "Southern Isles" as distinct from the or Nort ...
, a
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
crown dependency also known as ''Suðreyjar'' (the ''Southern Isles'').
Written records are few, but the Viking occupation of Canna is evident from place names such as the element ''sgor'', ''gearaid'' (enclosure), ''tota'' (homestead) and Sanday ("sand island") (though the name "Canna" itself may pre-date the Norse period).
![King of Norway’s Grave, Canna](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/King_of_Norway%E2%80%99s_Grave%2C_Canna.jpg)
A number of large oblong arrangements of kerb-stones throughout the island are thought to possibly indicate Viking ship burials, based on the evidence of similar structures on the
Isle of Arran
The Isle of Arran (; sco, Isle o Arran; gd, Eilean Arainn) or simply Arran is an island off the west coast of Scotland. It is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde and the seventh-largest Scottish island, at . Historically part of Butesh ...
(which was also part of Suðreyjar). The largest is located at Rubha Langan-innis on the north coast, and known in Gaelic as ''Uaigh Righ Lochlainn'' (meaning "''The grave of the King of Norway''"); this is a narrow rectangular structure approximately long by wide on a grassy promontory below the cliffs.
Later accounts imply that the monastery at Keill had been a centre of the
Culdees
The Culdees ( ga, Céilí Dé, "Spouses of God") were members of ascetic Christian monastic and eremitical communities of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England in the Middle Ages. Appearing first in Ireland and subsequently in Scotland, atta ...
while under Norwegian dominion. In the late 12th century, practical authority in Suðreyjar became split between a number of closely related magnates. In 1203,
Ranald, the magnate ruling the portion that contained Iona, invited the
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
s to establish a new Abbey at Iona; that same year, a
papal bull was issued, listing the Island of Canna among the new Abbey's possessions.
[Rixson (2001) pp. 29-31] It is likely that the previous Abbey of Iona had had some authority over Canna, perhaps even stretching before the Viking era,
but the fact that Norse rulers had not always been Christian may have disrupted Iona's authority, and Iona itself may have been deserted by the time Ranald requested a new Abbey.
Church rule under the Scottish king
![Iorcail - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Iorcail_-_geograph.org.uk_-_761496.jpg)
In 1266, the
Treaty of Perth
The Treaty of Perth, signed 2 July 1266, ended military conflict between Magnus VI of Norway and Alexander III of Scotland over possession of the Hebrides and the Isle of Man. The text of the treaty.
The Hebrides and the Isle of Man had become ...
transferred Suðreyjar to the Scottish king, as a set of crown dependencies - rather than merging it into Scotland itself. Geographically, Canna lay within the portion of the former Suðreyjar which had become the
MacRory realm of ''
Garmoran
Garmoran is an area of western Scotland. It lies at the south-western edge of the present Highland Region. It includes Knoydart, Morar, Moidart, Ardnamurchan, and the Small Isles.
History
The medieval lordship of Garmoran was ruled by the MacRuar ...
'' (stretching from
Uist
"Uist" is a group of six islands and are part of the Outer Hebridean Archipelago, part of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.
North Uist and South Uist ( or ; gd, Uibhist ) are two of the islands and are linked by causeways running via the isles ...
to the
Rough Bounds
The Rough Bounds ( gd, Na Garbh Chriochan), in the Scottish Highlands, is the area of West Inverness-shire bounded by Loch Hourn, Loch Shiel, and Loch Moidart, consisting of the districts of Knoydart, North Morar, Arisaig and Moidart. The area is f ...
), but documents relating to Garmoran do treat Canna as part of it, suggesting the island was still under the Abbot's control. The Abbot of Iona thus ruled Canna with
considerable power. Nevertheless, at the turn of the century,
William I
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087 ...
had created the position of
Sheriff of Inverness
The Sheriff of Inverness was historically the office responsible for enforcing law and order and bringing criminals to justice in Inverness, Scotland. Prior to 1748 most sheriffdoms were held on a hereditary basis. From that date, following the J ...
, to be responsible for the Scottish highlands, which theoretically now extended to Canna.
