60658: Ganstotl, Lewis
Ganstotl, a small green patch between the hill and sea, to the back of the township of Geshader, Uig, was used for cultivation. Finlay Maciver, Geshader and Carishader, recounts the following:
This place is locally known as Ganstotal and was once cultivated and shared by the Geshader people. At that time there was more than one family to each croft so some extra fertile ground was always welcome. There was a few people working the ground, how many I never heard.
The ground was really good for potatoes and as it was easy access to the seaweed they were never short of organic fertiliser. If you stand on the top above it you can still see where they had their sloc buntàta, their potato pits.
There is a half-finished mill stone there which is very visible (see photo). The rocks there are different to all the surrounding rocks as this one will not get polished, but will always have a grinding surface.
Close to where the burn enters the sea you can still see where a boat was kept. The stone to which the head rope was tied is still visible standing18″-24″ above ground. The boat was owned by John Maciver 5 Geshader, Iain Dhomhaill Aonghais Oig.
Late autumn and winter it was a favourite place for rockfishing for cuddies in the the Sloc Ruadh.
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Millstone in progress