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Coordinates: 57°32′N 7°22′W / 57.533°N 7.367°W / 57.533; -7.367
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'''Baleshare''' ({{lang-gd|Baile Sear}}) is a flat [[tidal island]] in the [[Outer Hebrides]] of [[Scotland]].
'''Baleshare''' ({{lang-gd|Baile Sear}}) is a flat [[tidal island]] in the [[Outer Hebrides]] of [[Scotland]].


Baleshare lies to the south-west of [[North Uist]]. Its [[economics]] and community were boosted by the building of a [[causeway]] in 1962. The 350m (382 yard) causeway was built by William Tawse Ltd.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst11034.html | title=Baleshare Causeway| publisher=Gazetteer for Scotland| accessdate=2007-08-18}}</ref> The island is extremely flat by Hebridean standards, rising to only 12 metres above sea level and known for its long sandy [[beach]]. It has a population of 49 living in two settlements: Samhla and Teananachar.
Baleshare lies to the south-west of [[North Uist]]. Its [[economics]] and community were boosted by the building of a [[causeway]] in 1962. The {{convert|350|m|yd|abbr=on}} causeway was built by William Tawse Ltd.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst11034.html| title=Baleshare Causeway| publisher=Gazetteer for Scotland| accessdate=2007-08-18}}</ref> The island is extremely flat by Hebridean standards, rising to only 12 metres above sea level and known for its long sandy [[beach]]. It has a population of 49 living in two settlements: Samhla and Teananachar.


The name means 'east farm' or 'east town'. The 'west town' may have been on land that was said to exist to the west of Baleshare, washed away in the sixteenth century, over which it was possible to walk to the [[Monach Islands]] at [[low tide]].<ref name=Smith/> The Monachs are some 15 kilometres to the west. Another story suggests there was once a land bridge to [[Kirkibost]], 100 metres to the north.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/islandblogging/westernisles/baleshare.shtml| publisher=BBC Scotland| title=Western Isles: Baleshire| accessdate=2007-08-18}}</ref> The basis for this seems to be a reference in the Exchequer Rolls for 1542 that the valued rental had been decreased due to encroachment by the sea at some unspecified (presumably recent) date.
The name means 'east farm' or 'east town'. The 'west town' may have been on land that was said to exist to the west of Baleshare, washed away in the sixteenth century, over which it was possible to walk to the [[Monach Islands]] at [[low tide]].<ref name=Smith/> The Monachs are some 15 kilometres to the west. Another story suggests there was once a land bridge to [[Kirkibost]], 100 metres to the north.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/islandblogging/westernisles/baleshare.shtml| publisher=BBC Scotland| title=Western Isles: Baleshire| accessdate=2007-08-18}}</ref> The basis for this seems to be a reference in the Exchequer Rolls for 1542 that the valued rental had been decreased due to encroachment by the sea at some unspecified (presumably recent) date.


Two prehistoric settlements have been uncovered, which contain the remains of a circular stone house and pieces of pottery, bone and metal. In common with other sites in the area, they are threatened by coastal erosion.<ref>{{cite news| title=History at risk from erosion by the sea| date=2007-05-30| author=Jamie Beatson| url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=840532007| work=[[The Scotsman]]| accessdate=2007-08-18}}</ref><ref>[http://www.sair.org.uk/sair3/sair3-contents.pdf Barber, John (2003) ''Bronze Age Farms and Iron Age Farm Mounds of the Outer Hebrides''. Scottish Archaeological Report 3.] Retrieved 18 August 2007.</ref>
Two prehistoric settlements have been uncovered, which contain the remains of a circular stone house and pieces of pottery, bone and metal. In common with other sites in the area, they are threatened by coastal erosion.<ref>{{cite news| title=History at risk from erosion by the sea| date=2007-05-30| author=Jamie Beatson| url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=840532007| work=[[The Scotsman]]| accessdate=2007-08-18}}</ref><ref>[http://www.sair.org.uk/sair3/sair3-contents.pdf Barber, John (2003) ''Bronze Age Farms and Iron Age Farm Mounds of the Outer Hebrides''. Scottish Archaeological Report 3.] Retrieved 18 August 2007.</ref>

Revision as of 06:42, 8 June 2013

Baleshare
Scottish Gaelic nameAm Baile Sear
Meaning of nameGaelic for 'east town'.
Location
OS grid referenceNF788619
Physical geography
Island groupUists and Barra
Area910 hectares (3.5 sq mi)
Area rank54 [1]
Highest elevation12 metres (39 ft)
Administration
Council areaNa h-Eileanan Siar
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Demographics
Population49
Population rank56 [1]
Largest settlementSamhla
Lymphad
References[2][3][4][5]
The only telephone box on Baleshare

Baleshare (Scottish Gaelic: Baile Sear) is a flat tidal island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.

Baleshare lies to the south-west of North Uist. Its economics and community were boosted by the building of a causeway in 1962. The 350 m (380 yd) causeway was built by William Tawse Ltd.[6] The island is extremely flat by Hebridean standards, rising to only 12 metres above sea level and known for its long sandy beach. It has a population of 49 living in two settlements: Samhla and Teananachar.

The name means 'east farm' or 'east town'. The 'west town' may have been on land that was said to exist to the west of Baleshare, washed away in the sixteenth century, over which it was possible to walk to the Monach Islands at low tide.[3] The Monachs are some 15 kilometres to the west. Another story suggests there was once a land bridge to Kirkibost, 100 metres to the north.[7] The basis for this seems to be a reference in the Exchequer Rolls for 1542 that the valued rental had been decreased due to encroachment by the sea at some unspecified (presumably recent) date.

Two prehistoric settlements have been uncovered, which contain the remains of a circular stone house and pieces of pottery, bone and metal. In common with other sites in the area, they are threatened by coastal erosion.[8][9]

Notable people from Baleshare

  • John Fergusson, Nova Scotia politician.[10]
  • Cailean MacQuarrie, Cadet featuring in ITV documentary 'The Merchant Navy'.[11]

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
  2. ^ General Register Office for Scotland (28 November 2003) Scotland's Census 2001 – Occasional Paper No 10: Statistics for Inhabited Islands. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  3. ^ a b Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
  4. ^ Ordnance Survey
  5. ^ Mac an Tàilleir, Iain (2003) Ainmean-àite/Placenames. (pdf) Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Baleshare Causeway". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 2007-08-18.
  7. ^ "Western Isles: Baleshire". BBC Scotland. Retrieved 2007-08-18.
  8. ^ Jamie Beatson (2007-05-30). "History at risk from erosion by the sea". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2007-08-18.
  9. ^ Barber, John (2003) Bronze Age Farms and Iron Age Farm Mounds of the Outer Hebrides. Scottish Archaeological Report 3. Retrieved 18 August 2007.
  10. ^ The Canadian parliamentary companion, HJ Morgan (1874)
  11. ^ [1]

57°32′N 7°22′W / 57.533°N 7.367°W / 57.533; -7.367

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