Scenes from Killegray

Killegray, in the Sound of Harris, is an interesting, but rarely visited island. I have only been there once (see chapter 15 of book 2). I believe the name means either "Island of the Church", or 'Burial Place Island". At its north end is Teampull na Annait, the site of a medeaval church and burial ground. (The place-name Annait signifies it was an early Christian site.)

This is the description of Killigray from the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4):

Calligray or Killigray, an island in Harris parish, Outer Hebrides, Inverness-shire, nearly in the middle of the Sound of Harris. It measures about 2 miles in length and 1 in breadth; is nearly all deep uncultivated moss in the south end, but consists of good cultivated land in the north end; and is inhabited by a people who are mainly supported by fishing. Faint traces of a very ancient building, supposed to have been a heathen temple, are in its north end

My visit was a day trip that started with a three-mile boat ride from Leverburgh. The boatman nosed his small boat into a reef on the shore below Killigray House, where it was easy to get ashore. The house here dates to the late 18th century, and is in fine shape these days.

Behind the house is a later addition, an excellent design that fits well with the original house.

Next to the house is a stone gateway; its pillars topped with stone balls, nearly identical to the sea-gate in front of the house on nearby Ensay. How I wished I'd taken a picture through the Killegray gate that showed more of the sea, like I'd done through the sea-gate on Ensay.

Killigrey gate

Ensay gate

From the house I headed north to what the old Ordnance Gazetteer called a heathen temple: Teampull na Annait. 

Looking towards Pabbay from Teampull na Annait

There's not much left of the medieval church and burial ground that once stood here; just a low rectangular outline in the turf, with several small, stumpy tombstones poking up here and there. You can read the CANMORE page on it here. A while back one of the graves was exposed by the sea. Its occupant was found with a hammer and scales. One theory for this is that the hammer was for the dearly departed to knock at the door of heaven, and the scales so that the weight of their soul could be determined. The Jethro Tull song Two Fingers comes to mind:

I'll see you at the Weighing-In

When your life's sum-total's made.

And you set your wealth in Godly deeds

Against the sins you've laid.

Nearby is the holy well known as Tobar na Annait. I looked for it, but could see no sign of a well anywhere. Later research showed that the well lies a quarter mile to the south, and is now used as the water supply for the house. (You can see a photo of the well here.)

Looking to Ensay from Teampull na Annait

From the old graveyard I walked down the west side of the island, enjoying the views to the many islands in the sound: The pyramid of Pabbay the most distinctive of them all.

Pabbay on the horizon

Killigray beach is a half-mile stretch of sand facing to the northwest. I believe that back in the day the queen picnicked here on occasion. No royals were about, so I had the whole beach to myself.

A slight wander inland took me to placid Loch a' Mhachair.

The next photo shows some of the cultivation ridges that cover much of the island. Like Ensay, Killegray had about 300 acres of arable land.

Halfway down the coast, sitting on a tidal mound 60 feet from the shore, was the fortress of Dunan Ruadh; bits of its defensive wall still discernible. There are quite a few forts named 'Dunan Ruadh' in the isles, and you can see a list of them all here. The word 'ruadh' can mean: red, reddish, strong, dried or scorched. Perhaps scorched is a reference to being vitrified; the walls exposed to fire to fuse them together.

From the fort I wandered down to the south end of the island, a marshy area that was wet to walk through, so I turned back north. The terrain in front of me was beautiful; rolling green hills surrounding the elegant house. Ten years or so ago there were talks of building a highway link from Berneray to Leverburgh. A two-mile causeway would link Berneray to Killigray; then a  short bridge to Ensay; then a mile long connection to Harris. I do not know if the project is still under consideration, but if it came true a highway would bisect the amazing terrain in the next photo.

From the south end I made the short climb to the top of the island. Crowning the summit is an extraordinary cairn, one I've not see the like of on any other island. It was partly hollow, with an opening at the bottom. I was told this was so you could build a fire inside the cairn. If you are ever stranded on Killigray, you can call for help from here the old fashioned way - if, that is, you can find any wood.

I had another 30 minutes until pickup, so I spent them sitting next to the cairn, enjoying the view over all the islands in the sound. I also enjoyed a beer.

Ceilleagraigh - Killiegray

The owners of Killegray (Ceilleagraigh) don't exactly welcome visitors (but I went anyway). In fact, the boatman who took me there (who knew I would be writing about my visit) asked that I not mention his name. 

Killegray is a beautiful island, rolling hills and white-sand beaches. It is an historic isle too; the church site at Annait one of the oldest in the isles. But sadly there is not much to be seen at Annait; just the grass-grown outline of the church and a small standing stone, perhaps an ancient tombstone. 

The first photo shows the rolling hills and sandy beaches near Killegray House (late 18th-century). The second shows the holy ground of Annait with its standing stone. The OS map I had indicated that there is a holy well at Annait, but I could not find it. Several years later I came across the RCAHMS page on Annait. In it I learned that the well lies a quarter-mile south of the church site. I need to return to Killegray someday to find it.

The view from the south end of the island looking towards Killegray House

Annait - old church site - Pabbay and Shillay in the distance

The Beacon Cairn of Killegray

The summit of Killegray has a unique cairn. As you can see there is a large opening at the base, and another higher up. I was told that this was so a fire could be lit inside. It was either a navigation beacon...or maybe a barbecue...

As I said yesterday, the owners of Killegray are not too keen on visitors, especially beer-swilling island-baggers like the fellow in the next picture.

Killegray House

It's a short hop from Ensay to Killegray, about a quarter mile. But it took me eight years to make that hop. The owners were not keen on visitors back then (and today), so I was lucky that no one was home on the day I visited. The original house dates to the 18th century, and a modern addition (to the left) was added in the 20th century.  Atop the island sits the beacon cairn, which we'll visit tomorrow.