History

South Uist has a long and turbulent history of inhabitation dating from at least c.3000 BC. Our croft sits on an area of land that has seen Neolithic, Bronze Age, and Iron Age peoples, as well as Vikings and clansmen of the Clan Ranald.

We have only begun to learn about the people who once lived here with the archaeological research recently conducted in Milton and in nearby townships.

From the eighth century onwards, South Uist fell under Norse rule. Evidence of their inhabitation can be found in many place-names throughout the region. With the Treaty of Perth in 1266, South Uist fell from Norse rule and soon became property of the Lordship of the Isles, a powerful family that controlled the north west of Scotland. By the 1370's, South Uist was ruled by Ranald, a third generation ruler of the Lordship of the Isles. From Ranald came the branch of the MacDonald clan denoted by his name. The Lordship of the Isles was broken up in 1493. However, the Ranald branch of the MacDonalds continued to rule throughout most of the Uists. Remains of Caisteal Eilean Bheag Rum, one of Clan Ranald's castles can be seen on an islet near Howmore. Better preserved is the eighteenth century remains of Ormicleit Castle that caught fire on the eve of the Battle of Sherrifmuir (1715) at which Ailean, chief of Clan Ranald was killed.

Clan Ranald supported the Jacobite uprising of 1745 and it was Flora MacDonald of Milton who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape to Skye the following year. After the war, the clan chief adopted the role of landlord and the clansmen became crofters. Life for the Islanders became increasingly difficult owing to a number of factors and many of the islanders began to immigrate to North America. In 1838, South Uist was sold to Colonel Gordon of Cluny thus ending almost 500 years of the islands control under Ranald and his descendants.