Nunton Steadings

A centre for food, culture, media and the arts in the Uists

bell cafe Nunton Steadings shop concert wind turbine

Originally, the steadings was built for Clanranald and was part of Nunton Farm. It is thought to have been built after Ormiclate burnt down in 1715. Clanranald continued to own the farm, one of the biggest in Uist, until the kelp boom was over and he was bankrupted. Robert Gordon of Cluny then bought the farm and continued to use it as did his daughter after his death, Lady Gordon Cathcart.

It was in 1923 that a number of local men carried out a land raid which saw Nunton Farm broken up into eight crofts along with Nunton House and the steadings. The raid took place as it was felt that the government had not kept their promise to provide those returning from the First World War with land “fit for heroes” to settle on. The two families who used the steadings were Donald MacPhee and Roddy “Red Tie” MacDonald, the latter being the grandfather of Mairi Ladyman who now runs Nunton Steadings.

After many years as a steadings the building gradually deteriorated until it began to reach a dangerous state. At this point, Uist Building Preservation Trust secured funding to buy the buildings and renovate them into what we see today.


Nunton Steadings logo
Monday to Friday 9am till 6pm Saturday 9am till 4pm January through to December