Canna (; ) is the westernmost of the Small Isles archipelago, in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It is linked to the neighbouring island of Sanday by a road and sandbanks at low tide. The island is long and wide. The isolated skerries of Hyskeir and Humla lie south-west of the island.

Facilities

There are some 20 buildings on Canna and Sanday, including three churches, one of which has been deconsecrated (see below). There is also a post office which was converted from a garden shed. The Canna tea room, which closed in 2008, reopened in 2010 as the Gille Brighde Cafe and Restaurant. This restaurant closed in 2013 but has since re-opened again as Cafe Canna. A new resident manager for the island was appointed in 2010. The island is isolated and in the past inhabitants have had to buy all their provisions from the mainland, but it now has a small unstaffed shop operated on an 'honesty' basis. There is a telephone link, a red telephone box and broadband internet access, although there is no mobile phone coverage. Electricity is provided by a diesel generator, at mainland voltage and frequency, and there is a private water supply.

The island has a very low crime rate, but a mainland-based police officer visits the island twice a year, mainly to inspect gun licences. A doctor based on the neighbouring island of Skye is available for house calls once a month. The roads on Canna are not metalled and are privately owned; local vehicles therefore do not require vehicle excise duty (road tax). The previous footbridge to Sanday was destroyed by storms during 2005, and was replaced by a road bridge in 2006. This allowed vehicular access to Sanday at all tide levels for the first time, although the road on Sanday was still covered by high tides until, following a 2017 appeal to raise funds, a new road was completed in 2018.

Geology

In contrast to neighbouring Rùm, the geology of Canna is very much a layered sequence of basalt lava flows of Palaeocene age, all ascribed to the Canna Lava Formation. Many are of hawaiitic composition. Within the lower half of the succession there are also coarse conglomerates deposited by rivers

The island is traversed by numerous normal faults most of which run broadly north–south. Basalt dykes ascribed to the North Britain Palaeogene Dyke Suite are seen in the east of the island.

Quaternary deposits include glacial till of limited extent around Tarbert and screes which are found beneath various of the small basalt cliffs. Pleistocene and Holocene raised beach deposits are frequent around Canna's coastline, some being late glacial and others post-glacial in age.

Wildlife

Canna is renowned for its wildlife, including sea eagles, golden eagles and puffins. Recently, peregrine falcons and merlins have also been sighted. The island is also inhabited by a number of rare butterfly species. In the nearby waters one can spot dolphins and smaller whales.

Canna is noted for its tiers of basalt pillars that rise over the eastern half of the island and the sea cliffs that dominate its northern shore. The highest point on the island is Càrn a' Ghaill (Scottish Gaelic for "rocky hill of the storm") at . Another point of interest is Compass Hill. Its peak is at and sits on the eastern edge of the island. It is made of volcanic rock called tuff, and it has such a high iron content that the compass of nearby ships are distorted, pointing to the hill rather than north. However, Adomnán (the chronicler of the life of Columba) noted that Brendan the Navigator stopped at Hinba while travelling from Ireland to Iona; Canna is a most unlikely landfall on such a journey as it is well beyond the destination.

thumb|left|Drawings of the cross-fragments found at Keill

At Keill are two large richly decorated Celtic crosses, dating from the 8th to 9th centuries, a device normally associated with Ireland, this only the second cursing stone ever to be found in Scotland. but it is now thought to have been a hermitage, associated with the monastery at Keill. The enclosure contains three carved stones, bearing crosses, and was once believed to have had a healing spring.

Norse rule

Following raids by the Vikings in the 9th century, the Hebrides became part of the Kingdom of the Isles, a Norwegian crown dependency also known as Suðreyjar ("Southern Isles").

left|thumb|The "King of Norway's Grave"

A number of large oblong arrangements of kerb-stones throughout the island are thought to possibly indicate Viking ship burials, based on the evidence of similar structures on the Isle of Arran (which was also part of Suðreyjar). The largest is located at Rubha Langan-innis on the north coast, and known in Gaelic as Uaigh Righ Lochlainn (meaning "the grave of the King of Norway"); this is a narrow rectangular structure approximately long by wide on a grassy promontory below the cliffs.

Later accounts imply that the monastery at Keill had been a centre of the Culdees while under Norwegian dominion. In the late 12th century, practical authority in Suðreyjar became split between a number of closely related magnates. In 1203, Ranald, the magnate ruling the portion that contained Iona, invited the Benedictines to establish a new Abbey at Iona; that same year, a papal bull was issued, listing the Island of Canna among the new Abbey's possessions. It is likely that the previous Abbey of Iona had had some authority over Canna, perhaps even stretching before the Viking era,

During the 1420s, feuding within other fragments of Suðreyjar appears to have spilled onto Canna. The Abbot, Dominicus, obtained papal authority to ban all nobility from setting foot on the island, but this wasn't respected, and Canna had to be temporarily abandoned. In 1428, the Abbot wrote to the Pope requesting that he pronounce a general excommunication against anyone who harmed one of Canna's inhabitants, or damaged their property, claiming:

