Editing Soay, Inner Hebrides

{{Short description|Island of the Inner Hebrides, Highland Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox Scottish island
|Map=
|coordinates = {{coord|57.15|-6.23|display=inline}}
|location_map=Scotland Isle of Skye
|caption=Soay shown within the Skye area
|GridReference=NG443145
|official_name=Soay
|celtic name={{Audio|Sodhaigh.ogg|Sòdhaigh}}
|norse name=*Sauða-ey
|meaning of name=''Sheep Island''
|area=  {{convert|1036|ha|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}
|area rank= 49
|highest elevation= Beinn Bhreac, {{convert|141|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
|Population=3<ref name=NRS>{{NRS1C}}</ref>
|population rank= 89=
|population density ={{cvt|0.1|PD/km2}}{{sfn|Haswell-Smith|2004|p=149}}
|main settlement= Mol-chlach
|island group=[[Skye]] 
|local authority=[[Highland (council area)|Highland]]
|references={{sfn|Haswell-Smith|2004|p=149}}<ref>{{Ordnance Survey}}</ref>
}}
'''Soay''' ({{langx|gd|Sòdhaigh}}, {{IPA|gd|ˈs̪ɔː.aj|pron}}) is an island just off the coast of [[Skye]], in the [[Inner Hebrides]] of Scotland.

==Geography==
Soay lies to the west of [[Loch Scavaig]] on the south-west coast of Skye, from which it is separated by Soay Sound. Unlike its neighbours Skye and [[Rùm]], Soay is low-lying, reaching {{convert|141|m|ft|0}} at Beinn Bhreac. The dumb-bell shaped island is virtually cut in half by inlets that form Soay Harbour (north) and the main bay, Camas nan Gall (to the south). The main settlement, Mol-chlach, is on the shore of Camas nan Gall.{{sfn|Haswell-Smith|2004|p=151}} It is normally reached by boat from [[Elgol]]. The island is part of the [[Cuillin|Cuillin Hills]] [[National Scenic Area (Scotland)|National Scenic Area]], one of 40 in Scotland.<ref>[http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/protected-areas/national-designations/nsa/ "National Scenic Areas"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170311014235/http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/protected-areas/national-designations/nsa/ |date=2017-03-11 }}. SNH. Retrieved 30 March 2011.</ref>

==History==
[[Image:Soaybaskingsharkfisheries.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Former HQ of The Island of Soay Shark Fisheries Ltd, started – and finished – by [[Gavin Maxwell]]]]
The name derives from [[Old Norse]] ''Sauða-ey'' meaning ''Sheep Island''. Camas nan Gall (G: ''Bay of Foreigners'') is probably named after the [[Viking|Norse invaders]], after whom the Hebrides (''Na h-Innse Gall'') are also named.

The population peaked at 158 in 1851, following eviction of crofters from Skye in the [[Highland Clearances]].<ref>{{cite book| author=Perrott, David| title=Guide to the Western Islands of Scotland| year=1988| publisher=Kittiwake| location=Edinburgh| isbn=0-7028-0886-5}}</ref>

In 1946, author [[Gavin Maxwell]] bought the island and established a factory to process [[shark oil]] from [[basking shark]]s. The enterprise was unsuccessful, lasting just three years.<ref>{{cite web| title=Soay Overview| publisher=Gazetteer for Scotland| url=http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst1639.html | access-date=2007-07-22}}</ref> Maxwell wrote about it in his book ''Harpoon at a Venture''.<ref>{{cite book | isbn=1-899863-28-1 | title=Harpoon at a Venture | last1=Maxwell | first1=Gavin | date=1998 | publisher=House of Lochar }}</ref> After the failure of the business the island was sold on to Maxwell's business partner's wife (Jeanne Geddes), [[Tex Geddes]]. The island had the first solar-powered telephone exchange in the world.{{sfn|Haswell-Smith|2004|p=151}}

Previously mainly [[Scottish Gaelic]]-speaking, most of the population was evacuated, at their request, to [[Isle of Mull|Mull]] on 20 June 1953 due to the poor ferry schedule in the winter when it was frequently cancelled due to bad weather {{why|date=June 2017}}, since then the island has been sparsely populated.{{sfn|Haswell-Smith|2004|p=150}}  In 2001 the population was 7.<ref>{{GRO10}}</ref> By 2003 this had dwindled to 2{{sfn|Haswell-Smith|2004|p=149}} and the usually resident population in 2011 were three people.<ref name=NRS/>

==Stamps==
Local stamps were issued for Soay between 1965 and 1967, all on the Europa theme, some being overprinted to commemorate Sir Winston Churchill. As the stamps were produced without the owner's permission, they are regarded as [[Philatelic fakes and forgeries|bogus]].<ref name="catalog">{{cite news
  | title = Modern British Local Posts CD Catalogue, 2009 Edition
  | publisher = Phillips
  | year = 2003
  | url = http://www.seahorsepublishers.com/phillipscatalogues.htm
  | access-date = 2008-12-08
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080905071803/http://www.seahorsepublishers.com/phillipscatalogues.htm
  | archive-date = 2008-09-05
  }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Scottish islands}}
* [[List of islands of Scotland]]

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{Haswell-Smith}}
* {{cite book| title=The Soay of our Forefathers| author=Laurance Reed| date=2002| publisher=Birlinn| isbn=1-84158-229-8}}

{{Skye}}
{{hebrides}}
{{Islands of Scotland}}
{{coord|57|9|0|N|6|13|48|W|display=title}}

[[Category:Skye and Lochalsh]]
[[Category:Islands of Highland (council area)]]
[[Category:Islands of the Inner Hebrides]]