Editing North Uist (section)

==History==
===Early history===
[[File:Pobull Fhinn - geograph.org.uk - 1483251.jpg|thumb|The remains of Pobull Fhinn stone circle]]
[[File:Barpa Langass - geograph.org.uk - 1342027.jpg|thumb|left|The [[cairn]] at Langass]]
A number of standing stones from the [[Neolithic]] period are scattered throughout the island, including a [[stone circle]] at [[Pobull Fhinn]]. In addition to these, a large [[burial cairn]], in almost pristine condition, is located at [[Barpa Langass]]. The island remained inhabited for at least part of the [[Bronze Age]]; a burial from this period was found on the Udal peninsula (near [[Sollas]]). For the [[Iron Age]], in addition to the [[wheelhouse (archaeology)|wheelhouses]] typical of the Outer Hebrides, the remains of a [[broch]](fort), from the late Iron Age, can be found at [[Dun an Sticir]]; there was formerly another broch near [[Scolpaig]], but it was replaced by [[Scolpaig Tower]] in the 19th century. In the 3rd century, stone houses came into use which were shaped like [[Jelly Babies]]{{refn|group="note"|The first "Jelly Baby" house to be discovered was on the Udal peninsula.}}.

===Kingdom of the Isles===

Whoever the occupants of "Jelly Baby" houses were, they were followed in the 9th century by [[Viking]] settlers, who established the [[Kingdom of the Isles]] throughout the Hebrides. Initially, Vikings built [[turf]]-based buildings; however, on the shore, the environmental and chemical composition of [[machair]] causes these buildings to rapidly degrade and turn [[mauve]]{{refn|group="note"|The distinctive purple colouring of their remains forms a useful marker for archaeologists}}. Following Norwegian unification, the Kingdom of the Isles became a crown dependency of the Norwegian king; to the Norwegians it was ''Suðreyjar'' (meaning "southern isles"). [[Malcolm III of Scotland]] acknowledged in writing that Suðreyjar was not Scottish, and [[Edgar of Scotland|King Edgar]] [[quitclaim]]ed any residual doubts.

However, in the mid-12th century, [[Somerled]], a [[Norse-Gael]] of uncertain origin, launched a coup, which made Suðreyjar entirely independent. Following his death, Norwegian authority was nominally restored, but in practice, the kingdom was divided between Somerled's heirs ([[Clann Somhairle]]), and the dynasty that Somerled had deposed (the [[Crovan dynasty]]). The [[Clann Ruaidhrí|MacRory]], a branch of Somerled's heirs, ruled Uist, as well as [[Barra]], [[Eigg]], [[Rùm]], the [[Rough Bounds]], [[Isle of Bute|Bute]], [[Isle of Arran|Arran]], and northern [[Jura, Scotland|Jura]].<ref>''Kingship and Unity, Scotland 1000-1306'', G. W. S. Barrow, Edinburgh University Press, 1981</ref><ref>''Galloglas: Hebridean and West Highland Mercenary Warrior Kindreds in Medieval Ireland'', John Marsden, 2003</ref><ref>''Lismore: The Great Garden'', Robert Hay, 2009, Birlinn Ltd</ref><ref>''Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland'', 90 (1956–1957), A.A.M. Duncan, A.L Brown, pages 204–205</ref><ref>''The Kingdom of the Isles: Scotland's Western Seaboard'', R. A. McDonald, 1997, Tuckwell Press</ref>

In the 13th century, despite Edgar's quitclaim, Scottish forces attempted to conquer parts of Suðreyjar, culminating in the indecisive [[Battle of Largs]].

In 1266, the matter was settled by the [[Treaty of Perth]], which transferred the whole of Suðreyjar to Scotland, in exchange for a very large sum of money{{refn|group="note"|4000 marks}}. The treaty expressly preserved the status of the rulers of Suðreyjar; the MacRory lands, excepting Bute, Arran, and Jura, became the Lordship of [[Garmoran]], a quasi-independent crown dependency, rather than an intrinsic part of Scotland.

