South Rona
Encyclopedia
Rona sometimes called South Rona to distinguish it from North Rona
, is a small island
in the Scottish
Inner Hebrides
, north of Raasay
and northeast of Skye. It has a total area of 930 hectares (3.6 sq mi).
and the glaciated landscape is underlain by some of the oldest rocks in western Europe.
Writing in the early 18th century Martin Martin
recorded that "this little isle is the most unequal rocky piece of ground to be seen anywhere: there is but very few acres fit for digging, the whole is covered with long heath, erica-baccifera, mertillus, and some mixture of grass; it is reckoned very fruitful in pasturage: most of the rocks consist of the hectic stone, and a considerable part of them is of a red colour."
On the west side of the island is a secure and picturesque natural anchorage, Acairsaid Mhór, protected by Eilean Garbh. The writer Malcolm Slesser
described it as "a delightful little fjord, and superb harbour for small boats. Pink felspar cliffs drop steeply into the water, and small lush woodland lends a touch of luxury."
Other islets surrounding Rona include Cow Rock, Eilean Seamraig, Garbh Eilean, Sgeirean Buidhe Borlum, and Sgeir Shuas. Eilean Tigh
lies about 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) away across the strait
s of Caol Rona at the centre of which is tiny Eilean an Fhraoich. The east coast is largely unindented and in addition to Acairseid Mhór the main bays are An Dubh Chamas (black bay), Acairseid Thioram (dry harbour) and Loch a' Bhràige on the west coast. There are several smaller bays in the north west including Port an Fhearainn, (port of the men), Òb nam Feusgan (bay of the mussel), Port na Bà Brice (port of the speckled cow) and Òb an Deallaire (bay of the loiterer). The highest point on the island is Meall Acairseid, which reaches 125 metres (410.1 ft). Sgàth a' Bhannaich and Beinn na h-Iolaire (hill of the eagle) are further north and are over 100 metres (328.1 ft) high.
origin, from Hraun-ey meaning "rough island" and probably reflects a Viking settlement. The Gaelic
name Rònaigh has a similar meaning.
who based himself at Brochel Castle on Raasay in 1518 and used Rona as raiding base.
, then Governor of the British Fisheries Society stating that Rona was:
cause worked against him and nothing was done. In 1843 Rona was sold to George Rainy who began clearing
the native population to make way for sheep.
After the first phase of clearances the population of Rona rose steadily to over 180, the main settlements being at Doire na Guaile in the south, Acairseid Mhór and Acairseid Thioram. Many of the residents were crofting families who had themselves been cleared
from more fertile land on Raasay
. In May 1921, a group of ex-servicemen from Rona landed on Raasay and attempted to re-occupy their ancestral land. These so-called "Rona Raiders" were arrested, tried and given jail sentences, but public support for them was strong and they were eventually freed and allowed to remain on Raasay. This led in 1922 to the acquisition of both Rona and Raasay from their private landlord by the British Government. After this, the population of Rona fell sharply, as most of the island's inhabitants followed the Raiders to settle on Raasay. In 1943 the last crofting family left and the island had become uninhabited, with the exception of the lighthouse
keepers who lived at its north end until the lighthouse was automated in 1975.
On the east side of the Island is a cave that was used for Sunday worship until the church was built in 1912. It continued to be used sporadically until 1970.
In 1992 Rona was acquired from the government by a Danish owner, who restored Rona Lodge at Acarseid Mhór, and built a new landing jetty. Rona currently has one permanent resident, the island manager, who lives at Rona Lodge (where B&B
and bunkhouse
accommodation are available), and who also manages the self-catering cottages at Acarseid Thioram. Transport to the island is by private charter from Portree
. 57.5 hectares (142.1 acre) at the north end of the island remain in the hands of the Ministry of Defence
.
and Boyd
recorded a herd of feral goats on the island and an absence of mice and voles. The goats have now gone but Red Deer
were introduced to the island in 1993 and a fold of Highland cattle
from North Uist
followed in 1996. Over 300 species of plant have been recorded and in the absence of sheep the native woodland is regenerating.
North Rona
Rona is a remote Scottish island in the North Atlantic. Rona is often referred to as North Rona in order to distinguish it from South Rona . It has an area of and a maximum height of...
, is a small island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Inner Hebrides
Inner Hebrides
The Inner Hebrides is an archipelago off the west coast of Scotland, to the south east of the Outer Hebrides. Together these two island chains form the Hebrides, which enjoy a mild oceanic climate. There are 36 inhabited islands and a further 43 uninhabited Inner Hebrides with an area greater than...
, north of Raasay
Raasay
Raasay is an island between the Isle of Skye and the mainland of Scotland. It is separated from Skye by the Sound of Raasay and from Applecross by the Inner Sound. It is most famous for being the birthplace of the poet Sorley MacLean, an important figure in the Scottish literary renaissance...
and northeast of Skye. It has a total area of 930 hectares (3.6 sq mi).
