North Uist

"NORTH UIST, a parish and island in county Inverness, Scotland. It comprises the quoad sacra parish of Trumisgary, the villages of Carinish and Lochmaddy, and the islets of Boreray, Orinsay, Balishear, Grimsay, Heisker, Illary, Kirkibbost, Morgay, Ronay, and Vallay. It extends in length about 17 miles from E. to W., with a breadth varying from 34 to 13¼ miles. The parish is bounded on the N.W. by the Atlantic Ocean, on the N.E. by the Sound of Harris, on the S.E. by the Little Minch channel, and on the S.W. by a narrow and shallow strait, which is fordable at a place called the N. strand. The surface is flat in the interior, comprising a large extent of rock, bog, and barren waste, the highest point being Ben Croaghan, in the W., which rises 1,500 feet above sea-level. On the E., at lochs Maddy and Enort, are excellent harbours. The prevailing rocks are gneiss and slate, and bog iron is found 15 miles W. of Skye. At Lochmaddy is a packet station, and had formerly a considerable trade-in kelp, &c. The parish is in the presbytery of Uist and synod of Glenelg, and in the patronage of the crown. The stipend of the minister is about £158. The parish church was erected in 1764. At Trumisgarry are a Free church and a quoad sacra church with a parliamentary endowment. There are a parochial school, and several others."

Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)