Shillay, Monach Islands: Difference between revisions

Shillay Lighthouse
*Siolaigh*
*Monach Isles*
	The old lighthouse was not used between 1942 and 2008
Location	Shillay Isle; Monach Islands; Outer Hebrides; Scotland; United Kingdom
OS grid	NF5928262723
Coordinates	57°31′33″N 7°41′42″W / 57.525894°N 7.695055°W
Tower
Constructed	1864
Designed by	Thomas Stevenson, David Stevenson
Construction	brick tower
Automated	2008
Height	41 metres (135 ft)
Shape	tapered cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern attached to a 2-storey keeper’s house
Markings	unpainted tower
Operator	Northern Lighthouse Board
Heritage	category B listed building
Light
Deactivated	1942-2008
Focal height	47 metres (154 ft)
Range	18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi)
Characteristic	Fl (2) W 15s.

Shillay
Scottish Gaelic name	Siolaigh/Seilaigh
Old Norse name	Selrey
Meaning of name	Seal Island; or "Herring island", from Norse
Location
	Shillay Shillay shown within the Outer Hebrides
OS grid reference	NF593628
Coordinates	57°32′N 7°41′W / 57.53°N 7.69°W
Physical geography
Island group	Monach Islands
Area	7.4 ha
Highest elevation	10 m (33 ft)
Administration
Council area	Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Demographics
Population	0
References

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Latest revision as of 08:34, 17 July 2023

A ruined cottage, now replaced with a Portakabin, used until recently as a fisherman's shelter

Shillay (Scottish Gaelic: Siolaigh or Seilaigh from the Norse selrey, meaning Seal island) is the westernmost of the Monach Islands (Heisgeir), off North Uist in the Outer Hebrides.

Geology and geography[edit]

Like most of the other Monach Islands, Shillay has a thin, sandy soil, which has been much troubled by erosion, and which was badly eroded by a huge wave in the 16th century.

Despite Ceann Iar's name, meaning "western headland", Shillay is the westernmost island of the group.

There are several small islets around Shillay, including Eilean Siorraidh, Odarum (to the north) and Raisgeir.

Lighthouses[edit]

The lighthouse at Shillay has an uneven history. The red brick lighthouse was built in 1864 by David & Thomas Stevenson, and was in use until it was closed during the war in 1942 and not lit again in 1948 after hostilities ceased. After the Braer disaster in 1993 in Shetland, a new light was recommended to mark the deep water route west of the Hebrides. A new automated aluminium light was installed in 1997. However it proved inadequate and in 2005 it was decided that it was cheaper to reuse the original lighthouse than to increase the height of the new light. In 2008 the old lighthouse was refurbished and put back into use.^[7]^[8]^{[citation needed]}

A stone from the lighthouse has been removed into the church wall at Paible; a keeper had carved into it "Eternity Oh Eternity".^[2] Just to the south of Shillay, there is an Eilean Siorraidh ("Island of Eternity"; formerly Eilean Siorruidh) - whether this carving is a reference to this or the solitude of the island is unrecorded.

References[edit]

^ 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
^ ^a ^b Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
^ Ordnance Survey
^ Iain Mac an Tailleir. "Placenames" (PDF). Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 May 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2007.
^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Scotland: Western Isles". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
^ Monach Archived 20 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine Northern Lighthouse Board. Retrieved 19 May 2016
^ "Monach Light". Northern Lighthouse Board. Archived from the original on 7 August 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
^ "BBC iPlayer - the Lighthouse Stevensons". Archived from the original on 26 August 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2018.

External links[edit]

Northern Lighthouse Board

57°31′39″N 7°41′34″W / 57.52750°N 7.69278°W / 57.52750; -7.69278

[1] 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland

[Smith-2] Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.

[3] Ordnance Survey

[4] Iain Mac an Tailleir. "Placenames" (PDF). Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 May 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2007.

[5] Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Scotland: Western Isles". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 19 May 2016.

[6] Monach Archived 20 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine Northern Lighthouse Board. Retrieved 19 May 2016

[7] "Monach Light". Northern Lighthouse Board. Archived from the original on 7 August 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2015.

[8] "BBC iPlayer - the Lighthouse Stevensons". Archived from the original on 26 August 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2018.

