Rodel Hotel, view from NE.

Description Rodel Hotel, view from NE.

Date 19/8/1992

Collection Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu

Catalogue Number B 76251 CN

Category Photographs and Off-line Digital Images

Copies SC 684183

Scope and Content Rodel Hotel, Harris, Western Isles, from north-east Rodel Hotel, the building with the fire escape, was originally known as Roghadel, or Rodel, House. It was built for Captain Alexander Macleod who became the new owner of Harris in 1779. He wished to be a resident landlord, and supervise the development of the fishing industry in Harris. The house was sited opposite one of the new piers which were built around 1785. By 1815 Macleod's son had taken over as landlord. He was not interested in living on Harris, so Rodel House became the factor's house. The factor was the laird's representative who ran the estate. To the left of Rodel House is an L-shaped building, part of which probably also dates to the late 18th century, but the other buildings around the hotel are of a more recent date. Lewis and Harris are both parts of the same island, collectively known as 'the Long Island', which is the most northerly in the Outer Hebrides. Together they are about 95km in length and around 32km at the widest point. Most of Lewis is quite low-lying, whereas Harris is mountainous. Rodel, or Roghadel, comes from the Old Norse and means 'Red Dale'. The local soil is unlike that in the rest of Harris, being red in colour and very fertile. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Medium Colour negative

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