Gazetteer – Sleat Townships
Different spellings for place names are given; those in italic are the Gaelic version. The meaning of the place names is also given –whether Gaelic or Norse. For more information on local place names see our Place names page.
Achnacloich
Ach’ na Cloiche (‘the field of the stone’) In the mid-eighteenth century the area we now call…
Aird
An Aird During the 18th century this farm was held on a tack. It was then divided into 19 crofts…
Alltatuath
Alltatuath (North Burn). This farm was cleared of its tenants in the early 1800s.
Ardvasar
Àird a’ Bhàsair A township of three crofts – one for the ferryman, one for the blacksmith and one…
Armadale
Armadale Armadal (the Bay of the Dale) – The Macdonalds of Sleat had a house here, possibly a fortified tower house, from at least the 1600s.
Calligarry
Calligarry, Calgary, Caileagaraidh (Kali’s enclosure or garden) – 20 crofts. There were originally two parts to Calligarry – Mòr and Beag.
Camuscross
Camuscross Camus na Croise or Camus Cros (The bay of the cross) – 40 crofts. This farm was let out to a tacksman until the end of the 18th century.
Capisdale
Capisdale Capisdal – This farm was combined with the farm of Tormore in c 1803. Many of the tenants had emigrated to North Carolina.
Carradale
Carradale Caradail (copse or copse wood dale) – Although the census records several families living here, Carradale was not set out to crofts until 1850. There were 8 new crofts.
Drumfearn
Drumfearn Druim Fhearna (alder ridge) – 10 crofts – Several of the families who had been cleared from Borreraig and Suishnish in Strath in 1852 were resettled here.
Duisdale
Duisdail (The misty or gloomy dale or glen) – In the 18th century rentals several townships in…
Eilean Iarmain
Originally an island at high tide, the channel between Eilean Iarmain and Sleat was drained in the…
Ferrindonald
Fearann Dhòmhnaill, Fearainn Dhòmhnaill, (Donald’s land or portion) 8 crofts A school was built…
Gillen
Gillean (the gylls or hollows) Until the mid 18th century, Gillen was part of the township of…
Isle Ornsay
Isle Ornsay (Ebb-tide island) There are the remains of a small graveyard at the southen end of the…
Kilbeg
A’ Chill Bheag (the little church). Set out to crofts in 1811, it was cleared a few years later…
Kilmore
A’ Chill Mhòr (the big church) The site of the parish church. For more information on the history…
Kinloch
Kinloch na dal Ceann Loch na Dàlach (the head of the loch of the waiting) This was the anchorage…
Knock
An Cnoc (the hill) Cnoc Uaine (green hill) The site of Caistel Camus, one of the medieval castles…
Kylerhea
Caol Reithe (Readh’s strait) 11 crofts This was once the main route out of Skye. A car ferry still…
Ord
An Uird Originally a farmhouse and steading, with several cottars’ and farm workers’ houses, Ord…
Ostaig
Ostaig (East Bay – a Norse place name) In the 18th century Ostaig was divided into two parts -…
Point of Sleat
Rudha Shlèite sometimes also called Dearaneach or An Doireannach Five crofts were created here in…
Sasaig
Sasaig (South Bay) 10 crofts There used to be several small shops in the parish. In the 1880s…
Tarskavaig
Tarscabhaig(Cod Bay) When crofting was introduced on Lord Macdonald’s estates in 1811, 31 small…
Teangue
An Teangaidh (the tongue or narrow strip of land) Originally 10 crofts. Croft No 5 was let to the…
Tokavaig
Tocabhaig (the swelling or boisterous bay, or the bay of the whale) 7 crofts Dun Scaith, one of…
Tormore
An Tòrr Mòr (the big hill) Visited by Dr Samuel Johnson and James Boswell. during their visit to…