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[2]

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[8]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{About|the Monach Island (Heisgeir)|the island north of [[Pabbay, Harris, Scotland|Pabbay]]|Shillay}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
+{{Use British English|date=February 2017}}
+[[File:Siolaighhut.jpg|left|thumb|A ruined cottage, now replaced with a [[Portable building|Portakabin]], used until recently as a fisherman's shelter]]
 {{Infobox Scottish island
+|coordinates = {{coord|57.53|-7.69|display=inline}}
-|latitude=57.53
-|longitude=-7.69
 |location_map=Scotland Outer Hebrides
 |caption=Shillay shown within the Outer Hebrides
@@ Line 19: / Line 22: @@
 |island group=[[Monach Islands]]
 |local authority=[[Comhairle nan Eilean Siar]]
-|references=<ref>2001 UK Census per [[List of islands of Scotland]]</ref><ref name=Smith>{{Haswell-Smith}}</ref><ref>[http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/ Ordnance Survey]</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/gaelic/pdfs/placenamesP-Z.pdf| title=Placenames| author=Iain Mac an Tailleir| publisher=Pàrlamaid na h-Alba|format=PDF| accessdate=2007-12-08}}</ref>
+|references=<ref>2001 UK Census per [[List of islands of Scotland]]</ref><ref name=Smith>{{Haswell-Smith}}</ref><ref>[http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/ Ordnance Survey]</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/gaelic/pdfs/placenamesP-Z.pdf| title=Placenames| author=Iain Mac an Tailleir| publisher=Pàrlamaid na h-Alba| accessdate=2007-12-08| url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529185220/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/gaelic/pdfs/placenamesP-Z.pdf| archivedate=29 May 2008| df=dmy-all}}</ref>
+}}
+{{Infobox lighthouse
+| qid             = Q3739794
+| name            = Shillay Lighthouse<br>''Siolaigh''<br>''Monach Isles''
+| image           = Shillaylighthouses.jpg
+| caption         = The old lighthouse was not used between 1942 and 2008
+| location        = Shillay Isle<br>[[Monach Islands]]<br>[[Outer Hebrides]]<br>[[Scotland]]<br>[[United Kingdom]]
+| coordinates     = {{coord|57.525894|-7.695055|display=inline}}
+| yearbuilt       = 1864
+| yeardeactivated = 1942-2008
+| construction    = brick tower
+| shape           = tapered cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern attached to a 2-storey keeper’s house
+| marking         = unpainted tower
+| height          = {{convert|41|m|ft}}
+| focalheight     = {{convert|47|m|ft}}
+| range           = {{convert|18|nmi}}
+| characteristic  = Fl (2) W 15s.
+| managingagent   = Northern Lighthouse Board <ref>{{Cite rowlett|heb|accessdate=2016-05-19}}</ref><ref>[http://www.nlb.org.uk/LighthouseLibrary/Lighthouse/Monach/ Monach] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120052532/http://www.nlb.org.uk/LighthouseLibrary/Lighthouse/Monach/ |date=20 November 2010 }} Northern Lighthouse Board. Retrieved 19 May 2016</ref>
 }}
 '''Shillay''' ([[Scottish Gaelic]]: '''Siolaigh''' or '''Seilaigh''' from the Norse ''selrey'', meaning Seal island) is the westernmost of the [[Monach Islands]] (Heisgeir), off [[North Uist]] in the [[Outer Hebrides]].
 ==Geology and geography==
-[[Image:Siolaighhut.jpg|left|thumb|A ruined cottage, now replaced with a [[Portable building|Portakabin]], used until recently as a fisherman's shelter]]
 Like most of the other Monach Islands, Shillay has a thin, sandy soil, which has been much troubled by erosion, and which was badly eroded by a huge wave in the 16th century.
@@ Line 31: / Line 51: @@
 There are several small islets around Shillay, including Eilean Siorraidh, Odarum (to the north) and Raisgeir.
-<br clear=left/>
+{{clear|left}}
-==Lighthouse==
+==Lighthouses==
-[[Image:Shillaylighthouses.jpg|left|thumb|The old lighthouse became redundant in 1942; the newer light was installed in 1997.]]
-Shillay is most notable for being the location of a disused lighthouse. This was originally a fire, which was maintained by the monks who lived at Clach na Bleide on [[Ceann Ear]]. The red brick lighthouse was built in 1864 by David & [[Thomas Stevenson]], and was in use until 1942.<ref name=Keay>Keay, J. & Keay, J. (1994) ''Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland''. London. HarperCollins.</ref> A newer light was installed in 1997.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nlb.org.uk/ourlights/history/monach.htm| title=Monach Light| publisher=Northern Lighthouse Board| accessdate=2007-12-08}}</ref>
+The lighthouse at Shillay has an uneven history. The red brick lighthouse was built in 1864 by David & [[Thomas Stevenson]], and was in use until it was closed during the war in 1942 and not lit again in 1948 after hostilities ceased. After the [[MV Braer|Braer disaster]] in 1993 in [[Shetland]], a new light was recommended to mark the deep water route west of the Hebrides. A new automated aluminium light was installed in 1997. However it proved inadequate and in 2005 it was decided that it was cheaper to reuse the original lighthouse than to increase the height of the new light. In 2008 the old lighthouse was refurbished and put back into use.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nlb.org.uk/ourlights/history/monach.htm| title=Monach Light| publisher=Northern Lighthouse Board| accessdate=2015-06-21| archive-date=7 August 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807150057/http://www.nlb.org.uk/ourlights/history/monach.htm| url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00y6hym/The_Lighthouse_Stevensons/ |title=BBC iPlayer - the Lighthouse Stevensons |access-date=11 February 2018 |archive-date=26 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826041322/http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00y6hym/The_Lighthouse_Stevensons/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}
-A stone from the lighthouse has been removed into the church wall at [[Paible]]; a keeper had carved into it "Eternity Oh Eternity".<ref name=Smith/> Interestingly, just to the south of Shillay, there is an Eilean Siorraidh ("Island of Eternity"; formerly Eilean Siorruidh) - whether this carving is a reference to this or the solitude of the island is unrecorded.
-<br clear=left/>
+A stone from the lighthouse has been removed into the church wall at [[Paible]]; a keeper had carved into it "Eternity Oh Eternity".<ref name=Smith/> Just to the south of Shillay, there is an Eilean Siorraidh ("Island of Eternity"; formerly Eilean Siorruidh) - whether this carving is a reference to this or the solitude of the island is unrecorded.
-According to a BBC documentary <ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00y6hym/The_Lighthouse_Stevensons/</ref> the old lighthouse has been refitted with modern equipment after the new light was found to be too low.
+{{clear|left}}
+==See also==
+{{stack|{{Portal|Scotland|Engineering}}}}
+* [[List of lighthouses in Scotland]]
+* [[List of Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses]]
 ==References==
 {{Reflist}}
+==External links==
+* [http://www.nlb.org.uk/LighthouseLibrary/Main/ Northern Lighthouse Board]
+<br>
+{{commons category|Shillay, Monach Islands}}
 {{Coord|57|31|39|N|7|41|34|W|display=title|region:GB_type:isle_source:GNS-enwiki}}
 {{Heisgeir}}
+{{Lighthouses of the Northern Lighthouse Board}}
+{{Authority control | additional=Q3739794}}
-[[Category:Listed lighthouses in Scotland]]
+[[Category:Category B listed lighthouses]]
+[[Category:Lighthouses in Outer Hebrides]]
 [[Category:Monach Islands]]
+[[Category:Uninhabited islands of the Outer Hebrides]]