===Lordship of Garmoran===
{{main|Garmoran}}
[[File:Teampull na Trionaid 20090608 from north.jpg|thumb|The ruins of [[Teampull na Trionaid]], an [[Augustinians|Augustinian]] [[nunnery]] and "college of learning" at [[Carinish]] said, in the [[Red Book of Clanranald]], to have been founded by [[Bethóc, Prioress of Iona|Bethóc]], daughter of [[Somerled]], and rebuilt and enlarged by [[Amy of Garmoran]], after her divorce from [[John of Islay, Lord of the Isles]].<ref>Bill Lawson (2004), ''North Uist in History and Legend'', Birlinn. Pages 79–81.</ref>]]
At the turn of the century, [[William I of Scotland|William I]] had created the position of [[Sheriff of Inverness]], to be responsible for the Scottish highlands, which theoretically now extended to Garmoran.<ref>Dickinson W.C., ''The Sheriff Court Book of Fife'', Scottish History Society, Third Series, Vol. XII (Edinburgh 1928), pp. 357-360</ref><ref>''The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707'', K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007–2017), 15 July 1476</ref> In 1293, however, King [[John Balliol]] established the [[Sheriffdom of Skye]], which included the Outer Hebrides. Nevertheless, following his usurpation, the [[Skye]] sheriffdom ceased to be mentioned{{refn|group="note"|in surviving records, at least}}, and the Garmoran lordship (including Uist) was confirmed to [[Ruaidhrí Mac Ruaidhrí|the MacRory leader]]. In 1343, King [[David II of Scotland|David II]] issued a further charter for this to [[Raghnall Mac Ruaidhrí|the latter's son]].<ref>''Regesta Regum Scottorum VI'' ed. Bruce Webster (Edinburgh 1982) no. 73.</ref>

In 1346, just three years later, the sole surviving MacRory heir was [[Amy of Garmoran]]. The southern parts of the Kingdom of the Isles had become the [[Lordship of the Isles]], ruled by the [[Clan Donald|MacDonald]]s (another group of Somerled's descendants). Amy married the MacDonald leader, [[John of Islay, Lord of the Isles|John of Islay]], but a decade later he divorced her, and married the king's niece instead (in return for a substantial [[dowry]]). As part of the divorce, John deprived his eldest son, [[Ranald MacDonald (founder of Clanranald)|Ranald]], of the ability to inherit the Lordship of the Isles, in favour of a son by his new wife. As compensation, John granted Lordship of the Uists to Ranald's younger brother Godfrey, and made Ranald Lord of the remainder of Garmoran.

However, on Ranald's death, his sons were still children, and Godfrey took the opportunity to seize the Lordship of Garmoran. Furthermore, Godfrey had a younger brother, Murdoch, whose heirs (the [[Siol Murdoch]]) now claimed to own part of North Uist. This led to a great deal of violent conflict involving Godfrey's family (the [[Siol Gorrie]]) and those of his brothers. Surviving records do not describe this in detail, but traditional accounts report an incident where the Siol Gorrie dug away the embankment of a Loch, causing it to flood a nearby village in which the Siol Murdoch lived (and hence drown them); the accounts claim that the floodwater formed Loch Hosta.<ref>Townsend, Mike. (2015). ''Walking on Uist and Barra''. pp. 76 - 77.</ref>

In 1427, frustrated with the level of violence generally in the highlands, together with the insurrection caused by [[Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany|his own cousin]], King [[James I of Scotland|James I]] demanded that highland magnates should attend a meeting at [[Inverness]]. On arrival, many of the leaders were seized and imprisoned. Alexander MacGorrie, son of Godfrey, was considered to be one of the two most reprehensible, and after a quick [[show trial]], was immediately executed.<ref name="G65">{{Citation | author1=Gregory, Donald | title=History of the Western Highlands and Isles of Scotland, from A.D. 1493 to A.D. 1625, with a brief introductory sketch, from A.D. 80 to A.D. 1493 | publisher=Edinburgh, W. Tait | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DaoHAAAAQAAJ | access-date=11 May 2012 | year=1836 }}, p. 65</ref> As Alexander had by now inherited Godfrey's [[de facto]] position as Lord of Garmoran, and in view of Ranald's heirs being no less responsible for the violence, King James declared the Lordship forfeit.

