Carloway ( gd, Càrlabhagh, IPA:
kʰaːɾɫ̪ə.ɤː is a
crofting township
A croft is a fenced or enclosed area of land, usually small and arable, and usually, but not always, with a crofter's dwelling thereon. A crofter is one who has tenure and use of the land, typically as a tenant farmer, especially in rural area ...
and a district on the west coast of the
Isle of Lewis
The Isle of Lewis ( gd, Eilean Leòdhais) or simply Lewis ( gd, Leòdhas, ) 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 ...
, in the
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides () or Western Isles ( gd, Na h-Eileanan Siar or or ("islands of the strangers"); sco, Waster Isles), sometimes known as the Long Isle/Long Island ( gd, An t-Eilean Fada, links=no), is an island chain off the west coast ...
, Scotland. The district has a population of around 500. Carloway township is within the parish of
Uig, and is situated on the
A858.
The district
Carloway is very attractive for tourism, with many historic sites to see, such as the
Garenin
Garenin ( gd, Na Gearrannan) is a crofting township on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Garenin is in the Carloway municipality and has a population of about 80 people. It is also within the parish of Uig. T ...
Blackhouse Village and 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 ...
Doune Carloway
Dun Carloway ( gd, Dùn Chàrlabhaigh) is a broch situated in the district of Carloway, on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland (). It is a remarkably well preserved broch – on the east side parts of the old wall still reach to 9 metre ...
Broch
A broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure found in Scotland. Brochs belong to the classification "complex Atlantic roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s. Their origin is a matter of some controversy.
Origin ...
. There is also a standing stone called "Clach an Tursa" in Upper Carloway.
The Carloway Bridge is said to be one of Scotland's oldest
flyovers, being built in the mid-19th century. The bridge crosses the Carloway River and the Pentland Road, which leads from Carloway Pier and Harbour to
Stornoway
Stornoway (; gd, Steòrnabhagh; sco, Stornowa) is the main town of the Western Isles and the capital of Lewis and Harris in Scotland.
The town's population is around 6,953, making it by far the largest town in the Outer Hebrides, as well a ...
.
The district of Carloway (after the village of that name) which hitherto had fallen partly within the parishes of
Lochs
''Loch'' () is the Scottish Gaelic, Scots and Irish word for a lake or sea inlet. It is cognate with the Manx lough, Cornish logh, and one of the Welsh words for lake, llwch.
In English English and Hiberno-English, the anglicised spelling ...
and
Uig, became a separate
civil registration district in 1859.
The district is divided into eight townships: Knock Carloway, Park Carloway,
Doune Carloway
Dun Carloway ( gd, Dùn Chàrlabhaigh) is a broch situated in the district of Carloway, on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland (). It is a remarkably well preserved broch – on the east side parts of the old wall still reach to 9 metre ...
, Upper Carloway,
Garenin
Garenin ( gd, Na Gearrannan) is a crofting township on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Garenin is in the Carloway municipality and has a population of about 80 people. It is also within the parish of Uig. T ...
, Borrowston, Kirivick and
Dalmore. The Estate starts at the cattle grid between
Garynahine
Garynahine ( gd, Gearraidh na h-aibhne) is a settlement on Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Garynahine is situated at a T-junction where roads from Stornoway, Uig and the west side of Lewis all meet. The roads are the A858 and the B8011 ...
and
Callanish
Callanish ( gd, Calanais) is a village (township) on the west side of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides (Western Isles), Scotland. Callanish is within the parish of Uig. A linear settlement with a jetty, it is on a headland jutting into ...
and ends at the
Bragar
Bragar ( gd, Bràgar, ) is a village on the west side of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, from the island's only town, Stornoway. Bragar is within the parish of Barvas, and is situated on the A858 between Carloway and Barvas.
...
cattle grid, just leaving
Shawbost
Shawbost ( gd, Siabost) is a large village in the West Side of the Isle of Lewis. The village of Shawbost has a population of around 500 and lies around west of Lewis's capital Stornoway. Shawbost is within the parish of Barvas. A recent develop ...
towards
Bragar
Bragar ( gd, Bràgar, ) is a village on the west side of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, from the island's only town, Stornoway. Bragar is within the parish of Barvas, and is situated on the A858 between Carloway and Barvas.
...
.
Public services include a primary school, a youth hostel, a police station, hotels, restaurants, a newly renovated
Harris Tweed
Harris Tweed, (''Clò Mór'' or ''Clò Hearach'' in Gaelic) is a tweed (cloth), tweed cloth that is Weaving, handwoven by islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, finished in the Outer Hebrides, and made from pure virgin wool ...
mill, a pier, a surgery and day centre, a museum, a community centre, two churches (The Free Church of Scotland and The Church of Scotland), a football pitch, a war memorial and a historical society. Plans for a petrol station and convenience store have been proposed.
