by John Macleod OBE DL MA (1928-1998), of Carishader.  Published by Comann Eachdraidh Uig in 2001.  ISBN 0 903960 73 7. A detailed account of all the ministers in Uig and the significant developments and changes under their ministries from 1778 to 1929, with supporting material and documentation; in addition to the church records, it provides good wider historical and social background.  Out of print but may be consulted at the Museum and copies of particular sections can be provided by CE Uig on request.

Letter to the Gazette, 5 May 1921: Sir – I observed in your columns the other week an interesting article re the origin of the Clan Macaulay and Lord Macaulay’s ancestors. We have no definite historical proof that the Macaulays are of a Scandinavian origin. The name Macaulay is admittedly pure Norse, also their appearance favours their Norse origins. Some students of Macaulay History maintain they came from the north of Ireland, and settled in Uig, Lewis. Based, no doubt, on the assumption that in [ » read more ]

From the Comhairle SMR (Sites and Monuments Record.) A Bronze Age (2350BC-700BC) cairn was identified at NB045338, on the point of Tolanais overlooking Traigh Uig.  Two small assessment trenches were opened on the southern of two large mounds, in order to determine which features of the site were artificial, and to date these, if possible. The mound proved to be essentially natural, consisting of fluvioglacial sands and gravels, but with an insubstantial prehistoric cairn at the highest point, overlain by a later turf and stone cellular structure, [ » read more ]

Having been on the losing side in the Jacobite rising of 1715, the Seaforths had to forfeit their lands to the Crown. These were then administered by a body of Commissioners for a number of years (though the Seaforths were eventually allowed to buy them back, because no other buyer could be found.) It appears that, for some years after the etates had been forfeited, the tenants continued to pay rent to the exiled chief of the Seaforth Clan; but in 1725, whilst the estates [ » read more ]

From Emily Macdonald’s Twenty Years of Highland Memories (1939).  Before Emily was married to Dolly Doctor, she stayed at Uig Lodge as a guest of her uncle, Lord Leverhulme, along with other guests. One Sunday Mrs Strang and I decided we would like to go to the local church and hear a real Gaelic service.  Owing to domestic arrangements at the Lodge, we realised that we were half an hour late, but intended to slip in quietly at the back, as one could do in [ » read more ]

From Eilean an Fhraoich, December 1965 In April 1925 – a year late – the churches in Stornoway held a special service to commemorate the centenary of the coming to Uig of Rev Alexander Macleod, who, in the words of one of the speakers at the gathering, “was the first Christian minister in modern times who really brought the Gospel in its evangelical fullness to the people of this island.” But the speaker, Rev Roderick Morison, went on to emphasise that the qualification “in modern [ » read more ]

Dolly Doctor, in Tales and Traditions, tells of the wreck of a ship at Carnish in 1775. In the picture Sgeir an Iaruinn is the small island in the middle of the picture, with Shielibhig in the distance on the far left. All night the people round Uig Bay had listened to the cries of woe and frightful screaming from the crew of the ship gone aground, as piece after piece broke away from the ship and the crew were being washed overboard; but they could [ » read more ]

From the Kirk Session records, 13 September 1825: At the Church of Uig 13th September 1825 the Session having met and constituted, Angus Maclean and Peggy Macaulay from Brenish were interrogated respecting a previous information made to the Session of their having used very improper and foul language against each other both to their own ruin and disgrace, and to the annoyance of their Neighbours.  The Session, having ascertained the truth of this statement, ordained that said Angus Maclean and Peggy Macaulay wife of Angus [ » read more ]

A minute from the Kirk Session; Alexander Macleod had left Uig (and the Established Church) 23 years previously.  We don’t know how this turned out. At Stornoway, the 4th day of December 1866 years. Which day the Kirk Session of the Parish of Uig, under leave obtained from the Presbytery of Lewis, met here, and was constituted by the Rev Roderick Fraser, Moderator.  Sederunt with him, as assessors appointed by the presbytery on 29 March 1865, the Rev James Strachan, Minister of Barvas, and the Rev [ » read more ]

A rather long letter from Rev Alexander Macleod, Baile na Cille, to his “benefactress” Lady Hood, Mrs Stewart Mackenzie, written some six months after his arrival in Uig.  Manse of Uig   30th November 1824   Honourable and Dear Madam,   It is time that I should acknowledge your very friendly letter from Brighton dated on the 18th July which I duly received a Cromarty.  As I do not apprehend that you have for once supposed that my long silence arose from ingratitude to so [ » read more ]

Alexander Macleod was born in Balachladaich, Stoer, Assynt in 1786. In 1808 he entered King’s College, Aberdeen to study theology and his first post after completing his studies was tutoring the sons of a farmer in Skye. He evidently eloped with the farmer’s daughter, Margaret, which caused much indignation at the time but peace was later restored; there was no issue that we know of from this marriage. Tradition suggests Alexander may have been a cousin of Norman Macleod, the famous preacher who took his [ » read more ]

From the Stornoway Gazette, Local and District News, Friday December 3rd, 1920. Landslide in Valtos Glen On Thursday morning of last week, there was a repetition here of the previous Monday’s storm. Though it did not last so long, there were gusts during the early morning which were almost as strong as any we had on Monday. Before daybreak, however, the force of the wind had lessened considerably, and during the day it died down to a dead calm. Heavy rain was falling all the [ » read more ]

The church at Baile na Cille was built in 1829 to accommodate the growing congregation of the evangelical minister Rev Alexander Macleod, who had arrived in Uig in 1824.  Church records include the following: Dec 17, 1829 Roderick Nicolson Esq residing in Stornoway most respectably expressed his attachment to his native Parish by making a present of a Bell valued at twelve pounds stg for the use of the new church of Uig, built anno domini 1829. Roderick, a shipowner in Stornoway, was the son [ » read more ]