===Early lairds===

====Hugh of Sleat and his sons====
[[File:Dunes to farmland - geograph.org.uk - 660262.jpg|thumb|left|View over western North Uist]]
Following the forfeiture, most of Garmoran (including North Uist) remained with the Scottish crown until 1469, when [[James III of Scotland|James III]] granted Lairdship of it to [[John of Islay, Earl of Ross|John of Ross]], the Lord of the Isles. In turn, John passed it to his own half-brother, [[Hugh of Sleat]]; the grant to Hugh was confirmed by the king – [[James IV of Scotland|James IV]] – in a 1493 charter, but Ranald's heirs ([[Clan Ranald]]) disputed the charter.

Hugh died a few years later, and in 1505 his eldest son, John, granted North Uist (and Sleat) to [[Ranald Bane]], the Captain of [[Clanranald]]; the reasons John had for this are not reported by surviving records. Nevertheless, Hugh's second son, Donald ''Gallach'', opposed Clan Ranald and established his own [[de facto]] control of North Uist and Sleat{{refn|group="note"|Historic records refer to this as holding the lands "by the sword"}}. In the following year (1506), Donald was stabbed to death by his own younger brother – [[Gilleasbuig Dubh|Black Archibald]]. The king authorised Ranald Bane to take the lands by force; according to traditional accounts, Ranald Bane's success led to Black Archibald resorting to piracy.<ref name="AAMacDonald">Angus & Archibald Macdonald. ''The Clan Donald'' volume 3: ''Inverness'', The Northern Counties Publishing Company Ltd, 1900.</ref>

[[File:'Whipped Cream' sea foam on North Uist - geograph.org.uk - 1350037.jpg|thumb|sea foam in North West North Uist]]
Three years later, however, Black Archibald returned. Traditional accounts relate that while he had been away, Angus Collach{{refn|group="note"|"Collach" refers to the fact that Angus' mother was from [[Coll]]}} (Archibald's other brother) attempted to rape a woman on North Uist; outraged by this, an armed party made up of men from the Siol Gorrie (to which the woman belonged) and Clan Ranald (to which her husband belonged) captured Angus and drowned him at sea.<ref name="AAMacDonald" /> According to these accounts, Black Archibald now took revenge, killing large numbers of Siol Gorrie.<ref name="AAMacDonald" /> Despite his behaviour, Black Archibald managed to ingratiate himself with James IV, by capturing and handing over two pirates – distant relations from [[Clan MacAlister]];<ref name="AAMacDonald" /> in 1511, the king rewarded Black Archibald by pardoning him for his crimes, and confirming his possession of Sleat and North Uist.<ref name="AAMacDonald" />

====The Hunchback====
[[File:Looking over North Uist - geograph.org.uk - 857223.jpg|thumb|left|View over northern North Uist]]
At some point before 1520, Black Archibald was murdered by Donald Gallach's son, Donald Gruamach{{refn|group="note"|''Graumach'' is [[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]] for "gloomy"}}. Consequently, in 1520, James IV issued a charter awarding lairdship of Sleat and North Uist to [[Alasdair Crotach MacLeod]]{{refn|group="note"|''Crotach'' is Gaelic for "hunchback"}}, the leader of the [[Sìol Tormoid]], who possessed the neighbouring lands, and had been loyal to James during [[Donald Dubh]]'s rebellion.

In 1539, Donald Gruamach's son – Donald Gorm{{refn|group="note"|''Gorm'' is Gaelic for "bue"; typically, ''Gorm'' was used as a nickname for people with blue/green eyes}} – invaded the Siol Tormoid lands on Skye, in an attempt to take back Sleat and North Uist{{refn|group="note"|Donald Gorm's ultimate aim was to re-establish the Lordship of the Isles, which by this point had been defunct for over 40 years. Donald Gorm was the senior male heir to the Lordship, except for [[Donald Dubh]], whose [[legitimacy (family law)|legitimacy]] was thought suspect}}. However, that same year, Donald Gorm was hit by an arrow while besieging [[Eilean Donan]] castle; in the process of removing it, he severed an artery, and died{{refn|group="note"|The arrow was barbed, unbeknownst to him. According to a traditional legend, this single arrow had been the only piece of ammunition present in the entire castle, which was otherwise undefended}}. In 1542, king [[James V of Scotland|James V]] issued a charter confirming Alastair Crotach as laird of Sleat and North Uist.

