Old Photograph Bernera Isle Of Lewis Scotland

Old photograph of a thatched cottage on Bernera, an island in Loch Roag on the North West coast of Isle of Lewis, Scotland. The island's name is Norse in origin as are many other names in the district, implying extensive Norse settlement. The most common name here is MacDonald, MacDhòmhnaill or Dòmhnallach, and these are said to be descended from a watchman of the Macaulays of Uig, who gave him the island in return for his services. In the south east of the island is the first planned crofting township in the Outer Hebrides. It was created in 1805 by the regular allotting of individual crofts by the Earl of Seaforth's land surveyor, James Chapman. The tenants of this planned village were all evicted in 1823. The village was re-settled in 1878 and the original boundaries are still in use today. The island was the location of the Bernera Riot of 1874, when crofters resisted the Highland clearances. This was a peasant revolt and subsequent legal case which resulted in a victory for oppressed small tenants against the heavy handed evictions and treatment by the factor of Sir James Matheson, Donald Munro. The islanders refused to agree to an ever increasing diminishing grazing allowance in favour of expanding sporting estates, and were in turn threatened with a military visit. This did not occur, but even more eviction notices were handed out, and the visitors were pelted with clods of earth. The legal case was the first recorded victory for small-tenants at will and the evidence that was heard at the eleven hour trial paved the way for land reform in Scotland.



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