During the 1420s, feuding within other fragments of Suðreyjar appears to have spilled onto Canna. The Abbot, Dominicus, obtained papal authority to ban all nobility from setting foot on the island, but this wasn't respected, and Canna had to be temporarily abandoned. In 1428, the Abbot wrote to the Pope requesting that he pronounce a general
excommunication
Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The purpose ...
against anyone who harmed one of Canna's inhabitants, or damaged their property, claiming:
"''by reason of wars and other calamities in the past divers homicides, depredations and other ills were perpetrated, so that some strong men of the familiars of the Abbot and convent were slain by pirates and sea rovers, and divers farmers and inhabitants of the island were afraid to reside there''".
The Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
was rapidly encroaching, however, and after 1498 Iona was transferred to
Commendator
In canon law, commendam (or ''in commendam'') was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice ''in trust'' to the ''custody'' of a patron. The phrase ''in commendam'' was originally applied to the provisional occupation of an ecclesiastical ...
s, rather than Abbots. Canna became a possession of the
Bishop of the Isles
The Bishop of the Isles or Bishop of Sodor was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of the Isles (or Sodor), one of Scotland's thirteen medieval bishoprics. The bishopric, encompassing both the Hebrides and Mann, probably traces its origins as ...
(also known as the ''Bishop of Sodor''; ''Sodor'' is the traditional anglicisation of ''Suðreyjar''). In 1548, the ''Dean of the Isles'',
Donald Monro, conducted a survey of the Bishop's lands and churches, reporting that the island was a: "faire maine land, foure myle lange, inhabit and manurit, with paroche kirke in it, guid for corne, fishing and grassing, with a falcon nest in it, pertines to the Abbot of Colmkill",
In 1561, the Bishop agreed to rent the island to the leader of
Clan Ranald. a branch of the
MacDonalds. In 1588, some of the remains of the
Spanish Armada
The Spanish Armada (a.k.a. the Enterprise of England, es, Grande y Felicísima Armada, links=no, lit=Great and Most Fortunate Navy) was a Spanish fleet that sailed from Lisbon in late May 1588, commanded by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, an aris ...
found refuge with the
MacLeans of Duart, who had a longstanding feud with the MacDonalds (concerning the
Rhinns of Islay).
Lachlan - the MacLean leader - demanded that the Spanish supply him with 100 soldiers, as the price of their refuge, which he used to launch an attack against the Small Isles, in pursuance of the feud; Canna "''burned with fire''". Lachlan was imprisoned in Edinburgh by
the king for this, but he escaped, and faced no further punishment.
Argyll
![An Coroghon - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/An_Coroghon_-_geograph.org.uk_-_728904.jpg)
By the early 17th century, the Bishopric of the Isles was held by presbyterians, for whom the office of ''Bishop'' had a questionable status. In 1626,
Thomas Knox, the Bishop, appears to have replaced Clan Ranald (who relunctantly accepted the reformation) as his tenants, with the
MacLeods of
Raasay
Raasay (; gd, Ratharsair) or the Isle of Raasay is an island between the Isle of Skye and the mainland of Scotland. It is separated from Skye by the Sound of Raasay and from Applecross by the Inner Sound. It is famous for being the birt ...
(active supporters of the reformation). At the end of his life, in 1627, Thomas Knox sold Canna to
the Earl of Argyll, one of the most powerful
Covenanter
Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...
s. Under pressure from the Earl, shrieval authority transferred from Inverness to the
sheriff of Argyll
The Sheriff of Argyll was historically a royal officer charged with enforcing the king's rights in Argyll; in Scotland, the concept of ''sheriff'' gradually evolved into a judicial position.
Originally, the region of Argyll was served by the sheri ...
, which was under the control of the Earl's family.
In 1641, following
the outbreak of civil war, king
Charles I Charles I may refer to:
Kings and emperors
* Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings
* Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily
* Charles I of ...
promised to give Canna to the
Baronet of Sleat, since the Earl of Argyll's treason (as one of the king's main opponents) would make Canna forfeit; the king's subsequent defeat made this promise moot. In 1654, the war having ended, the Earl of Argyll leased Canna back to Clan Ranald. In the following year, Donald MacDonald, the son of the Clan Ranald leader, married the Baronet's daughter, Janet, quelling any potential dispute over the island.