{{clear left}}

====Mary MacLeod====
[[File:Struan Cottage, Malacleit - geograph.org.uk - 1523227.jpg|thumb|Traditional cottage on Uist]]
After the deaths of Alastair Crotach and his son William in quick succession (1547, and 1553, respectively), Alastair's heir was his young granddaughter, Mary MacLeod. Donald Gormson, Donald Gorm's son<!--this is not a duplication-->, took the opportunity to seize Sleat and North Uist. The [[James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault#Regent of Scotland|Earl of Arran]], regent to [[Mary, Queen of Scots]], assigned nominal [[Tenant-in-chief#Heirs|feudal wardship]] of her to the [[Earl of Huntly]], who himself proposed to sell it to the [[Earl of Argyll]]. Following Arran's death in 1554, [[Mary of Guise]] was appointed regent for her daughter and issued Argyll and Huntly with a [[Commission of Justiciary#Commission of fire and sword|"commission of fire and sword"]] against Donald Gormson and Clan Ranald, instructing the earls to pursue their "utter extermination".

However, the forces of the Earl of Huntly had previously been defeated by Clan Ranald at the [[Battle of the Shirts]], which made them reluctant to enter Clan Ranald territory; the Earl abandoned the pursuit, but was promptly imprisoned by Mary of Guise for doing so. Three years later, the [[Lords of the Congregation]], the Earl of Argyll among them, emerged as an organised resistance to the Queen Regent. By 1562, the Earl of Huntly, now released, was in outright opposition to Queen Mary, and died opposing her at the [[Battle of Corrichel]]. In 1565 the tables turned when Donald Gormson took the queen's side during the [[Chaseabout Raid]] and was consequently back in royal favour.

On 4 March 1567{{refn|group="note"|1566 [[Julian Calendar|old-style]]}} Donald Gormson and the Earl of Argyll drew up a contract, according to which:
*Donald Gormson would enter a bond of [[manrent]] to the Earl of Argyll
*Donald Gormson would provide military aid to Mary MacLeod's uncle, on demand from the Earl of Argyll
*Mary MacLeod would quitclaim her rights to Sleat and North Uist in return for 500 marks, to be paid by Donald Gormson
*The Earl of Argyll would persuade Queen Mary to grant him a charter for those lands, and [[subinfeudation|subinfeudate]] them to Donald Gormson, in return for 1000 marks

====Old Blue-eyes====

[[File:Battle of Cairninis - geograph.org.uk - 1341853.jpg|thumb|left|The Battlefield at Carinish{{refn|thumb|the modern walkway bridges a militarily significant ditch}}]]
In 1594, as an opponent of [[The Reformation]], Donald Gorm Mor{{refn|group="note"|''Mor'' is Gaelic for "the elder"}} – Donald Gormson's grandson – sent troops to [[Gaelic Ireland]] to assist [[Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone|Aodh Mór Ó Néill]] and [[Red Hugh O'Donnell]] during the [[Nine Years' War (Ireland)|Rising of the Northern Clans]] against [[Elizabeth I of England|Queen Elizabeth I of England]]. In 1596, concerned by this, and similar action by other [[Scottish clan chief]]s, King [[James VI of Scotland]] (Elizabeth's heir) demanded that highland leaders send well-armed men, as well as attending themselves, to meet him at [[Dumbarton]] on 1 August. Donald Gorm Mor obeyed the summons, and was consequently pardoned for previous offences, and granted a charter which acknowledged him as rightful heir of Hugh of Sleat, and confirmed him as laird of Sleat and North Uist.

In an attempt to solidify peaceful relations with the Siol Tormoid, Donald Gorm Mor married the daughter of the then Siol Tormoid leader, [[Roderick Macleod of Macleod|Rory Mor]]. Unfortunately, the marriage failed catastrophically, leading to the [[War of the One-Eyed Woman]]. A series of initial skirmishes led to the [[Battle of Carinish]] in North Uist, the last battle in Scotland that involved bows and arrows. It led to the [[Battle of Coire Na Creiche]], where Donald Gorm Mor won a more decisive victory, at which point the [[privy council]] intervened, and imposed a lasting peace. Donald was succeeded by his nephew, Donald Gorm Og{{refn|group="note"|''Og'' is Gaelic for "the younger"}}, whose loyalty to the king resulted in him being made the first [[Baron Macdonald#Macdonald baronets, of Sleat (1625)|Baronet of Sleat]]{{refn|group="note"|Despite the Baronetcy referring to Sleat, in Scotland, it was created in the [[Baronetage of Nova Scotia (1625–1706)|peerage of Nova Scotia]], rather than of Scotland, as an attempt to encourage colonial development of [[Nova Scotia]]}}.

