Lochs is a civil parish on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles, Scotland. It is one of the four civil parishes in Lewis and extends over the south-eastern part. It is bordered by the parish of Stornoway in the north and Uig in the west. Loch Seaforth separates it from Harris in the south, apart from a 19 miles (31 kilometres) land border with Harris. It extends about 19 miles (31 kilometres) north to south and 16 miles (26 kilometres) east-west. The Shiant Islands, about five miles (8.0 km) to the south-east, also belong to the parish. The parish is so-named because of the profusion of lochs, sea and fresh-water, in the area. [1]
Lochs
| |
|---|---|
 Loch Erisort | |
  Lochs Location within the Outer Hebrides | |
| Area | 179.06 sq mi (463.8 km2) |
| Population | 1,810 (2011) |
| • Density | 10/sq mi (3.9/km2) |
| Language | Scottish Gaelic Gaidhlig English |
| OS grid reference | NB371259 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ISLE OF LEWIS |
| Postcode district | HS2 |
| Dialling code | 01851 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
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Lochs does not have a main village, but instead three clusters of townships within the three main divisions of the parish. The northern division, North Lochs, lies between the River Creed (Gaelic: Abhainn Ghrioda), which forms the border with Stornoway parish, and Loch Leurbost. Its main townships are Leurbost and Crossbost on the north side of that loch and also Grimshader and Ranish on either side of Grimshader Loch. The central division called Kinloch lies between Lochs Leurbost and Erisort and its main townships are Keose, Laxay and Balallan on the north side of Loch Erisort, and Arivruaich near the head of Loch Seaforth. The southern division, known as South Lochs or Park (Gaelic: Pairc), is a peninsula between Lochs Erisort and Seaforth. It is joined to the mainland of Lewis by an isthmus about three-quarters mile (1.2 km) wide. The main townships are Orinsay, Gravir, Habost, Caversta, Calbost, and Cromore. [2]
At the 2011 census, the population of the civil parish was 1,810. 62.0% had some knowledge of Gaelic.[3] A hundred years before, in 1911, 91.1% were Gaelic speaking (and 97.5% in 1881).[4] The area of the parish is 114,601 acres (179.1 sq mi; 463.8 km2).[5]
The parish originally belonged to the county of Ross and Cromarty. The parish council was formed in 1895 with 11 elected members.[6] This was replaced by Lewis District Council in 1930, which had 19 members, 9 of whom were the County Councillors for Lewis and 10 elected to the District Council from the four parishes. Lochs had 4 members.[7][8] Since 1976, this has been superseded by a community council for each of three parts of the parish, namely North Lochs, Kinloch and Park. [9][10] Also Ross and Cromarty county council was replaced by Western Isles Council (now called Comhairle nan Eilean Siar), based in Stornoway.
Lochs is also a ward of Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles) Council, with 2 members. [11]
The parish was not recorded prior to the Scottish Reformation and was subsequently known as St. Columbkil or Loghur, now Lochs. The old Parish Church, serving the whole parish was erected in 1830 on an island in Keose bay, but is now in ruins. [12][2] There are now Church of Scotland churches in each of the three parts of the civil parish: Leurbost (for North Lochs), Laxay (for Kinloch) and Lemreway (for Park).[13]
Landmarks
editSettlements
editNorth Lochs
editKinloch
edit- Airidh a' Bhruaich (Airidhbhruaich)
- Balallan
- Laxay
- Keose and Keose Glebe
Park
editReferences
edit- ^ Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, by Francis H. Groome; publ. Thomas C. Jack, Edinburgh,1901. (Article on Lochs)
- ^ a b Third Statistical Account of Scotland, Vol 13 Ross and Cromarty, ed.A.S. Mather, publ. Scottish Academic Press, Edinburgh, 1987; pp. 399-415
- ^ Census of Scotland 2011, Table KS101SC Usually Resident Population, publ. by National Records of Scotland. Web site http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ retrieved April 2021. See "Standard Outputs", Table KS101SC, Area type: Civil Parish
- ^ Twelfth Decennial Census of the Population of Scotland, 1911, publ. H.M.S.O. Edinburgh 1912; Vol 1, Part 31, Table I, p.1950
- ^ Census of Scotland 1931. Preliminary Report. Table 17 - Population and Acreage of Civil Parishes alphabetically arranged. Publ. H.M.S.O. 1931
- ^ Eighth Annual Report of the Local Government Board for Scotland, 1902, publ.H.M.S.O., Glasgow, 1903;p. 530
- ^ Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1929
- ^ The Edinburgh Gazette 11 March 1930; pp.296-298
- ^ Community Councils website, managed on behalf of the Scottish Government www.communitycouncils.scot/community-council-finder Retrieved April 2021
- ^ Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
- ^ Boundaries Scotland Review of Electoral Arrangements Na h-Eileanan an Iar Council Area - Final Proposals, May 2021 boundaries.scot/sites/default/files/CNES_Final_Report_Reduced_0.pdf retrieved March 2024
- ^ Origines parochiales Scotiae : the antiquities ecclesiastical and territorial of the parishes of Scotland, publ.by Bannatyne Club, Edinburgh 1851; pp.384,385
- ^ Church of Scotland church finder website www.churchofscotland.org.uk/contact/find-your-local-church - retrieved March 2024