| Scottish Gaelic name | Beàrnaraigh[1] |
|---|---|
| Scots name | Barra Heid[2] |
| Old Norse name | Bjarnaray[3] |
| Meaning of name | Old Norse for "Bjørn's island"[1] |
 | |
| Location | |
  Barra Head Barra Head shown within the Outer Hebrides | |
| OS grid reference | NL553799 |
| Coordinates | 56°48′N 7°39′W / 56.8°N 7.65°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Uist and Barra |
| Area | 204 ha (3⁄4 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 107[4][5] [7] |
| Highest elevation | Sotan, 193 m (633 ft)[6] |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Outer Hebrides |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0[8] |
 | |
| References | [9] |
Barra Head, also known as Berneray (Scottish Gaelic: Beàrnaraigh; Scots: Barra Heid), is the southernmost island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. Within the Outer Hebrides, it forms part of the Barra Isles archipelago. Originally, Barra Head only referred to the southernmost headland of Berneray but is now a common name for the entire island. The highest point of the island is Sotan, a Marilyn.
There are numerous prehistoric structures on the island and permanent occupation by 20–50 individuals occurred throughout the historic period, peaking in the 19th century. The economy of the residents was based on agriculture, fishing and fowling. The cliffs provide nesting sites for seabirds in such profusion that Berneray has been designated as a Special Protection Area.
The Barra Head Lighthouse, designed by Robert Stevenson, has operated since 1833. From 1931 to 1980 Barra Head was inhabited only by the lighthouse keepers and their wives but the lighthouse is now automated and the island completely uninhabited. The rough seas that surround the island have been used to test prototype lifeboats.
- ^ a b Mac an Tàilleir, Iain (2003) Ainmean-àite/Placenames. (pdf) Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
- ^ "Map of Scotland in Scots – Guide and gazetteer" (PDF).
- ^ Buxton (1995) p. 140.
- ^ Haswell-Smith (2004) pp. 502–03. Modified to include bridged islands.
- ^ "Rick Livingstone’s Tables of the Islands of Scotland" (pdf) Argyll Yacht Charters. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ^ Get-a-map (Map). Ordnance Survey.
- ^ Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
- ^ National Records of Scotland (15 August 2013). "Appendix 2: Population and households on Scotland's Inhabited Islands" (PDF). Statistical Bulletin: 2011 Census: First Results on Population and Household Estimates for Scotland Release 1C (Part Two) (PDF) (Report). SG/2013/126. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ Infobox reference is Haswell-Smith (2004) pp. 207–209 unless otherwise stated.