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History in the Outer Hebrides

  1. Explore our islands through time with a brand new Augmented Reality archaeology app which lets you see the original sites as they would have been 6000 years ago, in the modern day landscape.
  2. Sea bindweed - bonnie pronce charlies flower, eriskay
    Official tourist guide to the Bonnie Prince Charlie trail in the Outer Hebrides

Island Highlights

Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean, Stornoway

The Museum and Archive has recently opened at Lews Castle, Stornoway. Exhibitions will give an overview of the islands’ heritage and the Lewis Chessmen are back to delight.

Community Hub

Kinloch Historical Society is located on the main road between Stornoway and Tarbert, A859. It includes a museum & archive covering the social, military and migration history of Kinloch and…

Aerial photo of the Taigh Chearsabhagh building, looking towards Lochmaddy Pier and Lee.

Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre is a place where people can meet, share ideas, learn new skills and experience cultural interpretation that is imaginative and stimulating.

The Harris Tweed® Story Room stages to make yarn

Embark on a guided tour that takes you through the timeline of the industrial history and development of the Harris Tweed Industry. Watch demonstrations and receive hands-on weaving experience

Harris Tweed and Knitwear "Clo Mhor" Exhibition

Clò Mòr Harris Tweed® Exhibition For an unforgettable visitor experience

Grimsay Community Association (GCA) - Heritage Centre

Come and visit the only Maritime Museum in the Outer Hebrides and find out about the Stewart family who built beautiful, clinker work boats on Grimsay over the course of 150 years. You’ll find the…

Calanais 1 sunset from above Credit Lewis Drones

The new Calanais Visitor Centre is now open for a preview season ahead of our official launch later this summer. The centre features a new exhibition, café, and shop. For bookings and current…

Delve into the past....

  1. Gearannan Blackhouse village, lewis
    Gearrannan (Garenin) is a restored blackhouse village on the west side of the Isle of Lewis
    1. 1st January 202631st December 2026
  2. St Clement's Church
    St Clements Church is situated in the village of Rodel, South Harris. Construction started around 1520 by Alexander MacLeod of Dunvegan and Harris.
    1. Our Lady of the Isles
      Our Lady of the Isles is a statue of the Madonna and Child by sculptor Hew Lorimer. Erected in 1957 on the west slope of Reuval overlooking the sea, it is a fantastic viewpoint.
    2. Annie Jane Monument
      A monument in memory of those lost in the Annie Jane maritime disaster in 1853.
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    Number of results: 107

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    1. Back Historical Society - Gress Raiders Monument
      Back Historical Society - Griess Lodge Corn Mill
      Back Historical Society - Gress Raiders Monument
      Back Historical Society - Griess Lodge Corn Mill

      Address

      School Road, Vatisker, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 0JY

      Telephone

      01851 450820

      Vatisker , Isle of Lewis

      Awards

      • Other Awards Outer Hebrides Tourism Member 2020Outer Hebrides Tourism Member

      A welcoming heritage hub in Back, preserving Gaelic language, local history and archives, with a seasonal pop‑up museum, community groups, parking, disabled access and visitor facilities.

      Facilities

      Languages Spoken

      • Gaelic Speaking

      Facilities

      Transport

      • Disabled Parking

      Add Comann Eachdraidh Sgìre a' Bhac (Back Historical Society) to your Itinerary

    2. Calanais at sunset. Image: Michael Dutson Landscape
      Aerial view of the stones: Image by @above_scotland_
      Calanais Stones in the snow. Image: James Smith
      Calanais at sunset. Image: Michael Dutson Landscape
      Aerial view of the stones: Image by @above_scotland_
      Calanais Stones in the snow. Image: James Smith

      Address

      Callanish, Isle Of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 9DY

      Isle Of Lewis

      The standing stones of Calanais, Isle of Lewis, are the most famous archaeological monument in the Outer Hebrides. It is a remarkable complex comprising a circle of 13 stones.

      Add Calanais Standing Stones to your Itinerary

    3. Morsgail

      Address

      Morsgail, Uig, Isle Of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 9JH

      Uig, Isle Of Lewis

      In "The Chessmen", Fin and Whistler come across a disappearing loch which burst its banks and drained overnight revealing a small plane at the bottom of what would have been the loch.

      Add Peter May's Lewis Thrillers - Beehive Dwellings and Disappearing Loch to your Itinerary

    4. 'Reflections' with Baleshare Island in the background by Carol Walker

      Address

      Baleshare, Isle Of North Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS6 5HG

      Isle Of North Uist

      Reflections is part of the Uist Sculpture Trail.

      Add Reflections Sculpture to your Itinerary

    5. Address

      Borve, Isle Of Barra, Outer Hebrides, HS9 5XR

      Isle Of Barra

      This site was investigated by Channel 4's Time Team in May 2007. Amongst other remains, a well-preserved Iron Age wheelhouse was uncovered, and nearby, a group of earlier roundhouses of Bronze Age date.

      Add Allathasdal to your Itinerary

    6. Mosaic Mackerel at Lochmaddy by Oliver Dixon

      Address

      Lochmaddy, Isle Of North Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS6 5AE

      Isle Of North Uist

      The Mosaic Mackerel sculpture by Rosalind Waites forms part of the Uist Sculpture Trail.

