Skigersta (Scottish Gaelic: Sgiogarstaigh) is a village to the south east of Ness on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. It is the easternmost settlement in the Ness district and is 5km (3miles) southeast of the Butt of Lewis.[1] Skigersta is situated within the parish of Barvas.[2] There is a quay built in 1901 and a shingle beach.[3] The area of Skigersta near the shore is called 'Lathamor'. To the south of Skigersta the moor begins and the road turns into a peat track; there are sheilings on the moor at Cuisiadar and if you follow the moor further south you reach the road at New Tolsta.

Skigersta
The road into Skigersta
Skigersta is located in Outer Hebrides
Skigersta
Skigersta
Location within the Outer Hebrides
LanguageScottish Gaelic
English
OS grid referenceNB543616
Civil parish
Council area
Lieutenancy area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townISLE OF LEWIS
Postcode districtHS2
Dialling code01851
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
58°28′26″N 6°12′50″W / 58.474°N 6.214°W / 58.474; -6.214

History

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Skigersta was a location for fish curing in the 19th century with the ruins of the curing bothies still visible next to the river.[3] It benefited from a man-made channel in the shoreline which allowed easier access for the boats. A cargo ship, the Dunalistair, was wrecked off Skigersta in 1885, in fog.[4][5]

Creag Dubh (the black crag)

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Located to the southeast of Skigersta is a small promontory with a cairn and possible roundhouse remains. When archaeologists recorded it in the 2000s they feared that erosion would eliminate the site in the next decade.[6]

In Literature

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The village of "Crobost" in Peter May's Lewis Trilogy is thought to be an amalgamated of the village of Adabroc and Skigersta.[7]

Images

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References

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  1. ^ "Skigersta from The Gazetteer for Scotland". www.scottish-places.info. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Lewis, Skigersta". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  3. ^ a b "A Brief History of Skigersta". Ness Historical Society. Archived from the original on 6 July 2002. Retrieved 15 January 2006.
  4. ^ "Dunalistair, Meall Geal, Lewis, North Minch". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  5. ^ "Wreck Report for 'Dunalistair', 1885". PortCities Southampton. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "Vol 36 (2009): STAC: The Severe Terrain Archaeological Campaign - investigation of stack sites of the Isle of Lewis 2003-2005 | Scottish Archaeological Internet Reports". journals.socantscot.org. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Peter May Trilogy - Fin's Aunt's House Skigersta - Isle Of Lewis". Outer Hebrides. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
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