![Canna Coroghon Castle (lhoon) 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Canna_Coroghon_Castle_%28lhoon%29_2.jpg)
In 1666, following Janet's death, Donald married Marion
MacLeod
MacLeod, McLeod and Macleod ( ) which cited: are surnames in the English language.
Generally, the names are considered to be Anglicised forms of the Scottish Gaelic ', meaning "son of '".
One of the earliest occurrences of the surname is of Gi ...
of
Harris
Harris may refer to:
Places Canada
* Harris, Ontario
* Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine)
* Harris, Saskatchewan
* Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan
Scotland
* Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle o ...
, but by 1680 he was seeking a divorce, accusing her of adultery. At some point in the late 17th century, a small prison (now called "''Coroghon Castle''") was constructed on the side of an isolated stack at Coroghon; it was described by
Thomas Pennant
Thomas Pennant (14 June Old Style, OS 172616 December 1798) was a Welsh natural history, naturalist, traveller, writer and antiquarian. He was born and lived his whole life at his family estate, Downing Hall near Whitford, Flintshire, in Wales ...
in 1772 as "a lofty slender rock, that juts into the sea: on one side is a little tower, at a vast height above us, accessible by a narrow and horrible path: it seems so small as scarce to be able to contain half a dozen people. Tradition says, that it was built by some jealous ''regulus'', to confine a handsome wife in".
[Rixson (2001) p. 5]
Donald had succeeded to the leadership of Clan Ranald in 1670, and in 1672 was give a new charter of
Laird
Laird () is the owner of a large, long-established Scottish estate. In the traditional Scottish order of precedence, a laird ranked below a baron and above a gentleman. This rank was held only by those lairds holding official recognition in ...
ship for Canna by the
new Earl of Argyll. A decade later,
Argyll's Rising
Argyll's Rising, also known as Argyll's Rebellion, was an attempt in June 1685 to overthrow James II and VII. Led by Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll, the rising was intended to tie down Royal forces in Scotland while a simultaneous rebel ...
caused the Earl's feudal authority to be forfeit, making Clan Ranald direct vassals of the king. In 1686, Donald died, and was buried on Canna.
The Bard
![Highland cattle on Canna](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Highland_cattle_on_Canna.jpg)
Clan Ranald tenants on Canna joined the
Jacobite rebellions
of 1715 and
of 1745, and as a consequence were not looked upon favourably by the king's forces.
According to
The Clan Ranald Bard, on 3 April 1746, the Royal Navy ship ''Baltimore'' arrived, and demanded (under threat of force) to be given the meat from the best cattle on the Island; 4 days later, complaining that the meat was rotten, the sailors threw it away, and slaughtered 60 cattle themselves.
Robert Forbes Robert Forbes may refer to:
*Robert Forbes (American football) (1886–1947), American football player and coach
*Robert Forbes (bishop) (1708–1775), Scottish Episcopal bishop of Ross and Caithness
*Robert Bennet Forbes
Captain Robert Bennet F ...
, ''Lyon in Mourning'', Volume 3, 1895[Banks (1977) pp. 63-64] The Bard goes on to say that 12 days later, the Royal Navy ship ''Commodore'' arrived, and after receiving warning (from one of the sailors) about the lecherous intentions of the sailors, the women of Canna fled into the countryside and caves, until they were certain that the ship had departed;
one pregnant woman miscarried from spending so long in the cold, and died.
The Bard himself served as the laird's representative in Canna (the ''
Bailie
A bailie or baillie is a civic officer in the local government of Scotland. The position arose in the burghs, where bailies formerly held a post similar to that of an alderman or magistrate (see bailiff). Baillies appointed the high constables i ...
'') between 1749 and 1751, at which point he published the first ever book of
Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...
poetry. He reports of his predecessor that
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
John Campbell, grandson of the former Earl of Argyll, arrived at Canna after returning from chasing
Bonnie Prince Charlie
Bonnie, is a Scottish given name and is sometimes used as a descriptive reference, as in the Scottish folk song, My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean. It comes from the Scots language word "bonnie" (pretty, attractive), or the French bonne (good). That ...