      Add Mosiac Mackerel to your Itinerary

    7. Address

      Reef, Isle Of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 9HX

      Telephone

      01851 672479

      Isle Of Lewis

      Public Art structure by artists Marian Leven and Will Maclean that reflects local, historical events which started in the late 19th century and which are on-going into the 21st century.

      Add An Suileachan to your Itinerary

    8. Address

      Carinish, Isle Of North Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS6 5HN

      Isle Of North Uist

      250 metres from the main road (which itself dissects the remains of a stone circle at NF 833602), on top of a small hillock, lie the remains of a once spectacular long cairn with a horned facade at its eastern end

      Add Carabhat Barp to your Itinerary

    9. Address

      Bornish, Isle Of South Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS8 5SA

      Isle Of South Uist

      The broch of Dùn Mhulan was inhabited during the Iron Age. This large tower-like house was built around 150 BC, originally on an island within a freshwater loch, long before the open sea had broken through.

      Add Dun Mhulan to your Itinerary

    10. Lady Matheson Monument Stornoway

      Address

      Castle Grounds, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 0XR

      Isle of Lewis

      The Lady Matheson Monument was erected by Lady Matheson in memory of her husband, Sir James Matheson who built The Lews Castle in 1863.

       

       

      Add Lady Matheson Monument to your Itinerary

    11. Dun an Sticer Caauseway by Stephen Darlington

      Address

      Newton, Isle Of North Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS6 5AZ

      Isle Of North Uist

      The remains of a stronghold occupy the whole of a tiny islet in the middle of the tidal loch of Sticir. It is connected by a stone-built causeway to a slightly larger islet which in turn is connected to the shore by two stone causewaays.

      Add Dun an Sticer to your Itinerary

    12. Address

      Northton, Isle Of Harris, Outer Hebrides, HS3 3JA

      Isle Of Harris

      This area, from the township of Taobh Tuath to the headland of Rubh' an Teampaill, has numerous sites of archaeological significance.

      Add Northton Temple (Rubh' an Teampaill) to your Itinerary

    13. Dun Carloway Broch - Rachel Keenan
      Dun Carloway Broch by David Martin
      Dun Carloway Broch
      Dun Carloway Broch - Rachel Keenan
      Dun Carloway Broch by David Martin
      Dun Carloway Broch

      Address

      Carloway, Isle Of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 9AA

      Isle Of Lewis

      This is the best preserved and most visited broch in the Outer Hebrides. It occupies a low hilltop with commanding views across the seaways to the south and west.

      Add Dun Carloway Broch (Dùn Chàrlabhaigh) and Visitor Centre to your Itinerary

    14. Calanais II credit Victoria Harvey

      Address

      Callanish, Isle Of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 9DY

      Isle Of Lewis

      Remains of an oval stone ring with 5 standing stones and at least two fallen ones dating back to the Neolithic or early Bronze Age periods and dug out of the peat in 1858.

      Add Calanais II (Cnoc Ceann a' Ghàrraidh) to your Itinerary

    15. Gearrannan Blackhouse Village

      Address

      Carloway, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides

      Isle of Lewis

      Gearrannan (Garenin) is a restored blackhouse village on the west side of the Isle of Lewis

      Add Gearrannan Blackhouse Village to your Itinerary

    16. The Old Bridge Bernera

      Address

      Bernera, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, HS2 9LP

      Isle of Lewis

      The Bridge(s) across the Atlantic from Lewis to Great Bernera.

      Add Bridge over the Atlantic to your Itinerary

    17. Udal Peninsula - aerial view
      Udal Peninsula - house ruins
      Udal Peninsula - archaeological dig
      Udal Peninsula
      Udal Peninsula - decorated old comb
      Udal Peninsula - monochrome photo of 2 men beside a twin otter plane
      Udal Peninsula - monochrome photo of archaeological site
      Udal Peninsula - monochrome photo of man & horse
      Udal Peninsula - finds from the sie
      Udal Peninsula
      Udal Peninsula - aerial view
      Udal Peninsula - house ruins
      Udal Peninsula - archaeological dig
      Udal Peninsula
      Udal Peninsula - decorated old comb
      Udal Peninsula - monochrome photo of 2 men beside a twin otter plane
      Udal Peninsula - monochrome photo of archaeological site
      Udal Peninsula - monochrome photo of man & horse
      Udal Peninsula - finds from the sie
      Udal Peninsula

      Address

      Sollas, Isle Of North Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS6 5BS

      Isle Of North Uist

      The Udal is thought to have been occupied from the Neolithic Age right up to the early 20th Century and is one of the most important archaeological sites in the UK.

      Add Udal Peninsula to your Itinerary

    18. Standing Stone at Polochar by Gary Faux at sunset

      Address

      West Kilbride, Isle Of South Uist, Outer Hebrides, HS8 5TT

      Isle Of South Uist

      At the very south of the Island, lies the Polachar Stone, looking out to sea.

      Add Polochar Stone to your Itinerary

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