Barra Head, also known as Berneray, is the southernmost of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. Within the Outer Hebrides, it forms part of the Barra Isles archipelago.

Originally, Barra Head only referred to the southernmost headland of Berneray, on which its lighthouse is located, but is now a common name for the entire island. Berneray has magnificent cliffs  on the west side of Skate point, where they take the full force of the gigantic seas. In early May, the hill side is a riot of colour with primroses, celandine, wild violets and yellow flag iris. The cove east of the landing place is much frequented by grey seal, kittiwake, guillemot and auk; puffins are found in large numbers on the cliffs.

 

The lighthouse, built by Robert Stevenson, has operated since 1833. From 1931, the island was inhabited only by the lighthouse keepers and their wives. The lighthouse is now automated and the island completely uninhabited. Berneray lies to the west of the Sea of the Hebrides and south of Mingulay.  Berneray has been inhabited since prehistoric times and Historic Scotland have identified eighty-three archaeological sites on the island, the majority being of a pre-medieval date. There are four chambered tombs, five cists and five other sites assumed to be burial cairns, suggesting a significant settlement in the Neolithic and Bronze Age. The fort of Dùn Briste (the broken fort) lies to the north west and a second site nearby dating to the Iron Age was largely destroyed during the construction of the lighthouse. Visiting in the late 17th century the writer Martin    Martin described the latter as "having a vacuity round the walls, divided in little apartments". A century later Edward MacQueen wrote that he believed it had served "as a pharos or watch tower"

There is also the presumed site of a chapel near MacLean's Point (just east of the landing place) where an incised cross, tentatively dated to between the sixth and ninth centuries was found. Archaeological evidence of the Norse presence in the Hebrides is scant, but boat shaped stone settings found not far from the chapel may be graves from this period of occupation

 

Robert Stevenson (8 June 1772–12 July 1850) was a Scottish civil engineer and famed designer and builder of lighthouses. After the 1829 Inspection Voyage to the West Coast, the Engineer, Robert Stevenson, recommended to the Board that a Lighthouse be erected on Barra Head. The Commissioners approved the recommendation and preliminary reports were prepared early in 1830.

The site was chosen for several reasons; because Barra Head is roughly half-way between Eilean Glas and Rinns of Islay Lighthouse and it stands at the Southern entrance to the Minch. It would also be of great assistance to the coastal shipping off Argyll and to foreign-going vessels approaching the West Coast of Scotland.

 

After the last war, the remains of a Blenheim bomber were found on the cliff face. The parts found enabled the Blenheim and crew to be identified. Apparently, it had crashed in a storm and no-one had heard it.

 

Barra Head Lighthouse was converted to automatic operation, and the last of the lightkeepers were withdrawn on 23 October 1980