Pabbay is one of the Bishop's Isles to the south of Barra, lying between Mingulay and Sandray. It has a very good good landing place in the lovely Bagh Ban on the east side, above which there are ruins of settlement dating from the Iron Age or earlier. There was a small inscribed Pictish stone here, which may have been removed. In early Christian times, Pabbay as its name would infer, had a hermitage or cell located on it. There is an ancient symbol stone and cross slabs on the slope above Bagh Ban.

 

Pabbay used to be inhabited with a reported population of around 26 in the 1880`s until the 1^st May 1887 when a fierce storm took the lives of most of the islands men. The island never recovered and the population dwindled and by 1911 the island was uninhabited.

 

Pabbay is also one of the finest climbing venues in the UK with Acres of immaculate

weathered Lewisian gneiss. Its  remoteness, wildlife and cliffs all combine to make a visit to Pabbay a truly memorable experience.

 

We are delighted to learn that recently experts from the National Trust for Scotland visited Pabbay and whilst there re-erected the Pictish symbol stone. Next spring they hope to return to remove the timbers which support it. Many years ago it had fallen and since then has lain at the foot of the graveyard.

 

It is believed that the stone dates back to the 7 century AD and undoubtedly it is the most important gravestone in the cemetery. The Pictish symbols on it are a crescent, V rod and lily. At a later date a cross was added to it.

In 1889 Father Allan MacDonald from Eriskay visited Pabbay and when visiting the cemetery he saw the Pictish stone. He immediately recognised it’s importance and notified the Museum of Antiquities at Edinburgh and seven years later they sent an antiquary, Erskine Beveridge, to examine the stone.  In 1915 the Royal Commissioners visited Pabbay and identified the remains of a medieval chapel in the graveyard mound