; Campbell seized the Bailie of Canna, and took him prisoner to
Kerrera
Kerrera (; gd, Cearara or ''Cearrara'') is an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, close to the town of Oban. In 2016 it had a population of 45, divided into two communities in the north and south of the island.
Geology
The oldest bedrock ...
, but returned with him to Canna, slaughtered 40 cows, then took him to London.
In London, the Bailie was held prisoner, for having taken part in the rebellion, until the
Indemnity Act was passed in 1747;
for his troubles, Campbell was made a
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
.
Dispersion
![Sandy beach by Sanday roadbridge - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Sandy_beach_by_Sanday_roadbridge_-_geograph.org.uk_-_304179.jpg)
At the end of the 18th century,
kelp
Kelps are large brown algae seaweeds that make up the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera. Despite its appearance, kelp is not a plant - it is a heterokont, a completely unrelated group of organisms.
Kelp grows in "underwat ...
harvesting became a major industry on Canna, as a result of the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
limiting foreign supplies of certain minerals. However, when the wars ended, foreign supplies became available again, and the kelp price duly collapsed, causing a recession; in 1821, several of the inhabitants of Canna chose to escape their poverty by emigrating to Canada. Most of the remaining inhabitants moved to
Sanday.
The Clan Ranald leader was not exactly a spendthrift, meaning that the lack of income from his tenants drove him into debt; in 1827, he sold Canna to Donald MacNeil.
Donald MacNeil and his son were no better at fixing the economic pressures, and when
the crops failed in 1847, the son resorted to
evicting the population of
Keill (which had been the main settlement), and replacing them with sheep. in 1861, Canna House was built as the MacNeil home.
Later years
![Footbridge from Canna to Sanday](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Footbridge_from_Canna_to_Sanday.jpg)
In 1881, the post-clearance population was recorded as 119 (62 of whom were on Sanday); that year, MacNeil sold the island to Robert Thom, a Glaswegian shipbuilder. Thom carried out a programme of investment, including an oak pier, a footbridge to Sanday, and a Presbyterian Church,
St Columba's (though the population remained mostly Roman Catholic). In 1889, counties were formally created in Scotland, on shrieval boundaries, by
a dedicated Local Government Act; Canna therefore became part of the new
county of Argyll
Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland.
Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
. However, the Act established a boundary review, which decided, in 1891, to move Canna to the
county of Inverness
Inverness-shire ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Nis) 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 populati ...
, where
Eigg
Eigg (; gd, Eige; sco, Eigg) is one of the Small Isles in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It lies to the south of the Isle of Skye and to the north of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Eigg is long from north to south, and east to west. With an a ...
already sat.
In 1938, Thom's family sought a sympathetic buyer, selling Canna to
John Lorne Campbell
Dr John Lorne Campbell FRSE LLD OBE ( gd, Iain Latharna Caimbeul) (1906–1996) was a Scottish historian, farmer, environmentalist and folklorist, and recognized scholar of Scottish Gaelic literature.
Early life
According to his biographer, Ray ...
, who organised the island as a farm and nature reserve, while transforming Canna House into a private archive of
Scottish Gaelic literature
Scottish Gaelic literature refers to literature composed in the Scottish Gaelic language and in the Gàidhealtachd communities where it is and has been spoken. Scottish Gaelic is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages, along with Irish ...
, history, and folklore. Campbell lived on Canna until his death in 1996, but donated the island to the
National Trust
The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...
in 1981.
In the 1970s, local government reforms abolished the County of Inverness, and moved Canna into
Highland
Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...
.
Campbell's American-born wife and fellow folksong collector
Margaret Fay Shaw
Margaret Fay Shaw (9 November 1903 – 11 December 2004) was a pioneering Scottish-American ethnomusicologist, photographer, and folklorist. She is best known for her work among Scottish Gaelic-speakers in the Hebrides and among Canadian Gaelic ...
, remained at Canna House until her own death in 2004, at the age of 101. In the following year a cull against brown rats was ordered, for they had hitherto been allowed to expand to enormous numbers, and now threatened rare
Manx shearwater
The Manx shearwater (''Puffinus puffinus'') is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx shearwaters were called Manks puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an ...
s and human health; Canna is now rat-free.
