Historic Shielings of Pàirc

Keypoints: If you walk the remote loch-studded moors of the Pàirc area of Lewis today, you may unexpectedly come across old ruins on green patches of land, often in evocative locations but usually no more than a tumble of rough stones following a roughly circular ground-plan. What are they, and how, when, and by whom were they used?

Categories: History, Local history, Building

Readership:General

Contents: In this lavishly illustrated book, John Randall sheds light on and brings to life the vanished shieling culture of Pàirc, based on historic maps, traditional folklore, and tramping the moors. Many questions are raised, and no defi nitive answers are possible, but this book will be of consuming interest to all those – in Lewis and beyond – who are intrigued by this beautiful landscape and its former human history.

About the author: John Randall is a retired Scottish Office civil servant and former Registrar General for Scotland who has lived in the Pàirc district of Lewis since 2004. He has developed a strong interest in the history and culture of the island, and has been involved with several local voluntary organisations including the Islands Book Trust, Pàirc Trust, Co-Chomunn na Pàirc and Comunn Eachdraidh na Pàirc. His interest in the historic shielings of Pàirc stemmed from walking the moors, talking to local people about bygone traditions, learning Gaelic, and a longstanding love of old maps and antiquarian books.

Published: 2017