Pabay
Pabay is a Scottish island just off the coast of Skye. The name Pabay is derived from an old Norse word meaning "priest's isle" and there are the remains of a 13th-century chapel. Geography Pabay is an island in the Inner Sound of Skye, lying north of Broadford. It lies south of Longay and east of the larger Scalpay. Like most others of the name, is a low grassy island. It is in size, diamond-shaped and predominantly flat. The highest point is above sea level, with cliffs on the North and East shores. The island is formed of fossil-containing limestone, with some micaceous shale, named Pabba Shale. It forms a flat plateau with cliffs on the North and East shores. The surrounding low reefs encroach on its shores and double the area at low water. The island gives its name to a group of Jurassic Sedimentary rocks which are seen across the Inner Hebredian area-Pabba Shales. These were laid down at the bottom of a muddy sea 190 million years ago. Much later (about 60 million years ago) volcanicity associated with the opening of the Atlantic Ocean led to the intrusion of molten rock along fractures running NNW-SSE across the island. The resulting dykes now stand proud as solid sheets resembling well built masonry and protecting the island from further erosion. History Occupation of the island, in the form of midden material and lithics found in two locations, can be traced back to the prehistoric period, perhaps as far back as the Mesolithic. However, there is little evidence for settlement to bridge the gap between the Mesolithic and the sixteenth century. From this period onwards, the island is shown on maps and charts, being first named on Dutch cartographer Willem Blaeu's map of 1654. Dean Monro in 1549 gave the following description:At the shore of Skye foresaid, lies an isle called Pabay, near one mile in length, full of woods, good for fishing, and a main shelter for thieves and cut-throats, it pertains to Mackinnon. In the 18th century, Scottish author Martin Martin provided the following description of the island in his seminal work A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland: "A League further North lies the Isle Pabhay, about two Miles in Circumference, it excels in Pasturage, the Cows in it afford near double the Milk that they yield in Skie. In the Dog Days there is a big Flye in this Isle, which infests the Cows, makes them run up and down, discomposes them exceedingly, and hinders their Feeding, insomuch that they must be brought out of the Isle, to the Isle of Skie ; this Isle affords abundance of Lobsters, Limpets, Wilks, Crabs, and ordinary Sea Plants"" Pabay was described by Hugh Miller, the early Victorian and missionary as "the only piece of flat, level England in the entire landscape" (of Skye). Ruins of a chapel exist on the island. It is not certain to what saint the church was dedicated. Of it nothing exists but