v t e Lighthouses of the Northern Lighthouse Board
Scotland (except principal island groups)	Ailsa Craig Ardnamurchan Bass Rock Bell Rock Buchan Ness Cape Wrath Chanonry Corran Point Corsewall Covesea Skerries Crammag Head Davaar Duncansby Head Dunnet Head Fidra Fife Ness Girdle Ness Holy Island (Outer) Inchkeith Isle of May Kinnaird Head Mull of Galloway Mull of Kintyre North Rona Noss Head Pladda Rattray Head Rubh Re St Abbs Head Sanda Scurdie Ness Stoer Head Strathy Point Stroma Sule Skerry Tarbat Ness Turnberry Minor lights
The Hebrides	Barra Head Butt of Lewis Dubh Artach Eilean Glas Flannan Islands Haskeir Hyskeir Lismore Monach Neist Point Ornsay Rinns of Islay Rubha nan Gall Rona Lighthouse Ruvaal Scarinish Skerryvore Tiumpan Head Ushenish Minor lights
Orkney	Auskerry Brough of Birsay Cantick Head Copinsay Hoy Sound (High) Hoy Sound (Low) North Ronaldsay Noup Head Pentland Skerries Start Point Tor Ness Minor lights
Shetland	Bressay Eshaness Fair Isle North Fair Isle South Firths Voe Foula Hoo Stack Little Holm Muckle Flugga Out Skerries Point of Fethaland Sumburgh Head Ve Skerries Minor lights
Isle of Man	Chicken Rock Douglas Head Langness (minor light) Maughold Head Point of Ayre Thousla Rock (minor light)

Latest revision as of 08:34, 17 July 2023

Geology and geography[edit]

Lighthouses[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]