<blockquote>"by reason of wars and other calamities in the past divers homicides, depredations and other ills were perpetrated, so that some strong men of the familiars of the Abbot and convent were slain by pirates and sea rovers, and divers farmers and inhabitants of the island were afraid to reside there".</blockquote>

thumb|left|Iorcail from the cliff tops

The Reformation was rapidly encroaching, however, and after 1498 Iona was transferred to Commendators, rather than Abbots. Canna became a possession of the Bishop of the Isles (also known as the "Bishop of Sodor"; "Sodor" is the traditional anglicisation of Suðreyjar). In 1548, the Dean of the Isles, Donald Monro, conducted a survey of the Bishop's lands and churches, reporting that the island was a: "faire maine land, foure myle lange, inhabit and manurit, with paroche kirke in it, guid for corne, fishing and grassing, with a falcon nest in it, pertines to the Abbot of Colmkill",

In 1561, the Bishop agreed to rent the island to the leader of Clan Ranald, a branch of the MacDonalds. In 1588, some of the remains of the Spanish Armada found refuge with the MacLeans of Duart, who had a longstanding feud with the MacDonalds (concerning the Rhinns of Islay). Lachlan - the MacLean leader - demanded that the Spanish supply him with 100 soldiers, as the price of their refuge, which he used to launch an attack against the Small Isles, in pursuance of the feud; Canna was "burned with fire". Lachlan was imprisoned in Edinburgh by the king for this, but he escaped, and faced no further punishment.

Argyll

thumb|Coroghon, with Compass Hill

By the early 17th century, the Bishopric of the Isles was held by Presbyterians, for whom the office of Bishop had a questionable status. In 1626, Thomas Knox, the Bishop, appears to have replaced Clan Ranald (who relunctantly accepted the reformation) as his tenants, with the MacLeods of Raasay (active supporters of the reformation). At the end of his life, in 1627, Thomas Knox sold Canna to the Earl of Argyll, one of the most powerful Covenanters. Under pressure from the Earl, shrieval authority transferred from Inverness to the sheriff of Argyll, which was under the control of the Earl's family.

In 1641, following the outbreak of civil war, king Charles I promised to give Canna to the Baronet of Sleat, since the Earl of Argyll's treason (as one of the king's main opponents) would make Canna forfeit; the king's subsequent defeat made this promise moot. In 1654, the war having ended, the Earl of Argyll leased Canna back to Clan Ranald. In the following year, Donald MacDonald, the son of the Clan Ranald leader, married the Baronet's daughter, Janet, quelling any potential dispute over the island.

thumb|left|Ruins of Coroghon Castle on top of the stack at Coroghon

In 1666, following Janet's death, Donald married Marion MacLeod of Harris, but by 1680 he was seeking a divorce, accusing her of adultery. At some point in the late 17th century, a small prison (now called "Coroghon Castle") was constructed on the side of an isolated stack at Coroghon; it was described by Thomas Pennant in 1772 as "a lofty slender rock, that juts into the sea: on one side is a little tower, at a vast height above us, accessible by a narrow and horrible path: it seems so small as scarce to be able to contain half a dozen people. Tradition says, that it was built by some jealous regulus, to confine a handsome wife in".

Donald had succeeded to the leadership of Clan Ranald in 1670, and in 1672 was give a new charter of Lairdship for Canna by the new Earl of Argyll. A decade later, Argyll's Rising caused the Earl's feudal authority to be forfeit, making Clan Ranald direct vassals of the king. In 1686, Donald died, and was buried on Canna.

The Bard

thumb|Highland Cattle on Canna

Clan Ranald tenants on Canna joined the Jacobite rebellions of 1715 and of 1745, and as a consequence were not looked upon favourably by the king's forces.

According to the Clan Ranald Bard, on 3 April 1746, the Royal Navy ship Baltimore arrived, and demanded (under threat of force) to be given the meat from the best cattle on the Island; 4 days later, complaining that the meat was rotten, the sailors threw it away, and slaughtered 60 cattle themselves. The Bard goes on to say that 12 days later, the Royal Navy ship Commodore arrived, and after receiving warning (from one of the sailors) about the lecherous intentions of the sailors, the women of Canna fled into the countryside and caves, until they were certain that the ship had departed; In the following year a cull against brown rats was ordered, for they had hitherto been allowed to expand to enormous numbers, and now threatened rare Manx shearwaters and human health; Canna is now rat-free.

Some film footage that was recorded by Margaret Fay Shaw in the 1930s and 1940s became part of Solas, a film by Canna House archivist, Fiona J Mackenzie, based on Shaw's life. It was first exhibited in spring 2019.

Stamps

A single local stamp was issued for Canna in 1958 by then-laird John Lorne Campbell. The stamp shows Compass Hill and two Manx shearwaters, a seabird found in profusion on the island. Their use is optional and all proceeds from the sale&nbsp;– at the island farm and post office&nbsp;— go to the Shipwrecked Mariners Society.

