Kyleakin Local
History Society
| 246-346 A.D. | Cask of butter thought to have been buried in bog on slopes of Cnoc a’ Fhradhairc. |
| Pre 1263 | Dunakin (Castle Maol) inhabited by Norwegian princess (Saucy Mary), according to tradition. |
| 1263 | King Haakon IV called here with his fleet on his way to the Battle of Largs. About this time the hills were wooded; said to have been burned down by the ‘Danes' (Vikings). |
| Middle Ages | Castle Maol built as MacKinnon stronghold and inhabited by them until the 1600’s. A great meeting of chieftains was held here in 1513. |
| c. 1695 | Martin Martin, in his book ‘A Description of the Western Island of Scotland’, refers to Eilean nan Gillean (Eilean Bàn) at Kyleakin. |
| c.1805 | Kyleakin ‘General Assembly School’ - a small thatched house at the head of the Obbe near Kyle Farm - was built by the Church of Scotland and managed by the Presbytery of Skye. |
| 1811 | Lord Macdonald had plans drawn up by Gillespie Graham for the model town of New Liverpool on the site of Kyleakin. |
| 1840 | School transferred to one room (for boys only) in house known as Kyleview (built in 1814), given rent free by Lord Macdonald. Remainder of the house was occupied rent free by teacher and continued to be managed by the Presbytery of the Bounds. |
| 1841 | First official ferry, Kyle-Kyleakin. |
| 1844 | One of the last fires of kelp making was observed in Kyleakin by Hugh Miller, Geologist, Cromarty. |
| 1857 | Kyleakin Lighthouse on Eilean Bàn, built by David and Thomas Stevenson, first lit. |
| c. 1860 | Stone pier built during boom in herring fishing, including first custom-built shop on Skye (H&J Munro) and other industry-related buildings. |
| 1875 | Kyleakin Mission Church built by the Church of Scotland, Parish of Strath. |
| 1876 | Kyleakin Public School and Schoolhouse built following Education Act of 1872, building now known as Kyleakin Connections. |
| 1884 | Bog butter discovered on slopes of Cnoc a’ Fhradhairc, opposite Kyle Farm. |
| Until 1892 | Main livelihood of the village was fishing and ancillary occupations, e.g. dealing in shellfish. There were four fish curing stations, one near the ferry pier. |
| 1893-1898 | Wooden pier (opposite Sauch Mary’s today) was built and steamers called here until 1914. It was eventually demolished. The village had a customs’ officer. |
| 1897 | Free Church built. |
| c. 1898 | First Village Hall built. |
| Until 1914 | Sailing ships and schooners, steamships and yachts of the rich and famous anchored in the bay. |
| 1921 | War Memorial on The Lump dedicated by Martin Macrae, minister of Dervaig, Mull and a native of Kyleakin, who served with the HLI (Highland Light Infantry) in Mesopotamia during World War I. The Memorial was unveiled by Mrs MacInnes of the King’s Arms Hotel. |
| 1924-1953 | Kyleakin Highland Games held over two periods during this time. |
| c. 1925 | Kyleakin W.R.I. started. |
| 1929 | Second Village Hall built. |
| 1933 | 14th September: Duke and Duchess of York landed at Kyleakin en route to Dunvegan Castle. |
| 1947 | 6th May: first electric light on Skye switched on at Kyleakin by Tom Johnston, then Scottish Secretary. Electricity was supplied by North of Scotland Hydro Board generators and carried by undersea cable from Kyle of Lochalsh. |
| 1956 | 14th August: Queen Elizabeth II, Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Margaret landed at Kyleakin Pier at the start of their visit to Skye. |
| 1957/58 | Primary School underwent major remodelling, including removing the front entrance (since reinstated) and adding a Canteen facility to the rear. Pupils and staff were temporalily housed at the Village Hall for the whole school session. |
| 1960 | Kyleakin Lighthouse automated. |
| 1961 | Reading Room replaced by Church of Scotland Hall built by local fundraising and volunteer labour. |
| 1962 | October: King Olav of Norway visited Kyleakin. |
| c. 1962 | Village Hall renovation funded by charitable donation from Mrs Bonnar whose family had employed Rebecca Matheson of Coille Bhurich as governess. |
| 1965 | First Sunday Ferry, Kyle-Kyleakin. |
| c. 1965 | Church of Scotland Mission House built to house local missionaries until 1983 when the parishes of Strath and Sleat were reunited. |
| 1966 | Fishery Pier built. |
| c. 1975 | Cross on War Memorial replaced. |
| 1983 | 29th March: new Kyleakin Primary School on Achmore Road officially opened. |
| 1995 | 16th October: last ferry made its journey from Kyleakin-Kyle when the Skye Brige opened. |
| 1995 | 16th October: Skye Toll Bridge opened by Scottish Secretary, Michael Forsyth, MP. |
| 2002 | Kyleakin Community Hall opened |
| 2004 | 21st December: Skye Bridge tolls removed. |
| 2010 | Kyleakin Local History Society formed. |
We welcome information on significant dates in the history of the village which are not included here.
The ferry in the harbour