View source for Scalpay, Outer Hebrides

{{Short description|Island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland}}
{{For|the larger island in the Inner Hebrides|Scalpay, Inner Hebrides}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Scottish island
|coordinates = {{coord|57|51|54|N|06|40|39|W|display=inline,title}}
|location_map=Scotland Outer Hebrides
|caption=Scalpay shown within Outer Hebrides
|GridReference=NG214965
|official_name=Scalpay
|celtic name=Sgalpaigh (na Hearadh)
|gaelic pronunciation={{IPA-gd|ˈs̪kal̪ˠpaj||Sgalpaigh.ogg}}
|norse name=Skalprøy<ref name=Smith/>
|meaning of name=scallop island or ship Island
|area= {{convert|653|ha|sqmi|frac=4|abbr=on}}
|area rank= 66
|highest elevation=Beinn Scorabhaig {{convert|104|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
|Population=291<ref name=NRS>{{NRS1C}}</ref>
|population rank=26
|population density ={{convert|44.5|PD/km2|abbr=on}}<ref name=Smith/><ref name=NRS/>
|main settlement=Am Baile (The Village)
|island group=[[Lewis and Harris]]
|local authority=[[Comhairle nan Eilean Siar]]
|references=<ref name=Smith>{{Haswell-Smith}}</ref><ref>{{Ordnance Survey}}</ref><ref>{{Gaelic Placenames}}</ref>
}}
'''Scalpay''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|k|æ|l|p|eɪ}};<ref>{{cite LPD|3}}</ref> {{lang-gd|Sgalpaigh}} or ''Sgalpaigh na Hearadh''; i.e. "Scalpay of [[Harris, Outer Hebrides|Harris]]" to distinguish it from [[Scalpay, Inner Hebrides|Scalpay]] off [[Skye]]) is an island in the [[Outer Hebrides]] of Scotland.

==Toponym ==
Mac an Tàilleir (2003) suggests the name derives from "ship island" from the Norse.<ref>Mac an Tàilleir p. 103</ref> However, Haswell-Smith states that the [[Old Norse]] name was ''Skalprøy'', meaning "scallop island".<ref name=Smith/>

== Geology and geography==
Scalpay is around {{convert|4|km|frac=2|abbr=off}} long and rises to a height of {{convert|104|m|0|abbr=off}} at Beinn Scorabhaig. The area of Scalpay is {{convert|653|ha|sqmi|frac=8}}. The main settlement on the island is at the north, near the bridge, clustered around ''An Acairseid a Tuath'' (North Harbour).

The bedrock of northwest and of southeast Scalpay is [[Archean|Archaean]] [[gneiss]] belonging to the [[Lewisian Complex]]. Across the centre of the island is a band of [[mylonite]] and [[protocataclasite]] associated with the [[Outer Hebrides Thrust Zone]]. Some restricted occurrences of [[amphibolite]] and [[ultramafic rock]]s are also present. A number of [[tholeiitic]] [[dike (geology)|dykes]] of [[Tertiary]] age cross the island with a NW-SE alignment. Scalpay is largely free from superficial deposits apart from an area of [[peat]] in the northeast.
<ref>{{cite web |title=Onshore Geoindex |url=https://mapapps2.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex/home.html |website=British Geological Survey |publisher=British Geological Survey |access-date=5 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Lewis and Harris (south), 1:100,000 Solid Geology |url=http://www.largeimages.bgs.ac.uk/iip/mapsportal.html?id=1002539 |website=BGS large map images |publisher=British Geological Survey |access-date=5 February 2020}}</ref>

The island is peppered with small [[loch]]ans. The largest of these is Loch an Duin (Loch of the Fort) which has a tiny island in it, with the remains of the fort still visible. [[Eilean Glas, Scalpay|Eilean Glas]], a tiny peninsula on Scalpay's eastern shore, is home to the first [[lighthouse]] to be built in the Outer Hebrides.

Scalpay's nearest neighbour, Harris, is just {{convert|300|m|ft|sigfig=1|abbr=off}} away across the narrows of Caolas Scalpaigh. In 1997, a bridge from Harris to Scalpay was built,<ref>{{cite web| title=Scalpay Bridge| url=https://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/bridges-causeways-and-ferries/scalpay-bridge/| publisher=Comhairle nan Eilean Siar| access-date=24 February 2019}}</ref> replacing a ferry service.

==History==
In 1746, [[Charles Edward Stuart]] fled to Scalpay after his forces were defeated at the [[Battle of Culloden]].

Scalpay is home to many Gaelic singers and psalm [[precentor]]s. The island used to have more than 10 shops over 30 years ago but due to lack of people and work, the last shop closed in 2007. There also used to be a salmon factory, which was a major local employer from 2001 until its closure in 2005. In the spring of 2009, local newspapers reported that the factory was to reopen as a net washing facility to support the local fish farming industry. In 2012, the Scalpay community bought and opened a community shop/café, ''Buth Scalpaigh''.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/community/scalpay-community-shop-opening-1-2284270| title=Scalpay community shop opening| date=9 May 2012| newspaper=[[Stornoway Gazette]]| access-date=2 June 2013}}</ref>

Photographer [[Marco Secchi]] lived on Scalpay for few years between 2002-2008 and documented life and landscape of the Outer Hebrides.

In 2011 the island's owner, Fred Taylor, announced that he proposed handing over the land to the local population. One proposal was that the island would be owned by a local [[development trust]]; under another proposal it would form part of the larger [[Harris, Scotland|North Harris]] Trust, itself community owned.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.senscot.net/view_art.php?viewid=10790| title=Islanders offered home as a ‘free gift’ from London owner| publisher=Senscot, quoting the [[The Press and Journal (Scotland)|Press and Journal]]|date=18 Feb 2011| access-date=11 Mar 2011}}</ref> Islanders voted to accept the gift and assume community ownership of the island. They will go into partnership with the North Harris Community Trust to run the island.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-20219187| title=Scalpay islanders vote in favour of takeover| work=[[BBC News]]|date=6 November 2012| access-date=2 June 2013}}</ref>

==Demographics==
In 2001, the island had 322 people, whose main employment was [[fish farming]] and [[prawn]] fishing. By 2011 the population had declined by 9% to 291<ref name=NRS/> whilst during the same period [[List of Scottish islands|Scottish island]] populations as a whole grew by 4% to 103,702.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-23711202 "Scotland's 2011 census: Island living on the rise" ]. BBC News. Retrieved 18 August 2013.</ref>

The vast majority of the locals in Scalpay are Protestants. The island is home to two Presbyterian churches, the [[Free Church of Scotland (post 1900)|Free Church of Scotland]] and the [[Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)]].

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

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

{{Lewis and Harris}}
{{Hebrides}}
{{Islands of Scotland}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Islands off Lewis and Harris]]
[[Category:Harris, Outer Hebrides]]