Geography and geology
Rona is an extension northward of the ridge of Raasay. Its geology is Lewisian gneissLewisian complex
The Lewisian complex or Lewisian Gneiss is a suite of Precambrian metamorphic rocks that outcrop in the northwestern part of Scotland, forming part of the Hebridean Terrane. These rocks are of Archaean and Paleoproterozoic age, ranging from 3.0–1.7 Ga. They form the basement on which the...
and the glaciated landscape is underlain by some of the oldest rocks in western Europe.
Writing in the early 18th century Martin Martin
Martin Martin
Martin Martin was a Scottish writer best known for his work A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland . This book is particularly noted for its information on the St Kilda archipelago...
recorded that "this little isle is the most unequal rocky piece of ground to be seen anywhere: there is but very few acres fit for digging, the whole is covered with long heath, erica-baccifera, mertillus, and some mixture of grass; it is reckoned very fruitful in pasturage: most of the rocks consist of the hectic stone, and a considerable part of them is of a red colour."
On the west side of the island is a secure and picturesque natural anchorage, Acairsaid Mhór, protected by Eilean Garbh. The writer Malcolm Slesser
Malcolm Slesser
Malcolm Slesser was a Scottish energy analyst, scientist and mountaineer.-Biography:Slesser graduated from Edinburgh University. He began mountain climbing when he was young. In the 1950s Slesser joined an expedition to the Arctic...
described it as "a delightful little fjord, and superb harbour for small boats. Pink felspar cliffs drop steeply into the water, and small lush woodland lends a touch of luxury."
Other islets surrounding Rona include Cow Rock, Eilean Seamraig, Garbh Eilean, Sgeirean Buidhe Borlum, and Sgeir Shuas. Eilean Tigh
Eilean Tigh
Eilean Tigh is a tidal island in the Sound of Raasay of Scotland, that lies between Rona and Raasay.Approximately in extent, the island was once settled and the ruins of various structures are still visible at the south end. "Eilean Tigh" is a Gaelic name that means "house island" or "home...
lies about 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) away across the strait
Strait
A strait or straits is a narrow, typically navigable channel of water that connects two larger, navigable bodies of water. It most commonly refers to a channel of water that lies between two land masses, but it may also refer to a navigable channel through a body of water that is otherwise not...
s of Caol Rona at the centre of which is tiny Eilean an Fhraoich. The east coast is largely unindented and in addition to Acairseid Mhór the main bays are An Dubh Chamas (black bay), Acairseid Thioram (dry harbour) and Loch a' Bhràige on the west coast. There are several smaller bays in the north west including Port an Fhearainn, (port of the men), Òb nam Feusgan (bay of the mussel), Port na Bà Brice (port of the speckled cow) and Òb an Deallaire (bay of the loiterer). The highest point on the island is Meall Acairseid, which reaches 125 metres (410.1 ft). Sgàth a' Bhannaich and Beinn na h-Iolaire (hill of the eagle) are further north and are over 100 metres (328.1 ft) high.
Prehistory
Rona's name is believed to be of Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
origin, from Hraun-ey meaning "rough island" and probably reflects a Viking settlement. The Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
name Rònaigh has a similar meaning.
Early historic period
There are the ruins of a small 14th century chapel at the south end of the island at An Teampuill. The structure, probably a monk's cell, is enclosed by a wall within which is the island's only gravestone. In the 16th century Rona became a refuge for pirates who made a base at Acarsaid Mòr, then known as Port nan Robaireann - "port of the robbers". Murray (1973) presumes that they confined their attacks to foreign vessels as they seem to have been tolerated by the local clan chiefs. One such pirate chief is said to have been Calum Garbh MacLeod, son of a chief of Clan Macleod of LewisClan MacLeod of Lewis
Clan Macleod of The Lewes, commonly known as Clan MacLeod of Lewis, is a Highland Scottish clan, which at its height held extensive lands in the Western Isles and west coast of Scotland. From the 14th century up until the beginning of the 17th century there were two branches of Macleods: the...
who based himself at Brochel Castle on Raasay in 1518 and used Rona as raiding base.
Modern era
Clan MacLeod held the island until the middle of the 19th century. In 1763 the Laird of Raasay is recorded as having kept a cowhand and 160 cattle on the island and in 1787 MacLeod of Raasay explored the opportunities for commercial fishing on the island. He wrote to the Duke of ArgyllDuke of Argyll
Duke of Argyll is a title, created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1701 and in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1892. The Earls, Marquesses, and Dukes of Argyll were for several centuries among the most powerful, if not the most powerful, noble family in Scotland...
, then Governor of the British Fisheries Society stating that Rona was:
...one of the most advantageous places on this coast for a fishing station. It is surrounded with numbers of banks which are daily discovered by the country people who come to fish from the mainland, which makes me think there is an inexhaustible fund of them about the island. It is likewise supplied with the best harbours at every creek, both for large vessels and small boats.However his support for the Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
cause worked against him and nothing was done. In 1843 Rona was sold to George Rainy who began clearing
Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
the native population to make way for sheep.
| Year | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1881 | 1891 | 1922 | 1931 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 165 | 115 | 147 | 176 | 181 | 14 families | 16 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
After the first phase of clearances the population of Rona rose steadily to over 180, the main settlements being at Doire na Guaile in the south, Acairseid Mhór and Acairseid Thioram. Many of the residents were crofting families who had themselves been cleared
Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
from more fertile land on Raasay
Raasay
Raasay is an island between the Isle of Skye and the mainland of Scotland. It is separated from Skye by the Sound of Raasay and from Applecross by the Inner Sound. It is most famous for being the birthplace of the poet Sorley MacLean, an important figure in the Scottish literary renaissance...
