1986: Mealista, Lewis

Mealista is the last village (now deserted) on the Uig road, heading south; over the hills lies Harris. The name is from the norse melr-stadhr, meaning ‘lyme-grass steading’. 

There are numerous archaeological remains in the area including Tigh nan Cailleachan Dubha, the House of the Black Women, which is purported to have been a nunnery, although substantial doubts exist. See also the chapel.

Once well populated, the village was cleared in 1837-38 to make way for a sheep farm. Many of the inhabitants removed to the Eastern Townships of Quebec, in Canada.