===Post-union===

====The Papists Act====
[[File:View from Eaval - geograph.org.uk - 857218.jpg|thumb|View over southern North Uist]]
A century later, Sir Donald MacDonald, the 4th Baronet of Sleat, was living comfortably in [[Glasgow]]. In 1715, he supported [[Jacobite rising of 1715|the Jacobite rebellion]] and attacked the [[Earl of Sutherland]], but fell ill and fled to Skye. He was pursued and forced to flee to North Uist.<ref name="JMacDonald">''Clan Donald'', Donald J MacDonald, MacDonald Publishers (of Loanhead, Midlothian), 1978, p.426</ref> When the [[Papists Act 1716|Papists Act]] was passed the following year, requiring his attendance at Inverlochy, he argued that he was too ill to travel, but magistrates could visit him instead. Under the terms of the act, this made him a recusant,<ref name="JMacDonald" /> and his lairdships were accordingly forfeited, under the  terms of the [[Crown Lands (Forfeited Estates) Act 1715|Forfeited Estates Act]] of the previous year.<ref name="JMacDonald" />

The Commissioners of Forfeited Estates surveyed the land and found that it was in very poor condition; in North Uist, the local population had recently lost 745 cows, 573 horses, and 820 sheep to plague, and the sea had overflowed the land and destroyed many houses.<ref name="JMacDonald" /> On his succession in 1723, the 7th baronet{{refn|group="note"|The 4th baronet and his sonless son (the 5th baronet) died in quick succession (1718, and 1720, respectively), leaving the baronetcy to the 4th baronet's brother, James. The 6th baronet died in 1723 and was succeeded by his son, Alexander MacDonald.}} arranged for a middleman, Kenneth MacKenzie,{{refn|group="note"|Kenneth MacKenzie was an [[advocate]], based in Edinburgh}} to buy back Sleat and North Uist from the Commissioners{{refn|group="note"|for £21,000}} and pass them on to him.<ref name="JMacDonald" /> In 1727, the 7th baronet was granted a royal charter formally acknowledging his position as laird of the Sleat and North Uist.<ref name="JMacDonald" />

According to historian [[John Lorne Campbell]], Sir Alexander [[MacDonald of Sleat]] and his clan took no part in the [[Jacobite Uprising of 1745]], but they were included in the repression of Highland dress and culture that followed the [[Battle of Culloden]]. However, North Uist [[bard]] [[Iain Mac Fhearchair]] (John MacCodrum), the official poet to the chief, wrote the satirical poem "Òran an Aghaidh an Eididh Ghallda" ("A Song Against the Lowland Garb"), which "shows clearly where his own sympathies lay".<ref>Campbell (1971), ''Highland Songs of the Forty-Five'', pages 246, 248-253.</ref>

MacCodrum also composed poetry criticizing both the [[Scottish clan chief]]s and the [[Anglo-Scottish]] landlords of the [[Highlands and Islands]] for the often brutal [[Highland Clearances|mass evictions of the Scottish Gaels]] that followed the [[Battle of Culloden]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://virtualgael.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/highland-clearances-3/|title=Highland Clearances – 3|date=25 November 2013|access-date=28 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229101022/https://virtualgael.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/highland-clearances-3/|archive-date=29 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> and on mundane topics such as old age and [[whiskey]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Mackenzie |first=John |author-link=John Mackenzie (1806–1848) |title=Sar-Obair nam Bard Gaelach: or the Beauties of Gaelic Poetry |date=1872 |pages=144}}</ref>