![Black houses in Carloway village in summer 2012 (1)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Black_houses_in_Carloway_village_in_summer_2012_%281%29.JPG)
The district is known throughout the
Western Isles
The Outer Hebrides () or Western Isles ( gd, Na h-Eileanan Siar or or ("islands of the strangers"); sco, Waster Isles), sometimes known as the Long Isle/Long Island ( gd, An t-Eilean Fada, links=no), is an island chain off the west coas ...
for its Agricultural Show and Highland Games, held annually on the first Wednesday of August at the Show Ground, behind Carloway School in the centre. It is the longest running agricultural show and Highland Games on the island, first held in 1911 and officially the oldest since Beinn-na-Dròbh agricultural show stopped in Stornoway. It is locally known as the island's "Premiere Show", and 2,500 people attending the 58th Agricultural Show in 2011, more than the previous year's attendance.
Three routes connect Carloway with the main town of Stornoway:
*The main road heading north, which passes through
Shawbost
Shawbost ( gd, Siabost) is a large village in the West Side of the Isle of Lewis. The village of Shawbost has a population of around 500 and lies around west of Lewis's capital Stornoway. Shawbost is within the parish of Barvas. A recent develop ...
,
Bragar
Bragar ( gd, Bràgar, ) is a village on the west side of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, from the island's only town, Stornoway. Bragar is within the parish of Barvas, and is situated on the A858 between Carloway and Barvas.
...
and
Barvas
Barvas (Scottish Gaelic: ''Barabhas'' or ''Barbhas'', ) is a settlement, community and civil parish on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. It developed around a road junction. The A857 and A858 meet at the southern end of Barvas. North is the road ...
, where it splits: one road goes to Stornoway and another goes to
Ness
Ness or NESS may refer to:
Places Australia
* Ness, Wapengo, a heritage-listed natural coastal area in New South Wales
United Kingdom
* Ness, Cheshire, England, a village
* Ness, Lewis, the most northerly area on Lewis, Scotland, UK
* Cuspate ...
.
*The main road heading south, which passes through
Breasclete
Breasclete ( gd, Brèascleit) is a village and community on the west side of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Breasclete is within the parish of Uig, and is situated adjacent to the A858.
History
Breasclete has several ston ...
,
Callanish
Callanish ( gd, Calanais) is a village (township) on the west side of the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides (Western Isles), Scotland. Callanish is within the parish of Uig. A linear settlement with a jetty, it is on a headland jutting into ...
and
Leurbost
Leurbost () is a village on the east coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It is approximately south of Stornoway on the road to Harris. It is the main settlement in the area of the island known as North Lochs. Leurbost i ...
, which also splits: one road goes to
Stornoway
Stornoway (; gd, Steòrnabhagh; sco, Stornowa) is the main town of the Western Isles and the capital of Lewis and Harris in Scotland.
The town's population is around 6,953, making it by far the largest town in the Outer Hebrides, as well a ...
and another to both
Balallan
Balallan ( gd, Baile Ailein, Bail' Ailein), meaning "Allan's Town", is a crofting township on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Balallan is within the parish of Lochs.
The township has the distinction of being the longest vil ...
and
Tarbert
Tarbert ( gd, An Tairbeart) is a place name in Scotland and Ireland. Places named Tarbert are characterised by a narrow strip of land, or isthmus. This can be where two lochs nearly meet, or a causeway out to an island.
Etymology
All placenames ...
,
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 ...
.
*The third and most direct route is the single-track Pentland road, which goes straight across the island's
Pentland Moor.
Climate
Religion
The district has two churches, both of which are located near the Carloway Bridge in the Knock Carloway township. The Free Church of Scotland was built in 1884 and has a congregation of up to 100 people. Services are conducted in both
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
and
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 ...
. The Church of Scotland is next door to the Free Church and was built in 1908. It has a congregation with just over 50 people, with services conducted in English.
Teampall Chiarain
The ruins of an older church ''Teampall Chiarain'' (St Ciaran's) are located on the east side of the Laimishader peninsula at the foot of a crag at the end of the path. Folklore says that those who were ill were brought to this chapel, walked clockwise around it and made to sleep the night inside and this would cure the afflicted person.
Teampall Mhìcheil
Another ruined church ''Teampall Mhìcheil'' (St Michael's) is located on the southern shore of Loch Carloway, across the water from Borrowston and Port Laimishader. It is also next to the ruins of the post-medieval township of ''Baile an Teampaill''. The inhabitants of the area used to paint their croft numbers on the unmarked grave stones in tar.
