Stornoway

'The promontory lies between 3 and 4 m OD, with Kenneth Street marking the approximate line of the 10 m counter as the land rises gradually north-eastwards towards Goathill.'(E.Dennison and R.Coleman,1997,8)

'By 1846, when the Admiratly surveyed, their plan included settlement outside the central central core of the town. Ghoathill township did not exist; in its place were enclosed fields. it would certainly appear that a measure of clearance was taking place in the area around Stornoway'(E.Dennison and R.Coleman,1997,33)

'An interesrting feature on John Woods plan of 1821 figure 11 is a ditch, still known locally as 'the canal' D. Its appearance suggests that this was man-made; and its alignment would imply that it may have been constructed to drain the 'wet, mossy land' by Goathill, noted on a map of 1785 figure 10.'(E.Dennison and R.Coleman,1997,56)

'There is a a recognised, though unqauntifiable, potential for the discovery of prehistoric and early historic (especially Norse) archeaological remains, both within and outwith the confines of the historic burgh. Settlement is also known at Goathill and within the grounds of Lewis Castle.'(E.Dennison and R.Coleman,1997,59)

'Considerable time was spent researching the disappearance of the settlement at Goathill in the late eighteenth century. The Seaforth papers were thought to hold the clues to this previously unnoted township, but no information was found in our assessment. Further detailed assessment of this source material is essential, not only in an attempt to throw light on the status of Goathill itself, but also to explain, for example, the vast increase in house rentals in the second half of the eighteenth century.'(E.Dennison and R.Coleman,1997,66-7)