Eilean Glas Lighthouse Complex: Old Lighthouse, Isle of Scalpay

Circular lighthouse tower, superseded by a tower designed by Robert Stevenson circa 1825 , with a house adjoining the original tower, itself converted to store also probably 1825. This is a classic example of a lighthouse complex which encompasses the lighthouse, accommodation for the keepers and their families, means of transport with the jetty and a means of subsistence with fields and walled garden. It forms a distinctive grouping in a remarkable setting. This site also documents the development of the lighthouse with the earlier tower being one of the first 4 lighthouses commissioned by the Northern Lighthouse Board, which had been formed 3 years earlier. (Historic Scotland)

Captain Alex McLeod of Harris, the owner of Scalpay, on being approached by the original Northern Lighthouse Trustees in 1787, engaged the services of his local Tacksman, Mr Campbell to provide the necessary building material and to engage the services of local workmen. He also recommended Mr Campbell as a suitable person for the supervision of the work. The Trustees indicated that they did not require Mr Campbell's services other than for the procurement of building materials and made arrangements to send their own masons to erect the Lighthouse. However, Captain McLeod did in fact engage Mr Campbell and his local workmen to lay the foundations and raise the Tower Wall to a height of seven feet in the summer of 1787. The Trustees' engineer, Thomas Smith, had found, on preliminary inspection visit, that McLeod's men and made the circumference of the tower four feet greater than as shown on the plans but to save time and expense, authorised Shiells to proceed on this larger scale. The work on the interior of the building was entrusted to Archie McVicar, Joiner, of North Uist. (Northern Lighthouse Board)

May 2005: Western Isles Council Community Co-ordinator for Harris contacts SCT nominating buildings on the complex for inclusion on the Register, noting the buildings condition has deteriorated over the last 10 years.

The Stevenson lighthouse was automated by the NLB in 1978, much of the remaining buildings were surplus to requirements and later sold. A charity set up to restore the former lighthouse complex was removed from The Charity Commission's register in 2001 and later faced legal difficulties reported upon by various media outlets. The Scalpay community formed the Eilean Glas Heritage Trust in 2004 with a view to purchasing the redundant buildings at the complex from the Friends of Eilean Glas Trust.

March 2010: External inspection finds the original lighthouse tower, previously used as a store, in very poor condition. The walls are sound but the roof is missing in part.

September 2010: SCT is advised that volunteer work continues at the site painting the complex and carrying out other maintenance.

30 January 2015: The North Harris Trust, a community owned estate, gifted the island of Scalpay by its former private landlord, contacts RCAHMS noting concerns expressed at the condition of buildings within the Eilean Glas lighthouse complex at their public meeting held 4 Nov 2014. The Trust retains an interest in potentially acquiring the site from the private owner,should the buildings be marketed for sale, through Community Right to Buy as provided within the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. The Trust is working towards submitting an application to register their interest in the site in the Register of Community Interest in Land (RCIL).

11 June 2015: External inspection finds the timber structure of the tower roof remains but with no coverings intact. The attached building is in advanced decay but remains roofed. Risk level move to High.

9 September 2015: BARR is contacted by a representative of new Scottish charity the Eilean Glas Trust. The buildings are advised as being in partial use as storage space and that maintenance of the site is ongoing whilst the new charity identifies a restoration plan and secures funding towards this. As the Eilean Glas Trust intends to restore the complex the site is not available for sale. The Trust has initiated discussions with both the North Harris Trust and with the local planning authority. The buildings are in the ownership of a private trust, Friends of Eilean Glas Trust, with a Scottish charity the Eilean Glas Trust set up to pursue the restoration of the site.