South Uist, Howbeg
Farmstead(S) (Period Unassigned)
Site Name South Uist, Howbeg
Classification Farmstead(S) (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) South Uist, Tobha Beag
Canmore ID 126109
Site Number NF73NE 25
NGR NF 7563 3593
NGR Description centred on 7563 3593
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/126109
- Council Western Isles
- Parish South Uist
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Inverness-shire
NF73NE 25 7563 3593 centred on 7563 3593
Farmsteads centred at:
NF7565 3584, NF7576 3614, NF7558 3596, NF7569 3594, NF7574 3588, NF7563 3603
(NF7565 3584) A farmstead comprising one unroofed, one partially roofed, three roofed buildings and an enclosure is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire, Hebrides, South Uist 1881, sheet l). One partially roofed, three unroofed buildings and three enclosures are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1972).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 14 May 1997
Field Visit (July 2022)
NF 75734 35878 Tobha Bheag is now a relatively deserted area with fewer than a handful of occupied houses, although the farmland is still actively farmed by traditional crofting.
Historically, it was an important township with around 200– 300 inhabitants, including the MacEachen family, the ancestors of ‘The French Macdonald’: the Duke of Tarentum, Marshal Jacques Etienne Joseph Alexandre Macdonald. The historical importance is further demonstrated by the quality of the built infrastructure to assist transport and communication within the township and with neighbours.
The main Baile area is confined by the Howmore River, Loch Grunabhat and the adjacent Tobha Mòr to the N. A small promontory on Loch Grunabhat has an unusual circular drystone feature and other stone structures, which might predate the early township’s occupation area.
Later (19th-century) extensive farmsteads are spaced along the Eastern ridge, leading away from the original Baile area towards the low hill, Cnoc Buidhe, the northern slopes of which are liberally peppered with at least 36 clearance cairns. Most of these are amorphous piles of stones, but several appear to be collapsed structures, possibly shelters or huts.
Many of the structures have been modelled in virtual 3D using photogrammetry and can be viewed at https://sketchfab.com/ Smilemaker/models.
The township’s territory stretched from Atlantic to Minch, and includes the major hill of Beinn Choradail, its associated eastern Glen and ‘Uamh a’ Phrionnsa’, the cave used by Bonnie Prince Charlie when on the run from the army following his defeat at the Battle of Culloden.
Simon Davies – Uist Community Archaeology Group/ACFA
(Source: DES Volume 23)
