The Hebrides, or Western Islands (the Heboudai of Ptolemy, and Hebudes of Pliny, the r being an erroneous insertion), are a series of islands and islets off the west coast of Scotland, usually divided into the Outer Hebrides (popularly called the Long Island), of which the principal are Lewis and Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, and Barra; and the Inner Hebrides - Skye, Mull, Islay, Jura, Coll, Rum, Tiree, Colonsay, etc. The islands within the firth of Clyde (Arran, Bute, the Cumbraes, etc) are not now considered as part of the Hebrides. The Outer are separated from the Inner, and from the mainland, by a strait called the Minch, 12 miles broad.
The Outer Hebrides consist of a continuous series of islands and islets, running south-west and north-east through a space of 130 miles, having Barra Head at the south extremity, and the Butt of Lewis at the north extremity.
The Inner Hebrides are more widely scattered and more irregularly disposed.
The Hebrides number upwards of 400 in all, but only about 90 are inhabited. The islands are, on the whole, mountainous, and abound in moss and moor. Although humid, the climate is mild. The soil is mostly poor and traditionally cattle and sheep rearing and fishing were the staple industries.
The Hebrides were early colonized by Norwegians, and belonged to Norway from the 9th to the 13th century, being annexed to Scotland in 1265. In 1346 a chief of the Macdonald clan assumed the title of 'Lord of the Isles,' and he and his successors affected a sort of semi-independence, but the Hebrides were finally annexed by James V in 1540. Research Hebrides
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Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Gazetteer
Research Hebrides