. In May 1921, a group of ex-servicemen from Rona landed on Raasay and attempted to re-occupy their ancestral land. These so-called "Rona Raiders" were arrested, tried and given jail sentences, but public support for them was strong and they were eventually freed and allowed to remain on Raasay. This led in 1922 to the acquisition of both Rona and Raasay from their private landlord by the British Government. After this, the population of Rona fell sharply, as most of the island's inhabitants followed the Raiders to settle on Raasay. In 1943 the last crofting family left and the island had become uninhabited, with the exception of the lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
keepers who lived at its north end until the lighthouse was automated in 1975.
On the east side of the Island is a cave that was used for Sunday worship until the church was built in 1912. It continued to be used sporadically until 1970.
In 1992 Rona was acquired from the government by a Danish owner, who restored Rona Lodge at Acarseid Mhór, and built a new landing jetty. Rona currently has one permanent resident, the island manager, who lives at Rona Lodge (where B&B
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
and bunkhouse
Bunkhouse
A bunkhouse is a hostel or barracks-like building that historically was used to house working cowboys on ranches in North America. As most cowboys were young single men, the standard bunkhouse was a large open room with narrow beds or cots for each individual and little privacy...
accommodation are available), and who also manages the self-catering cottages at Acarseid Thioram. Transport to the island is by private charter from Portree
Portree
Portree is the largest town on Skye in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. It is the location for the only secondary school on the Island, Portree High school. Public transport services are limited to buses....
. 57.5 hectares (142.1 acre) at the north end of the island remain in the hands of the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
.
Stamps
Local stamps have been issued for Rona since 2003. The stamps serve visitors to the island who wished to have their mail posted there, and carried to the nearest GPO Post Box on the mainland.Wildlife
Writing in the 1960s, Fraser DarlingFrank Fraser Darling
Sir Frank Fraser Darling was an English ecologist, ornithologist, farmer, conservationist and author, who is strongly associated with the highlands and islands of Scotland.-Early life:...
and Boyd
John Morton Boyd
Dr John Morton Boyd CBE was a Scottish zoologist, writer and conservationist. He was a pioneer of nature conservation in Scotland....
recorded a herd of feral goats on the island and an absence of mice and voles. The goats have now gone but Red Deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
were introduced to the island in 1993 and a fold of Highland cattle
Highland cattle
Highland cattle or kyloe are a Scottish breed of beef cattle with long horns and long wavy coats which are coloured black, brindled, red, yellow or dun....
from North Uist
North Uist
North Uist is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:North Uist is the tenth largest Scottish island and the thirteenth largest island surrounding Great Britain. It has an area of , slightly smaller than South Uist. North Uist is connected by causeways to Benbecula...
followed in 1996. Over 300 species of plant have been recorded and in the absence of sheep the native woodland is regenerating.
General references
- Fraser Darling, F. & Boyd, J.M. (1969) Natural History in the Highlands and Islands. London. Bloomsbury.
- Martin, MartinMartin MartinMartin Martin was a Scottish writer best known for his work A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland . This book is particularly noted for its information on the St Kilda archipelago...
(1703) "A Voyage to St. Kilda" in A Description of The Western Islands of Scotland, Appin Regiment/Appin Historical Society. Retrieved 3 March 2007 - Murray, W.H. (1973) The Islands of Western Scotland. London; Eyre Methuen. ISBN 0413303802
- Munro, DonaldDonald Monro (Dean)Donald Monro was a Scottish clergyman, who wrote an early and historically valuable description of the Hebrides and other Scottish islands and enjoyed the honorific title of “Dean of the Isles”.-Origins:...
(1818) Description of the Western Isles of Scotland called Hybrides, by Mr. Donald Munro, High Dean of the Isles, who travelled through most of them in the year 1549. Miscellanea Scotica, 2. - Slesser, MalcolmMalcolm SlesserMalcolm Slesser was a Scottish energy analyst, scientist and mountaineer.-Biography:Slesser graduated from Edinburgh University. He began mountain climbing when he was young. In the 1950s Slesser joined an expedition to the Arctic...
(1970) The Island of Skye Edinburgh; Scottish Mountaineering ClubScottish Mountaineering ClubThe Scottish Mountaineering Club is Scotland's second oldest mountaineering club. Founded in 1889, in Glasgow, the private club, with about 400 members, publishes guidebooks and runs a list of Munroists.-History:At the time of the club's founding there were a number of experienced Alpinists...
. - Watson, W. J. (1994) The Celtic Place-Names of Scotland. Edinburgh; Birlinn. ISBN 1841583235. First published 1926.