Among MacCodrum's most popular anti-landlord poems mocks Aonghus MacDhòmhnaill, the post-Culloden [[tacksman]] of [[Griminish]]. It is believed to date from between 1769 and 1773, when overwhelming numbers of Sir Alexander MacDonald's tenants on the isles of North Uist and Skye were reacting to his [[rackrenting]] and other harsh treatments by immigrating to the region surrounding the [[Cape Fear River]] in [[North Carolina]]. The song is known in the oral tradition of North Uist as ''Òran Fir Ghriminis'' ("A Song of the Tacksman of Griminish"). The song is equally popular among speakers of [[Canadian Gaelic]] in [[Nova Scotia]], where it is known under the differing title, ''Òran Aimereaga'' ("The Song of America").<ref>Edited by Michael Newton (2015), ''Seanchaidh na Coille: Memory-Keeper of the Forest'', [[Cape Breton University]] Press. Pages 44-52.</ref>

====Kelp====
[[File:Rockpool - geograph.org.uk - 608824.jpg|thumb|left|Kelp on the coast of North Uist]]
During the [[French Revolutionary Wars]], the scarcity of external supplies of minerals to the [[United Kingdom]] led to a boom in the [[kelp]] industry, which became North Uist's main source of income.<ref name="globalgenealogy-LawsonII">Lawson, Bill. [http://globalgenealogy.com/globalgazette/gazbl/gazbl35.htm "From The Outer Hebrides to Cape Breton - Part II"]. ''[http://www.globalgenealogy.com/globalgazette/ The Global Gazette]''. 10 September 1999. Retrieved on 14 October 2007</ref> When the war ended, the availability of foreign mineral supplies led to an abrupt collapse in the demand for kelp-based products. The burning of kelp had also damaged the fertility of the land. As a result, the [[crofters]] of North Uist could no longer afford the rents.<ref name="globalgenealogy-LawsonII"/> Even though the landlords reduced the rents (e.g. in 1827 the rents were reduced by 20%) many crofters resorted to emigration.<ref name="globalgenealogy-LawsonII"/>

In 1826 the villages of Kyles Berneray, Baile Mhic Coinein, and Baile Mhic Phàil, at the north-east corner of North Uist, were abandoned by their inhabitants. Although some moved further south-east to Loch Portain, most of those affected moved to [[Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia|Cape Breton]], in [[Nova Scotia]]{{refn|group="note"|This is shown in the rental roll of 1827, which states that over fifty families had "Gone to America", meaning Cape Breton.<ref name="globalgenealogy-LawsonII"/>}}.<ref name="globalgenealogy-LawsonII"/> As the economic conditions worsened, and with reports of islanders having success overseas, the numbers of families emigrating from Scotland to [[North America]] greatly increased.<ref name="globalgenealogy-LawsonII"/> By 1838, the number of people having left North Uist was reported as 1,300; before the 1820s, the population of North Uist had been almost 5,000,<ref name="Hebridean-Princess">[http://www.hebridean.co.uk/_pdf/Hebridean-Princess-Scotland.pdf Hebridean Princess Scotland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930044732/http://www.hebridean.co.uk/_pdf/Hebridean-Princess-Scotland.pdf |date=2011-09-30 }} Retrieved on 17 October 2007</ref> but by 1841 it had fallen to 3,870.

