518 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



There is nothing certain known of the early history of 

 the pre-Reformation churches in the Outer Hebrides. It 

 is inferentially clear, from the existence of the different 

 islets named Pabbay, or Priests' Isle, that prior to, or 

 during, the Norse occupation, they were chosen by Christian 

 anchorites as fit places for meditation and prayer ; and it 

 is not unlikely that, in the conversion of the rough North- 

 men to Christianity, these lonely hermits, who were held in 

 high esteem, may have played a part of some importance. 

 There is good authority for stating, that at the Reformation, 

 there were two priories in the Long Island, viz., at Ui in 

 Lewis, and Rodil in Harris. " Skairinche," in the Island 

 of Lewis (cella Insulce Missarum\ is included in a list of 

 religious houses given in 1650 by John Adamson, Principal 

 of Edinburgh College, and, according to his statement, 

 transcribed from an original manuscript in the College. 

 These two priories were included in the twenty-eight 

 monasteries of the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, who 

 established themselves at Scone in 1114, at the desire of 

 Alexander I. 



The Lewis priory was at, or near, Stornoway ; it is said 

 to have been founded by one of the Macleods, in honour 

 of St. Catan ; and it depended on Inchaffray, from which it 

 had its first prior. It is stated to have originally been the 

 cell of St. Catan himself, who is supposed to have lived 

 between the sixth and seventh centuries. At Maelista, Uig, 

 there was a shrine of St. Catan, near which have been 

 found the remains of a nunnery, locally known as the 

 " house of the black old women." The Lewis priory was 

 believed to contain the remains of its founder and other 

 " illustrious men " ; it acquired a notoriety for miracles ; and 

 it was so wealthy that it was twice rebuilt after being burnt* 

 The evidence points to this priory having been attached to 

 the Church of St. Columba at Ui, near Stornoway, the ruins 

 of which are more entire than those of any other pre- 

 Reformation church in Lewis. The word " Skairinche " is 



* Origines Parochiales, Vol. II., Part I., pp. 381-2. 



