Vacsay
Encyclopedia
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
. It is off the west coast of Lewis
Lewis
Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The total area of Lewis is ....
in West Loch Roag. It is 41 hectare (0.158301885022939 sq mi) in size, and 34 metres (112 feet) at its highest point.
History
Like many of the surrounding islands, Vacsay is uninhabited due to the Highland ClearancesHighland 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...
, which occurred here in 1827.
It was bought in 1993 by Sirdar Baron Iqbal Singh, a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
business man, who currently lives in Lesmahagow
Lesmahagow
Lesmahagow is a small town on the edge of moorland, near Lanark in the central belt of Scotland. It is also known as Abbey Green.-Etymology:The name is possibly a corruption of "Church of St Machutus"...
. He has bought the title, "Lord of Butley Manor" and also wishes to rename Vacsay, "Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
' island" or Eilean Burns, although Burns never visited the Outer Hebrides.
Geography and geology
The island 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...
.
Vacsay has an extremely complicated coastline, and is connected at low tide to several surrounding islets such as Trathasam, and Liacam.
It is between the islands of Vuia Mòr and Pabay Mòr and is off Great Bernera
Great Bernera
Great Bernera , often known just as Bernera is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. With an area of just over , it is the thirty-fourth largest Scottish island....
.