Tighe, Eilean an
(House Island, Eilean an Taighe)

A historical perspective, drawn from the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical, edited by Francis H. Groome and originally published in parts by Thomas C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works, Edinburgh between 1882 and 1885.

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E

llan-na-Kelly or Ellan-an-Tighe, the southern one of the three Shiant isles, in the Outer Hebrides, in the Minch, 5 ¼ miles SE of Ushenish Point in Lewis, and 22 ½ S by E of Stornoway. It connects with Garv-Ellan by a neck of rolled pebbles, covered only at a concurrence of spring tide and tempestuous wind; and is 1 mile long, whilst varying in width from 1 to 2 ½ furlongs. Its basaltic rock presents some columnar masses similar to those of Ulva and Staffa; and its tumulated but verdant surface affords rich sheep pasture. It appears to have anciently been the seat of a monastery or hermitage, whence it took its name, signifying the ` island of the cell; ' and it still possesses some ruins which look to have been ecclesiastical.—Ord. Sur., sh. 99, 1858.

An accompanying 19th C. Ordnance Survey map is available.

Note: This text has been made available using a process of scanning and optical character recognition. Despite manual checking, some typographical errors may remain. Please remember this description dates from the 1880s; names may have changed, administrative divisions will certainly be different and there are known to be occasional errors of fact in the original text, which we have not corrected because we wish to maintain its integrity. This information is provided subject to our standard disclaimer.