Lochbroom

Ross & Cromarty

The entry for Lochbroom which lies on the Atlantic coast opposite the island of Lewis, was provided by the Rev Mr Roderick MacLean, missionary minister in the parish of Applecross, for the 1799 Statistical Account, 10, 461ff.

'The far greater part of this parish consists of wild uncultivated mountains and hills, abounding with rocks, moss and heather. But these tracts are not altogether useless as they serve for pasture to a great number of black cattle. There is, however, a great deal of fine arable lands in which they usually raise pretty rich crops .... for the most pat by the sea side.'

'and private persons have ever since been adding to the number annually so that in the village there are now about 72 houses, of which 35 are salted; the rest are thatched with turf, fern roots and heather. The principal inducement to settle in this village is its advantageous situation for the herring fishing which indeed is very great'

'they are in general rather poor and think the land rents too high. The oppresion of the landholders is a general complaint in the Highlands and the conseqence is that great numbers of the people are forced to emigrate to America while others go to service in the low countries and manufacturing towns .... Another circumstance which is unfriendly to population is the engrossing of farms for sheep walks. This mode of farming has been introduced lately into some parts of the parish and proved the occasion of reducing to hardship several honest families who lived tolerably happy on the fruits of their industry and frugality. Whoever would wish to see the population of this country flourishing should do all in their power to put a stop to the sheep traffic and to introduce manufactures among the people. Whole districts have been already depopulated by the introduction of sheep so that, where formerly hundreds of people could be seen, no human faces are now to be met with except a shepherd attended by his dog.'

Population

Date	Population
1831	4615
1841	4799
1851	4813
1881	4191

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