Stornoway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stornoway
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 Stornoway
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| Area | 3.16 km2 (1.22 sq mi) |
| Population | 4,800 (2020) |
| • Density | 1,519/km2 (3,930/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Steòrnabhach, Stornowegian |
| Language | English Scottish Gaelic |
| OS grid reference | NB426340 |
| • Edinburgh | 197 mi (317 km) |
| • London | 525 mi (845 km) |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | STORNOWAY |
| Postcode district | HS1 |
| Dialling code | 01851 |
| Police | Northern |
| Fire | Highlands and Islands |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Stornoway is the biggest town in the Outer Hebrides (also called the Western Isles) in Scotland. It is the main town of Lewis and Harris.
About 6,953 people live in Stornoway. This makes it the third-largest island town in Scotland. Only Kirkwall in Orkney and Lerwick in Shetland are bigger. The wider area around Stornoway has over 10,000 people.
Stornoway is a very important port and the main administrative center for the Outer Hebrides. It is home to the local council, schools, sports places, and media companies. For a long time, Sundays in the Hebrides were very quiet. Now, Sundays in Stornoway are more like those in other parts of Scotland.
Contents
History of Stornoway
Stornoway was started by Vikings in the early 800s. They called it Stjórnavágr, which means "Steering Bay." The town grew around a safe natural harbor. It became a busy place where people from all over the island came to trade. They traveled by boat or horse to connect with the rest of Scotland and beyond.
Around the mid-1500s, an old castle in Stornoway was destroyed. In the early 1600s, there were arguments over trade rights. James VI, the King of Scotland, tried to set up a trading company called the Gentleman Adventurers of Fife. The islanders did not want this. So, in 1610, King James VI gave Lewis to the MacKenzies of Seaforth.
In 1844, the MacKenzies sold Stornoway and the Isle of Lewis to Sir James Matheson. He and his family built the beautiful Lews Castle overlooking Stornoway Bay. Sir James also destroyed the old castle ruins in 1882 to make the harbor bigger. Some small parts of the old castle can still be seen near Pier 1. By 1863, Stornoway became a "police burgh," which is a type of town.
In 1918, the island was sold to William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme. He had big plans for the island, but they were too expensive. He then gave the Stornoway area to the people of the town. The Stornoway Trust was created to manage the area, and it still does today.
During World War II, the Stornoway airport was used by the military. It was a base for planes that hunted submarines. The castle was used as a hospital and living quarters for military staff. The airport was also used by NATO for air defense from 1986 to 1993.
Stornoway Town Hall was reopened for community use in March 2012.
What Stornoway is Known For
Stornoway's economy mixes old businesses with new ones. Fishing, Harris Tweed (a special fabric), and farming are traditional. Tourism, the oil industry, and other businesses are more recent. The sheltered harbor has always been important.
Today, fishing mostly focuses on fish farming. There are also smaller boats that catch prawns, crabs, and lobsters around the islands.
Harbor and Sea Life
On January 1, 1919, a ship called the Iolaire sank near the harbor entrance. This was one of the worst sea disasters in Scottish history. 205 men died, many of whom were returning home from World War I.
Today, the harbor has a fishing fleet, a small marina for pleasure boats, and a shipyard. It also has the Stornoway Lifeboat Station, run by the RNLI. His Majesty's Coastguard has a rescue center near the harbor.
At Arnish Point, near the harbor mouth, there is a lighthouse and a plant that processes seaweed. This area is also used for making parts for renewable energy projects.
In September 2020, Stornoway Port Authority announced plans for a new £49 million deep-water terminal. This new terminal will allow very large ships to dock. It will also have space for unloading and storage. Construction started in April 2022 and is expected to finish by the end of 2023.
Wind Power
The UK's largest community-owned wind farm, Beinn Ghrideag, is located near Stornoway. It has 3 wind turbines and creates 9 megawatts of power. The Point and Sandwick Trust (PST) operates it. This trust uses the money from the wind farm to help fund many community activities. In 2021, the wind farm was nominated for an award for being a great community energy project.
Weather in Stornoway
Stornoway has an oceanic climate, which means the weather doesn't change much. It's often damp throughout the year. Winters are mild for a northern place, with average low temperatures above 2°C (36°F). Summers are cool because of the Atlantic Ocean, with average high temperatures around 16°C (61°F).