Some film footage that was recorded by Margaret Fay Shaw in the 1930s and 1940s became part of ''Solas'', a film by Canna House archivist, Fiona J Mackenzie, based on Shaw's life. It was first exhibited in spring 2019.
Stamps
A single local stamp was issued for Canna in 1958 by then-laird John Lorne Campbell. The stamp shows Compass Hill and two Manx shearwaters, a seabird found in profusion on the island. Their use is optional and all proceeds from the sale – at the island farm and post office — go to the Shipwrecked Mariners Society.
Overview of population trends
There are population records going back to the 16th century, the earliest of which combine Canna and Sanday. Following the clearances, population numbers remained fairly stable at around 20 to 30 during the second half of the 20th century, but by the time of the 2001 census had dwindled to 6 (or including Sanday, 12).
Since then new residents have settled on the island, bringing the 2009 population of Canna and Sanday to around 20 (see below).
In 2015, it was reported that the population of Canna and Sanday had fallen to 19.
Transport
![MV Lochnevis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/MV_Lochnevis.JPG)
A large natural
harbour
A harbor (American English), harbour (British English; see spelling differences), or haven is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be docked. The term ''harbor'' is often used interchangeably with ''port'', which is a ...
is formed between Canna and Sanday. The
pier
image:Brighton Pier, Brighton, East Sussex, England-2Oct2011 (1).jpg, Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century.
A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of ...
on Canna and those of the other Small Isles, was rebuilt and enlarged in 2005. This is used by the
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne ( gd, Caledonian Mac a' Bhriuthainn), usually shortened to CalMac, is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west ...
ferry,
MV ''Lochnevis'', which links Canna, and the neighbouring Small Isles of
Rùm
Rùm (), a Scottish Gaelic name often anglicised to Rum (), is one of the Small Isles of the Inner Hebrides, in the district of Lochaber, Scotland. For much of the 20th century the name became Rhum, a spelling invented by the former owner, Sir ...
,
Eigg
Eigg (; gd, Eige; sco, Eigg) is one of the Small Isles in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It lies to the south of the Isle of Skye and to the north of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Eigg is long from north to south, and east to west. With an a ...
and
Muck
Muck most often refers to:
*Muck (soil), a soil made up primarily of humus from drained swampland
Muck may also refer to:
Places Europe
* Muck, Scotland, an island
* Isle of Muck, County Antrim, a small island connected by sand spit to Portmu ...
, to the mainland port of
Mallaig
Mallaig (; gd, Malaig derived from Old Norse , meaning sand dune bay) is a port in Lochaber, on the west coast of the Highlands of Scotland. The local railway station, Mallaig, is the terminus of the West Highland railway line (Fort William ...
(2½ hours away). ''Lochnevis'' is capable of carrying motor vehicles, although NTS permission is required to land them. The harbour is sheltered. It is the only deep harbour in the Small Isles, and is very popular with west coast yachting traffic out of
Oban
Oban ( ; ' in Scottish Gaelic meaning ''The Little Bay'') is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William. During the tourist season, th ...
and
Arisaig
Arisaig ( gd, Àrasaig) is a village in Lochaber, Inverness-shire. It lies south of Mallaig on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands, within the Rough Bounds. Arisaig is also the traditional name for part of the surrounding peninsula south ...
.
Recent developments
Invasive species
Rat problem
In September 2005, it was reported that the population of
brown rat
The brown rat (''Rattus norvegicus''), also known as the common rat, street rat, sewer rat, wharf rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat, Norwegian rat and Parisian rat, is a widespread species of common rat. One of the largest muroids, it is a brown o ...
s on the island had grown to 10,000 and was causing such problems to both the human population and the birdlife, particularly the rare
Manx shearwater
The Manx shearwater (''Puffinus puffinus'') is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx shearwaters were called Manks puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an ...
s, that a complete cull would take place. Because the mice on the island are believed to be a rare and distinct
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
of
woodmouse
The wood mouse (''Apodemus sylvaticus'') is a murid rodent native to Europe and northwestern Africa. It is closely related to the yellow-necked mouse (''Apodemus flavicollis'') but differs in that it has no band of yellow fur around the neck, ha ...