There are population records going back to the 16th century, the earliest of which combine Canna and Sanday. Following the clearances, population numbers remained fairly stable at around 20 to 30 during the second half of the 20th century, but by the time of the 2001 census had dwindled to 6 (or including Sanday, 12).||2022||c.253 ||210||231 ||253 ||233||220|| 304||300||436||264 || 255 ||238||127|| 119 || 102 || 60 || 24 || 18 || 20 || 12||21||13

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Transport

thumb|left|Lochnevis calls at Canna

A large natural harbour is formed between Canna and Sanday. The pier on Canna and those of the other Small Isles, was rebuilt and enlarged in 2005. This is used by the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry, MV Lochnevis, which links Canna, and the neighbouring Small Isles of Rùm, Eigg and Muck, to the mainland port of Mallaig ( hours away). Lochnevis is capable of carrying motor vehicles, although National Trust permission is required to land them. The harbour is sheltered. It is the only deep harbour in the Small Isles, and is very popular with west coast yachting traffic out of Oban and Arisaig.

Recent developments

Invasive species

Rat problem

In September 2005, it was reported that the population of brown rats on the island had grown to 10,000 and was causing such problems to both the human population and the birdlife, particularly the rare Manx shearwaters, that a complete cull would take place. Because the mice on the island are believed to be a rare and distinct subspecies of woodmouse, a breeding population of mice was removed beforehand by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) so that the cull could use rodenticide. By the end of 2006 it was believed that Canna was rat-free and during that summer there was also an encouraging increase in the number of breeding puffins and razorbills; Manx shearwaters were nesting for the first time since 1997.

Rabbit overpopulation

Within four years of the eradication of rats, a rabbit overpopulation problem was reported. The island's only restaurant started serving rabbit meat in pies and with cranberry and pistachio.

Call for families for Canna

In October 2006, the National Trust for Scotland decided to invite two families to rent properties on the island, in an effort to attract new skills and spirit to the island community. The invitation was mainly aimed at people with "skills in building, plumbing and gardening". The call was global and over 400 responses were received, from places as varied as Germany, Sweden, India and Dubai. From these, Sheila Gunn and John Clare were chosen to move to Canna during summer 2007. They were joined in early 2008 by two more incomers, Neil and Deborah Baker, from Llannon in the Gwendraeth Valley in South Wales. As a gardener, Neil Baker's job was to restore the fine but overgrown gardens of Canna House. Since then, a further cottage was restored and was expected to be occupied by newcomers in 2011. However, in June 2011 it was announced that 12 people were planning to leave the island: Clare and Gunn, the Bakers and their two children, and schoolteacher Eilidh Soe-Paing, her husband and four children. The school would close, temporarily at least, as there would no longer be any school-age children on the island.

Gaelic Study Centre

The church, which is also owned by the National Trust for Scotland, was restored and converted into a hostel and study centre by the Hebridean Trust. This project was undertaken at the invitation of the owners. The centre is linked to the archive of Scottish Gaelic language, literature, and culture that was collected by literary scholar and former owner of Canna and Sanday, John Lorne Campbell. It was successfully completed and opened in 2001 by Princess Anne. Subsequently, there was water ingress, which caused damage to the interior. This challenge is in the hands of the National Trust for Scotland.

Crime

The island enjoys a near-zero crime rate, with only a handful of crimes recorded in the last several decades.

Restoration of Canna House

In May 2020, the National Trust US Foundation reported that major renovations were underway at Canna House and its gardens; the facility was originally expected to reopen in 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the restoration was delayed, and finally opened in June 2025.

In 2026 the restored house was one of ten winners of the annual Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) awards. The judges described the restoration as an "exemplary model of conservation".

<gallery mode="packed">

File:Isle of Canna Panorama 2.jpg|Panorama taken from Compass Hill on Canna, overlooking Canna Bay and Sanday towards Rùm.

File:Approaching Canna.jpg|View from ferry approaching Canna Island

File:Compass Hill Canna.jpg|Extreme east of Canna Island with Compass Hill. In the left the stack Dùn Mòr.

File:Looking north over Garrisdale point.jpg|Looking north over Garrisdale point, western cliffs of Canna Island

File:Neolithic souterrain Canna Island.jpg|Neolithic souterrain Canna Island

File:Canna house.jpg|Canna House

</gallery>

See also

  • List of islands of Scotland
  • Religion of the Yellow Stick
  • List of lighthouses in Scotland
  • List of Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses

Notes

References

Bibliography

  • Banks, Noel, (1977) Six Inner Hebrides. Newton Abbott: David & Charles.
  • Campell, John Lorne (1984) Canna, the Story of a Hebridean Island. Edinburgh: Canongate.
  • Perman, Ray (2010) "The Man Who Gave Away His Island." Edinburgh: Birlinn.
  • Rixson, Dennis (2001) The Small Isles: Canna, Rum, Eigg and Muck. Edinburgh: Birlinn.
  • Shaw, Margaret Fay (1999) From the Alleghenies to the Hebrides Edinburgh: Canongate.
  • National Trust for Scotland&nbsp;– Property Details For Canna
  • Birlinn
  • The Canna Story
  • The Isle of Canna Rabbit Cull