====The Highland Clearances====
[[File:Ruined boathouse on Loch Langais - geograph.org.uk - 1438212.jpg|thumb|One of many abandoned buildings on Uist]]
The 7th baronet's heir, Godfrey MacDonald{{refn|group="note"|Godfrey William Wentworth Bosville-Macdonald}} (the 4th [[Baron Macdonald|Baron of Slate]]{{refn|group="note"|Slate is in [[County Antrim]], in [[Northern Ireland]], not to be confused with Sleat in Scotland}}) ran sheep on the abandoned crofts.<ref>''A History of the Highland Clearances: Agrarian Transformation and the Evictions 1746–1886'', Eric Richards, 1982, Taylor & Francis, p. 420</ref> The land was poor for farming but sufficient to sustain sheep, bringing the baron a better profit. As a result, he orchestrated one of the most notable mass [[eviction]]s of the [[Highland Clearances]].<ref>''The Scottish Pioneers of Upper Canada, 1784–1855'', Lucille Campey, 2005, National Heritage Books (Toronto), p. 122</ref> In 1849, an attempt to evict 603 crofters from [[Sollas]]{{refn|group="note"|A Hebridean settlement in [[Cape Breton County]], Nova Scotia was originally called Sollas, in connection with the evictees. It is now called Woodbine<ref name="Scotlandtrip2001">[http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/images/Scotlandtrip2001.pdf {{lang|gd|Turas Rannsachaidh dha 'n Albainn|nocat=y}}: Research Trip to Gaelic Scotland] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207001142/http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/images/Scotlandtrip2001.pdf |date=2008-12-07 }} Retrieved on 16 October 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.johncardinal.com/ca/ns/c3.htm Places in Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia] Retrieved on 16 October 2007</ref>}} caused rioting. Rocks were reportedly thrown at the police officers sent from Glasgow to quell the riot.<ref>[http://viscds.ca/sep02news.pdf Island Fling, September, 2002]. [http://viscds.ca Vancouver Island Scottish Country Dance Society]. Retrieved on 17 October 2007</ref><ref name="MacQuarrie-boston">MacQuarrie, Brian. "[http://graphics.boston.com/globe/magazine/2-25/featurestory1.shtml In search of Scottish roots]". ''[[Boston Globe]]'' Retrieved on 17 October 2007</ref> In the convictions that followed{{refn|group="note"|for the crime of rioting}}, the [[jury]] added the following written comments:
{{cquote|...the jury unanimously recommend the pannels to the utmost leniency and mercy of the Court, in consideration of the cruel, though it may be legal, proceedings adopted in ejecting the whole people of Solas from their houses and crops without the prospect of shelter, or a footing in their fatherland, or even the means of expatriating them to a foreign one...<ref>''Debating the Highland Clearances'', Eric Richards, 2007, Edinburgh University Press.p. 185–186.</ref>|}}

In 1855, Sir Godfrey decided to sell North Uist to Sir [[John Powlett Orde]].<ref name="Hebridean-Princess"/>

According to Bill Lawson, "The MacDonalds of Sleat possessed the island from 1469 until 1855, though the later proprietors took little interest in their estate except as a source of income. In 1855 the Lord MacDonald of the day sold the island to Sir John Powlett Orde, who had gained the reputation of being the worst type of landlord, utterly opposed to any attempt to improve the lot of his tenants, though it is only fair to point out that every one of the major evictions on the island was in fact carried out by the MacDonalds; they, being of a local source, are forgiven, and the blame is reserved for the incoming Sir John. He, in turn, sold parts of the island to his son Sir [[Arthur Campbell-Orde]], mainly in order to frustrate the terms of the [[Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886|Crofter's Acts]], which could have allowed [[crofting|crofters]] to apply for more land, but only on land with the same ownership. Sir Arthur eventually inherited the whole estate; he seems to have been a very different type of landlord, and was involved in the re-crofting of [[Sollas]] and other areas."<ref>Bill Lawson (2011), ''North Uist in History and Legend'', Birlinn. Pages 207-208.</ref>

The pre-clearance population of North Uist was about 5,000. Families particularly depleted during the clearances were the MacAulays, Morrisons, MacCodrums, MacCuishs, and MacDonalds.<ref name="globalgenealogy-LawsonII"/>

===Modern times===

In 1889, counties were formally created in Scotland, on shrieval boundaries, by [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889|a dedicated Local Government Act]]; North Uist, therefore, became part of the new [[Invernessshire|county of Inverness]]. Following late 20th century reforms, it became part of the Highland Region.

In 1944, the Campbell-Orde family sold North Uist to [[Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton]], who in 1960 sold it in turn to the [[Earl Granville|5th Earl Granville]],<ref name="Lawson 2011, page 208">Lawson (2011), page 208.</ref> and the current laird is [[Fergus Leveson-Gower, 6th Earl Granville]], who lives on the island.<ref name=DP>David Profumo, [https://www.countrylife.co.uk/luxury/art-and-antiques/in-focus-fergus-granville-the-driftwood-sculptor-inspired-by-north-uist-222134 In Focus: Fergus Granville, the driftwood sculptor inspired by North Uist], ''Country Life'', 5 February 2021, accessed 25 January 2023</ref> The Granville family administers the island through a [[trust fund]] called the North Uist Trust.<ref name="Hebridean-Princess"/>

Some of the [[machair]] townships, however, were taken over by the [[Board of Agriculture]] and its successors.<ref name="Lawson 2011, page 208"/>

The population of North Uist has dwindled to around 1,300.