Edinbane

Edinbane

Edinbane at the head of Loch Greshornish
Edinbane
Edinbane shown within the Isle of Skye
OS grid reference NG343508
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town PORTREE
Postcode district IV51
Dialling code 01470
Police Scottish
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
EU Parliament Scotland
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament

Edinbane (Scottish Gaelic: An t-Aodann Bàn the fair hill-face) is a small village on the island of Skye, Scotland.[1]

Location

Edinbane lies on the A850 road[2] at the foot of the Waternish Peninsula on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, 14 miles from Portree and 8 miles from Dunvegan. The name An t-Aodann Bàn is said to be taken from the white bog cotton plants that can be found on the hill sides. The village is based around the crofts with a small primary school and pottery. Notable buildings in Edinbane village are the former Gesto Hospital(c1870), the Edinbane Inn(c1900) and the Edinbane Lodge a stone built hunting lodge constructed in 1543.

History

There has been a settlement here since before 1600, but it was Kenneth MacLeod of Greshornish (1 December 1809, died unmarried in 1869) who founded the village.[3]

Kenneth MacLeod of Greshornish

Edinbane Lodge

Kenneth McLeod's family had farmed land in the Gesto area of Skye for over 500 years. At the age of 15 he went to India, with his fare paid out and one golden guinea in his pocket, given him by Mrs MacDonald of Waternish. After a year's work, he took the river boat down to Calcutta. On the way he went ashore and visited a place where an auction of the contents of a sugar factory was in progress. With his precious Guinea, he bought a copper boiler, which he sold in Calcutta for £30. He now returned to the derelict sugar factory and bought it for very little. This set him on the ladder to making a fortune in India planting indigo.

Kenneth MacLeod of Gesto

Returning to Skye, he endeavoured to buy the tack of Gesto but MacLeod of MacLeod was not prepared to sell. Kenneth then bought Orbost, Isle of Skye, Edinbane, Skirinish, Greshornishy, Tote and Skeabost and much of Portree. He ensured that the village had a tradesman from each of the important crafts. He set up the first hospital on Skye in Edinbane, aptly named Gesto. It is now boarded up.[4]

Edinbane Lodge

The Edinbane Lodgeis the oldest coaching inn on the Isle of Skye, dating from 1543.

Edinbane Lodge in 1930's. Edward Langdale Hilleary on right of picture

It was purchased by Kenneth MacLeod of Greshornish in the 1860's and converted into a hunting lodge. In 1920 the Lodge was purchased by Edward Langdale Hilleary, a wealthy London businessman, and his wife Edith (nee Robertson), niece of Kenneth MacLeod. In 1927 Edward Langdale Hilleary constructed a small hydro plant on the Abhainn Coishletter just behind the Lodge. The scheme supplied electricity to the nearby Gesto hospital and also powered the Lodge.[5]

Among other uses, the Edinbane Lodge has served as the land court for the surrounding area. where people were tried for various offences including sheep rustling and for more serious crimes. If found guilty and sentenced to death, the accused were hanged in the garden grounds.

References

  1. ↑ "Edinbane". The Gazetteer for Scotland. School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  2. ↑ "A850". Sabre. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  3. ↑ "Skye, Edinbane". Canmore. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "Edinbane". Undiscovered Scotland. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  5. ↑ The Hillearys of Edinbane ISBN 9780957370333

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