Most rain falls from October to January due to storms. April to July is drier. June is the driest month, and January is the wettest. Stornoway also gets a lot of hail, more than 30 days a year!
| Climate data for Stornoway (Stornoway Airport) WMO ID: 03026; coordinates 58°12′49″N 6°19′08″W / 58.21359°N 6.31893°W; elevation: 15 m (49 ft); 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1873–present |
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.5 (58.1) |
13.9 (57.0) |
17.2 (63.0) |
20.5 (68.9) |
23.9 (75.0) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.3 (79.3) |
25.0 (77.0) |
21.1 (70.0) |
16.3 (61.3) |
14.4 (57.9) |
26.3 (79.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.5 (45.5) |
7.5 (45.5) |
8.5 (47.3) |
10.4 (50.7) |
12.6 (54.7) |
14.5 (58.1) |
16.3 (61.3) |
16.4 (61.5) |
14.7 (58.5) |
12.0 (53.6) |
9.5 (49.1) |
7.8 (46.0) |
11.5 (52.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.1 (41.2) |
5.0 (41.0) |
5.8 (42.4) |
7.5 (45.5) |
9.5 (49.1) |
11.8 (53.2) |
13.6 (56.5) |
13.7 (56.7) |
12.1 (53.8) |
9.5 (49.1) |
7.0 (44.6) |
5.3 (41.5) |
8.8 (47.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2.7 (36.9) |
2.4 (36.3) |
3.2 (37.8) |
4.6 (40.3) |
6.4 (43.5) |
9.1 (48.4) |
10.8 (51.4) |
11.0 (51.8) |
9.5 (49.1) |
7.0 (44.6) |
4.5 (40.1) |
2.8 (37.0) |
6.2 (43.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −12.2 (10.0) |
−11.1 (12.0) |
−10.6 (12.9) |
−8.9 (16.0) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
0.0 (32.0) |
0.6 (33.1) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−11.2 (11.8) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 145.2 (5.72) |
111.9 (4.41) |
105.3 (4.15) |
74.4 (2.93) |
69.0 (2.72) |
64.6 (2.54) |
74.5 (2.93) |
87.6 (3.45) |
103.6 (4.08) |
132.6 (5.22) |
127.6 (5.02) |
139.3 (5.48) |
1,235.5 (48.64) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 20.6 | 18.2 | 17.9 | 15.5 | 14.0 | 13.1 | 14.0 | 15.0 | 16.2 | 20.3 | 20.8 | 20.7 | 206.4 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 32.8 | 61.5 | 107.7 | 155.9 | 205.1 | 162.3 | 138.4 | 133.0 | 109.8 | 78.3 | 45.0 | 26.7 | 1,256.3 |
| Source 1: Met Office | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: KNMI | |||||||||||||
Getting Around Stornoway
The ferry MV Loch Seaforth travels from Stornoway harbor to Ullapool on the Scottish mainland. The trip takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes. There are usually two trips a day, more in summer.
Stornoway is the main hub for bus routes on Lewis. Buses go to many villages like Point, Ness, and Uig. These buses are run by the local council and private companies.
Stornoway Airport is just 2 miles (3 km) east of the town. You can fly from here to Edinburgh, Inverness, Glasgow, and Benbecula. The airport is also home to an HM Coastguard Search & Rescue helicopter.
Cruise ships often visit Stornoway. Passengers come ashore in smaller boats to explore the town.
Learning in Stornoway
Stornoway has several important schools.
The Nicolson Institute
The Nicolson Institute is the biggest school in the Western Isles. It is the only secondary school on Lewis and teaches students for six years. It has about 1,000 pupils. A new school building opened in 2012 after a £29 million rebuilding project.
Primary School
Stornoway Primary School opened in 1969. It is located on Jamieson Drive and has about 400 pupils.
College and University
Lews Castle College was founded in 1953 and is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands. It offers over 140 courses to about 2,700 students.
There is also a small campus of the University of Stirling in Stornoway. It is based at the Western Isles Hospital and teaches nursing students.
Sports and Activities
Football is a very popular sport in Stornoway. Stornoway United is the local team, and they play in the Lewis and Harris Football League.