,
a breeding population of mice was removed beforehand by the
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is a learned society and registered charity based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded by Thomas Haining Gillespie in 1909. In 1913, Edinburgh Town Council bought a large plot of land on Corstorphin ...
(RZSS) so that the cull could use
rodenticide
Rodenticides are chemicals made and sold for the purpose of killing rodents. While commonly referred to as "rat poison", rodenticides are also used to kill mice, squirrels, woodchucks, chipmunks, porcupines, nutria, beavers, and voles. Despi ...
. By the end of 2006 it was believed that Canna was rat-free and during that summer there was also an encouraging increase in the number of breeding
puffins
Puffins are any of three species of small alcids (auks) in the bird genus ''Fratercula''. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crev ...
and
razorbills
The razorbill, razor-billed auk, or lesser auk (''Alca torda'') is a colonial seabird and the only extant member of the genus '' Alca'' of the family Alcidae, the auks. It is the closest living relative of the extinct great auk (''Pinguinis imp ...
;
Manx shearwater
The Manx shearwater (''Puffinus puffinus'') is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx shearwaters were called Manks puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an ...
s were nesting for the first time since 1997.
Rabbit overpopulation
Within four years of the eradication of rats, a
rabbit
Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit speci ...
overpopulation problem was reported.
The pests caused damage to archaeological monuments, such as an
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
mound
A mound is a heaped pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or debris. Most commonly, mounds are earthen formations such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. A mound may be any rounded area of topographically higher el ...
and stone remains from the
Clearances, as well as the islanders' vegetable gardens.
The island's only restaurant started serving rabbit meat in
pies
A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients. Sweet pies may be filled with fruit (as in an apple pie), nuts ( pecan pie), brown sugar ( sugar pie), sweet ...
and with cranberry and pistachio.
By 2013 rabbit numbers were estimated to have risen to 16,000
and the following year
team of six menengaged in a three-month cull of them, using traps, dogs,
ferrets
The ferret (''Mustela furo'') is a small, domesticated species belonging to the family Mustelidae. The ferret is most likely a domesticated form of the wild European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), evidenced by their interfertility. Other muste ...
and guns to kill 9,000 rabbits.
Call for families for Canna
In October 2006, the NTS decided to invite two families to rent properties on the island, in an effort to attract new skills and spirit to the island community. The invitation was mainly aimed at people with "skills in building, plumbing and gardening". The call was global and over 400 responses were received, from places as varied as Germany, Sweden, India and
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
. From these, Sheila Gunn and John Clare were chosen to move to Canna during summer 2007. They were joined in early 2008 by two more incomers, Neil and Deborah Baker, from
Llannon
Llannon is a small village, community and electoral ward in the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is located on the A476 road south east of the county town, Carmarthen, between Tumble and Swiss Valley.
The community of Llannon, contains Ll ...
in the Gwendraeth Valley in
South Wales
South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...
. As a gardener, Neil Baker's job was to restore the fine but overgrown gardens of Canna House. Since then, a further cottage was restored and was expected to be occupied by newcomers in 2011. However, in June 2011 it was announced that 12 people were planning to leave the island: Clare and Gunn, the Bakers and their two children, and schoolteacher Eilidh Soe-Paing, her husband and four children. The school would close, temporarily at least, as there would no longer be any school-age children on the island.
Gaelic Study Centre
The church, which is also owned by the
National Trust for Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland ( gd, Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba), is a Scottish conservation organisation. It is the largest membership organ ...
, was restored and converted into a hostel and study centre by the
Hebridean Trust
The Hebrides (; gd, Innse Gall, ; non, Suðreyjar, "southern isles") are an archipelago off the west coast of the Scottish mainland. The islands fall into two main groups, based on their proximity to the mainland: the Inner and Outer Hebride ...
. This project was undertaken at the invitation of the owners. The centre is linked to the archive of
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...
,
literature
Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...
