South Galson is a settlement on the northwest coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles of Scotland. It is 11 km southwest of Port of Ness. The Galson Primary School closed in 1996.[1] The populations of North Galson, South Galson, and Melbost were 149 in 1999.[2]
South Galson
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|---|---|
 View of South Galson | |
  South Galson Location within the Outer Hebrides | |
| Language | Scottish Gaelic English |
| Civil parish | |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ISLE OF LEWIS |
| Postcode district | HS |
| Dialling code | 01851 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
History
editThe village was a crofting village until 1863, after which the inhabitants of North Galson, South Galson and Melbost Galson were cleared to make way for a new farm.
The farm was occupied by tenants until 1921, when crofters began to lobby for land reform. The crofters had been promised land in return for fighting in the First World War, but that promise was not kept. As a result of this broken promise a number of ex-soldiers and others began to raid the Galson Farm and to campaign for the farm to be broken up into new crofts. In 1923, the government divided the farm into 53 crofts. All the buildings in Galson, except for the farmhouse and its steadings, have been built since 1923.[3]
Eventually, in 2007, after a community buyout, the land was handed over to Galson Estate Trust.[3]
Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn / Galson Estate Trust
editUrras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn was established in 2007 to manage the Galson Estate on behalf of the community. The 56,000-acre estate comprises 22 villages running from Upper Barvas to Port of Ness with a population of nearly 2,000 people. The development of the wind turbines at Ballantrushal and commercial developments provide the trust with an income stream.[4] The trust's headquarters is located in South Galson. In 2019 the building caught fire.[5] A new headquarters was under construction in 2021. [6]
Teampall a’ Chrò’ Naomh
editTeampall a’ Chrò’ Naomh (Chapel of the Holy Cross) is a church situated in South Galson old cemetery. William Daniell drew and engraved the chapel in 1819, showing the building roofless with four walls intact and one of the two gables full height, but it is now a much reduced ruin. The site is a scheduled monument.[7]
References
edit- ^ "South Galson from The Gazetteer for Scotland". www.scottish-places.info. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
- ^ "Folk Life (Journal of Ethnological Studies)". www.ingentaconnect.com. doi:10.1179/043087707798236388. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
- ^ a b "South Galson | Galson Estate Trust". galsontrust. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
- ^ "Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn – Galson Estate Trust - Community Engagement - Good Practice - Our work - Scottish Land Commission". www.landcommission.gov.scot. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ "Fire destroys Galson Estate Trust's HQ in Lewis". BBC News. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ "Good progress on Trust's new HQ". www.welovestornoway.com. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
- ^ "Teampull nan Cro'Naombh,chapel 410m WNW of Galson (SM3945)". portal.historicenvironment.scot. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
External links
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