Shinty, a traditional Scottish sport, is also growing in popularity with the Lewis Camanachd team. Rugby is played by the Stornoway RFC men's and women's teams.
The town has a popular gymnastics group. Stornoway Golf Club is the only 18-hole golf course in the Outer Hebrides. It is located in the Lews Castle Grounds.
The Lewis Sports Centre (Ionad Spors Leòdhas) has a sports hall, gym, climbing wall, and swimming pool. It also has a running track and an AstroTurf football pitch. The Stornoway Karate Club is also active in the town.
Culture and Media
Many people in the Stornoway area speak Scottish Gaelic. In 2011, about 5,492 people (43%) spoke Gaelic.
The annual Hebridean Celtic Festival is a big 4-day event in July. It attracts over 10,000 visitors. The Royal National Mòd, a major Gaelic festival, has also been held in Stornoway many times.
Stornoway is a sister town to Pendleton, South Carolina in the United States.
An Lanntair Arts Centre
An Lanntair (The Lantern) is a modern arts centre on Stornoway's seafront. It opened in 2005. It has an art gallery, theatre, cinema, dance studio, and concert hall. It is a place for many different types of performances.
An Taigh Cèilidh
An Taigh Cèilidh (The Cèilidh House) is a non-profit Gaelic language center and community café. It hosts events focused on Gaelic language and culture.
Broadcasting
The local radio station Isles FM broadcasts from Stornoway. It plays a mix of Gaelic and English programs. BBC Radio nan Gàidheal also has a studio here. The Gaelic TV channel BBC Alba is based in Stornoway.
Stornoway Public Library
Stornoway Library is on Cromwell Street. It offers books, free Wi-Fi, and computers with internet access.
The library has a large collection of Gaelic books and magazines. It also has many old local newspapers, maps, and historical records. In 2018, the library planned to turn its coffee shop into a "makerspace." This space would offer educational activities like 3D printing and virtual reality.
Local Newspapers
The main local newspapers in Stornoway are the Stornoway Gazette and EVENTS magazine.
Stornoway Media Centre
The Stornoway Media Centre is home to Intermedia Services Ltd. This company publishes the free monthly magazine, EVENTS. The center is in a converted church building on James Street.
Food and Drink
Stornoway black pudding is a famous local food. In 2013, it was given special status to protect its name. This means only black pudding made in Stornoway can be called "Stornoway black pudding."
Stornoway kippers and Stornoway smoked salmon are also made in the town. Stornoway Fish Smokers has one of the last working brick kilns in the UK.
Famous Buildings
Some well-known buildings in Stornoway include:
- Stornoway Town Hall
- The Lewis War Memorial
- The beautiful neo-Gothic Lews Castle
- Lewis Loom Centre
Stornoway in Books and Songs
Stornoway is mentioned in many songs and books. The song "Lovely Stornoway" by Calum Kennedy is very well known. The Hebridean rock band Peat and Diesel recently covered it.
The folk-rock band Stornoway named themselves after the town. They saw it on a BBC weather report. They even signed their record deal in Stornoway in 2010.
"Stornoway" is also the name of the official home of the Leader of the Opposition in Canada.
The novel The Stornoway Way by Lewisman Kevin MacNeil is about a man trying to leave his hometown. It was later made into a play.
RAF Stornoway is featured in the Tom Clancy novel Red Storm Rising. In the movie Latitude Zero (1969), Stornoway Harbour is shown as the place where a submarine was built.
In 2007, the car company Land Rover introduced a car color called Stornoway Grey. Some local people worried that "grey" would make the town sound dull. Land Rover said the color was popular and would help keep Stornoway famous.
In 2011, Scottish author Peter May published The Blackhouse. This thriller novel is set on Lewis, with the police investigation based in Stornoway.
Religion
Stornoway has several churches of different Christian groups. The main parish church was built in 1794.
In May 2018, the first mosque in the Western Isles opened in Stornoway. It serves the small Muslim community.
Parts of the Town
- Stornoway Town centre
- Goathill
- Manor Park
- Plasterfield
- Lews Castle Grounds
- The Cearns
- Marybank
- Laxdale
- Sandwick
- Stornoway Airport
- Newvalley, Lewis
- Steinish
- Newmarket
Images for kids
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Bayhead, Stornoway
See also
In Spanish: Stornoway para niños
