REWILDING BAC DUBH
History of Bac Dubh
Bac Dubh has a fascinating history. The name Bac Dubh means 'dark moss' in Gaelic, although the word 'bac' also has Norse origins meaning cliff. With numerous Viking connections in the area, it's interesting that Bac Dubh could refer to both the flat peatlands and the hillside above, known today as Cliff Hill.
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We hope to run a project in future to discover more of the history and archaeology of Bac Dubh.
Bronze Age
Several Bronze Age artefacts have been found at or near Bac Dubh over the years. It's known that people have inhabited the area for thousands of years. The photo shows the 'Poolewe Hoard' which was found near the River Ewe.
Photo: Neil McLean © National Museums Scotland
Feil Judha
Bac Dubh was the traditional site of a large and long-lived market situated on the broad and flat mossy plain. It was known as Feil Judha or Ewe Market after the river near which it took place, and was the major market for the sale of cattle from Lewis. The market ceased trading around 1730.
Edwardian Landscape
Joseph Farquharson RA (1846 – 1935), a famous landscape painter, painted a landscape entitled ‘The Moss at Poolewe’ in 1913 – this is Bac Dubh.
Peat cutting
The building which is now the Poolewe Hotel was once a farmhouse and we understand that they cut peat on Bac Dubh to use for fuel. Peats were cut in the summer and stacked to dry for use as fuel over the long winter months. It was during the peat cutting that many of the Bronze Age artefacts were found.