Football
Football is by far the most favoured sport in the area. Carloway F.C. was founded in 1933 and first constituted in 1946 after the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, playing their games on turf at Altan Feirigro in Garenin, before relocating to land near Cnoc a' Choilich in Upper Carloway. The club's catchment area covers the Parish of Uig area between Dalmore and Breanish. The club won its first trophy in 1952 after beating league champions Point 5–1 to win the Stornoway Cup. Between 1955 and 1957, Carloway won several more trophies: a 5–1 victory against Back to win the D'Oyle Carte Cup and a 4–1 victory against Point to win the Tormod Mor Tankard, both in 1956. The following year they defeated Stornoway United to win the Stornoway Cup for the second time. During that period it was rare to see a final without the involvement of the club, with the Eilean Fhraoich Cup Final seeing Carloway three years in a row, despite the club failing to win. Since this successful period in the 1950s, it took the club until 2012 to win their next trophy, defeating Back 7–6 on penalties to lift the Co-operative Cup after a 1–1 draw. In the same week, the club secured the double by winning the Lewis Cup, again on penalties, after drawing 3–3 against rivals West Side. In 2013, Carloway recently won the Acres Boys Club Cup after defeating Back 6–0 in the final, as well as the Jock Stein Cup after defeating rivals West Side 3–0 in the final. Carloway also won their first League title in their eighty-year history. The club boasts the largest support in the Western Isles and indeed one of the best playing surfaces in the Highlands and Islands, which was opened in 1991 with a friendly against
Rangers
A Ranger is typically someone in a military/paramilitary or law enforcement role specializing in patrolling a given territory, called “ranging”. The term most often refers to:
* Park ranger or forest ranger, a person charged with protecting and ...
reserves. The match attracted around 1100 spectators to the newly built pitch, which had been renovated twice (1949–51 and 1991) since its construction in 1935. Two players who have played for Carloway went on to play football at professional level:
Ronnie MacKinnon, who played for Rangers and Scotland, and his brother Donnie, who played for
Partick Thistle
Partick Thistle Football Club are a professional association football, football club from Glasgow, Scotland. Despite their name, the club are based at Firhill Stadium in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not played in Partick since 1908. ...
.
Carloway townships
Notable Carlowegians and people connected with the district
*
Angus MacInnes
Angus MacInnes (born 27 October 1947) is a Canadian actor. He is most famous for his role as Jon "Dutch" Vander in ''Star Wars (film), Star Wars'', and as former hockey great Jean "Rosey" LaRose in the comedy ''Strange Brew''. He also appeared ...
, actor, plays Sonny Munro in the Scottish soap ''
River City
''River City'' is a Scottish television soap opera that was first broadcast on BBC One Scotland on 24 September 2002. ''River City'' follows the lives of the people who live and work in the fictional district of Shieldinch. In November 2017, a s ...
'' (mother comes from Borrowston, Carloway)
*
John MacKay, main anchor on Central edition of ''
STV News at Six
''STV News'' is a Scottish news service produced by STV. The news department produces two regional services covering STV's Channel 3 franchise areas of Northern and Central Scotland.
STV's news programmes are produced from studios in Glasgow, ...
'' (father and mother come from the Carloway townships of Kirivick and Garenin respectively)
*
Willie MacKay, football agent (father comes from Kirivick, Carloway)
*
Ronnie MacKinnon, former Carloway,
Rangers
A Ranger is typically someone in a military/paramilitary or law enforcement role specializing in patrolling a given territory, called “ranging”. The term most often refers to:
* Park ranger or forest ranger, a person charged with protecting and ...
and
Scotland National Football Team
The Scotland national football team gd, Sgioba Ball-coise Nàiseanta na h-Alba sco, Scotland National Fitbaa Team represents Scotland in men's international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. It competes in the t ...
(twin brother of Partick Thistle player, Donnie MacKinnon; their mother came from Upper Carloway)
*
Colin Sutherland, Lord Carloway
Colin John MacLean Sutherland, Lord Carloway (born 20 May 1954), is a Scottish advocate and judge who has served as the Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General since 2015. He was previously Lord Justice Clerk from 2012 t ...
, the most senior judge of the Supreme Courts of Scotland and head of the Scottish Judiciary
* Stuart Maclennan, owner of Subsafe Audio who has family connections to Garenin and Dalmore.
*
Christine Primrose
Christine Primrose ( gd, Cairistìona Primrose; born 17 February 1950) is a Gaelic singer and music teacher. She was born in Carloway, Lewis, but she currently lives on the Isle of Skye.
In interviews Primrose has stated that she has been singin ...
, traditional Scottish Gaelic singer
References
External links
Canmore - Lewis, Carloway site record
{{Lewis and Harris
Isle of Lewis
Villages in the Isle of Lewis