, and culture that was collected by
literary scholar
Literary criticism (or literary studies) is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of literature's goals and methods. T ...
and former owner of Canna and
Sanday,
John Lorne Campbell
Dr John Lorne Campbell FRSE LLD OBE ( gd, Iain Latharna Caimbeul) (1906–1996) was a Scottish historian, farmer, environmentalist and folklorist, and recognized scholar of Scottish Gaelic literature.
Early life
According to his biographer, Ray ...
. It was successfully completed and opened in 2001 by
Princess Anne
Anne, Princess Royal (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise; born 15 August 1950), is a member of the British royal family. She is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the only sister of K ...
. Subsequently, there was water ingress, which caused damage to the interior. This challenge is in the hands of the
National Trust for Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland ( gd, Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba), is a Scottish conservation organisation. It is the largest membership organ ...
.
Crime
The island enjoys a near-zero crime rate,
with only a handful of crimes recorded in the last several decades.
Restoration of Canna House
In May 2020, the NTS US Foundation reported that major renovations were underway at Canna House and its gardens; the facility was originally expected to reopen in 2021. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, however, the restoration was delayed and it was unlikely to reopen until 2022.
The National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA
/ref>
Gallery
File:Isle of Canna Panorama 2.jpg, Panorama taken from Compass Hill on Canna, overlooking Canna Bay and Sanday towards Rùm
Rùm (), a Scottish Gaelic name often anglicised to Rum (), is one of the Small Isles of the Inner Hebrides, in the district of Lochaber, Scotland. For much of the 20th century the name became Rhum, a spelling invented by the former owner, Sir ...
.
File:Approaching Canna.jpg, View from ferry approaching Canna Island
File:Compass Hill Canna.jpg, Extreme east of Canna Island with Compass Hill. In the left the stack Dùn Mòr.
File:Looking north over Garrisdale point.jpg, Looking north over Garrisdale point, western cliffs of Canna Island
File:Neolithic souterrain Canna Island.jpg, Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
souterrain
''Souterrain'' (from French ''sous terrain'', meaning "under ground") is a name given by archaeologists to a type of underground structure associated mainly with the European Atlantic Iron Age.
These structures appear to have been brought northw ...
Canna Island
File:Canna house.jpg, Canna House
See also
* List of islands of Scotland
This is a list of islands of Scotland, the mainland of which is part of the island of Great Britain. Also included are various other related tables and lists. The definition of an offshore island used in this list is "land that is surrounded by ...
* Religion of the Yellow Stick
The religion of the yellow stick ( gd, Creideamh a’ bhata-bhuidhe) was a facetious name given to the enforcement of the Church of Scotland among certain Roman Catholic Church in Scotland , Roman Catholic churchgoers who lived in the Hebrides of S ...
* List of lighthouses in Scotland
This is a list of lighthouses in Scotland. The Northern Lighthouse Board, from which much of the information is derived, are responsible for most lighthouses in Scotland but have handed over responsibility in the major estuaries to the port aut ...
* List of Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses
This is a list of the currently operational lighthouses of the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB). The list is divided by geographical location, and then by whether the lighthouses are classed by the NLB as a 'major lighthouse' or a 'minor light'. F ...
Notes
References
Bibliography
*Banks, Noel, (1977) ''Six Inner Hebrides''. Newton Abbott: David & Charles.
*Campell, John Lorne (1984) ''Canna, the Story of a Hebridean Island''. Edinburgh: Canongate.
*
*
*
*Perman, Ray (2010) "The Man Who Gave Away His Island." Edinburgh: Birlinn.
* Rixson, Dennis (2001) ''The Small Isles: Canna, Rum, Eigg and Muck''. Edinburgh: Birlinn.
*Shaw, Margaret Fay (1999) ''From the Alleghenies to the Hebrides'' Edinburgh: Canongate.
External links
National Trust for Scotland – Property Details For Canna
Birlinn
The Canna Story
The Isle of Canna Rabbit Cull
{{Lighthouse identifiers , qid2=Q29020903
Islands of Highland (council area)
Islands of the Inner Hebrides
National Trust for Scotland properties
Populated places in Lochaber
Island restoration
Small Isles, Lochaber