View source for Scalpay, Inner Hebrides

{{Short description|Island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland}}
{{for|the smaller island off Harris|Scalpay, Outer Hebrides}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Scottish island
|coordinates = {{coord|57.31|-5.98|display=inline}}
|location_map=Scotland Isle of Skye
|caption=Scalpay shown relative to Skye
|official_name=Scalpay
|GridReference=NG605315
|celtic name=Sgalpaigh (an t-Sratha)
|gaelic pronunciation={{IPA|gd|ˈs̪kal̪ˠpaj||Sgalpaigh.ogg}}
|norse name=Skalprøy<ref name=Smith>Haswell-Smith (2004) p. 153</ref>
|meaning of name=ship island<ref name=MacanT>Mac an Tàilleir (2003) p. 103</ref>
|area=  {{convert|2483|ha|sqmi|frac=8|abbr=on}}<ref name=Smith/>
|area rank= 32
|highest elevation=Mullach na Càrn, {{convert|396|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
|Population=4<ref name=NRS>{{NRS1C}}</ref>
|population rank= 77=
|population density ={{cvt|0.16|PD/km2}}<ref name=Smith/><ref name=NRS/>
|main settlement=
|island group=[[Skye]] 
|local authority=[[Highland (council area)|Highland]]
|references=<ref name=OS24>{{cite map|title=Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 24 ''Raasay & Applecross (Loch Torridon & Plockton)''|ISBN=9780319231104|publisher=Ordnance Survey|date=2012}}</ref>
}}
'''Scalpay''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|k|æ|l|p|eɪ}};<ref>{{cite LPD|3}}</ref> {{langx|gd|Sgalpaigh}}) is an inhabited island in the [[Inner Hebrides]] of [[Scotland]] which has a population of 4.

== Geology ==
The bedrock of Scalpay is largely the  [[Neoproterozoic]] age [[sandstone]] and [[conglomerate (geology)|conglomerates]] of the Sithean Glac an Ime Member of the Applecross Formation and in the west, the Mullach nan Carn members of the Diabaig Formation, a unit of the [[Torridon Group]], or informally the Torridonian sandstone.
Outcrops of [[hornfels]]ed [[basalt]] of the [[Palaeocene]] age  [[Skye Lava Group]] and the [[Palaeogene]] age Scalpay [[granite]] are found in the south and west of Scalpay.
The Scalpay Sandstone and Pabay Shale formations found in the southeast of the island around Scalpay House are assigned to the [[Lias Group]]. The Staffin Shale and Staffin Bay formations are of late [[Jurassic]] age and found  east of Rubha Aosail Sligneach at Caolas Scalpay.
[[Quaternary]] deposits are represented by [[peat]] in the north, present day marine deposits and [[raised beach|raised marine deposits]] along the southwestern shore and a restricted area of glacial [[till]] in the interior.
<ref>{{cite web |title=Onshore Geoindex |url=https://mapapps2.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex/home.html |website=British Geological Survey |access-date=5 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Scotland sheet 71W, Broadford, Solid and Drift Geology |url=http://www.largeimages.bgs.ac.uk/iip/mapsportal.html?id=1002435 |website=BGS large map images |publisher=British Geological Survey |access-date=5 February 2020}}</ref>

==Geography==
Separated from the east coast of [[Skye]] by Loch na Cairidh, Scalpay rises to {{convert|396|m|ft}} at [[Mullach na Càrn]]. It has an area of just under {{convert|25|km2|sqmi|frac=2}}. The island had a population of ten usual residents in 2001<ref>{{GRO10}}</ref> and of four in 2011.<ref name=NRS/>

Scalpay is privately owned and operates a [[red deer]] farm, shooting estate and holiday cottages.  Much of Scalpay is covered with [[Ericaceae|heather]], while other areas are [[conifer]] [[forestry]] plantations.

==Etymology==
Mac an Tàilleir (2003) suggests the name derives from "ship island" from the Norse.<ref name=MacanT/> However, Haswell-Smith states that the [[Old Norse]] name was ''Skalprøy'', meaning "scallop island".<ref name=Smith/>

== Prehistory and archaeology ==
Between 1999 and 2004 a large scale archaeological project, Scotland's First Settlers, was undertaken in the [[Inner Sound, Scotland|Inner Sound]] to locate and examine sites relating to the [[Mesolithic|Mesolithic period]] in the strait. The entire coastline of the Inner Sound together with its islands was walked by volunteers and archaeologists. On Scalpay they found 9 [[Stone tool|lithic]] scatters. All of these sites  were prehistoric but only three of the sites contained [[microlith]]s, which confirms them as Mesolithic.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Vol 31 (2009): Mesolithic and later sites around the Inner Sound, Scotland the work of the Scotland's First Settlers project 1998-2004 {{!}} Scottish Archaeological Internet Reports|url=http://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/sair/issue/view/52|access-date=2021-08-15|website=journals.socantscot.org|language=en-US}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Scalpay, Inner Hebrides.jpg|thumb|left|Looking south to [[Skye]] from Scalpay.]]
[[Dean Monro]] gave the following description of Scalpay in 1549:<blockquote>...a fair hunting forest, full of deer, with certain little woods and small towns, well inhabited and manured, with many strong coves, good for fishing, in heritage it pertains to [[Clan Maclean|Maclean of Duart]].<ref>Monro (1549) pp. 26–27</ref></blockquote>

By the time of Dr Johnson's tour, the island was held by a tenant of [[Alexander Macdonald, 1st Baron Macdonald|Sir Alexander Macdonald]].<ref>Johnson (1795) p. 246</ref>

Shipping magnate and politician [[Donald Currie]] owned the island in the late 19th century and was responsible for the construction of the first roads and much tree planting.
{{clear left}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Scottish islands}}
* [[List of islands of Scotland]]

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{Haswell-Smith}}
* [[Samuel Johnson|Johnson, Samuel]] [https://books.google.com/books?id=BkkJAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA246 ''A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland'']. London. Strachan and Cadell, 1785 (new edition).
*{{Gaelic Placenames}}
* {{Monro}}

==External links==
*[http://www.isleofscalpay.com Local website]

{{coord|57|18|42|N|5|58|36|W|display=title|region:GB_type:isle}}
{{Skye}}
{{Islands of Scotland}}

[[Category:Skye and Lochalsh]]
[[Category:Islands of Highland (council area)]]
[[Category:Islands of the Inner Hebrides]]