Stornoway

Stornoway (Norse, Stjarna vagr, " Stjarna's Bay"), the chief and largest town in the western islands and also the principal town of the county of Ross and Cromarty. Pop. (1901), 3852. It is situated on the east coast of Lewis, at the head of a capacious harbour with ample quays and wharves, accessible at all tides and available for steamers of 3000 tons burden. The harbour is protected by two headlands, on the more southerly of which - Arnish Point - stands a lighthouse. From the end of this point there juts out a line of rocks on the extremity of which a beacon, 32 ft. high, has been erected, which is illuminated by means of a light thrown on to a prism in the lantern from the light in the lighthouse. Stornoway was made a burgh of barony by James VI., and is also a police burgh. It is the centre of the Outer Hebrides fishery district, and during the herring season the population is trebled. Among the public buildings are Lewis Hospital, Mossend Hospital, the Court House, the Drill Hall, the Masonic Hall, a commodious structure in which the public library is housed, and the fish mart. Stornoway Castle, overlooking the town from a height on the west side, is a handsome castellated mansion in the Tudor style, built as the residence of Sir James Matheson.