Comunn Eachdraidh Nis (Ness Historical Society) is situated in the north of the Isle of Lewis, based in the former Cross Primary School in North Dell. Our mission is to preserve and promote the history, language, culture and heritage of the Ness to Ballantrushal area of the Isle of Lewis for the benefit of the local community, its visitors and future generations.
If you are planning a visit to the Isle of Lewis this summer then a visit to Comunn Eachdraidh Nis is a must. The Society boasts an extensive archive which includes information relating to individual families from the area, photographs, documents, video and sound recordings and extracts from other published material. Many people come looking for their ancestors and answers to their past, which they find in the vast genealogical archives and the cemetery records dating back to the early nineteen hundreds, thoroughly researched over many years. The archive also houses the history of local schools, churches, along with information on WWI and WW2, fishing, the Butt of Lewis lighthouse as well as many other topics.
Our museum has undergone extensive renovations and will be re-opening soon.
Bilingual staff are on hand to assist and will be happy to answer any questions.
The cafe provides a welcoming, inclusive and secure bilingual community hub for the North of Lewis where visitors are always welcome to enjoy a sit and a chat over a cup of tea/coffee or a light lunch in a Gaelic/English environment. The café is open 11am-4pm, Monday to Friday and can cater for large groups (advance booking is essential). Dietary needs can be catered for.
The gift shop sells a wide range of locally made items including Harris Tweed merchandise, local knitwear along with the Essence of Harris range of candles including our own exclusive Comunn Eachdraidh Nis candle ‘Soirée’ which is inspired by a local story about which you can read about inside each box. The shop stocks a range of our own publications on local history, a wide selection of Gaelic books for both adults and children, products from the Ishga skincare range and much more.
Facilities include toilets, disabled access, coach parking and free WiFi.
