How Cearsabhagh got it's name
According to Erskine Beveridge in his book 'North Uist' the name Cearsabhagh or Kersivay is an "old place-name for the site occupied by the scattered village of Lochmaddy; evidently Norse, perhaps including ker or 'tub' and vágr, 'a bay'."

A story attached to the name is recorded by Donald A MacDonald in 'The Northern and Western Isles' - 'The Vikings in Gaelic Oral Tradition' thus:

"How should stories of 'Viking' legend be interpreted? One explanation is that they are basically aetiological - the story being invented or adapted to explain a local place-name. I do not wish to imply that this makes these legends trivial and valueless. They cast a revealing light on the beliefs and ideas of a population of mixed descent about their own background and identity. One such anecdote that I particularly like is centred on the name Cearsabhagh, possibly originally the name for the whole of Lochmaddy, but now confined to one particular area of the bay. In this anecdote, recorded by Angus John MacDonald from Donald Alick MacQuarrie in 1971, a number of Viking ships get caught in a mist and are grounded. The crews have to wade ashore, and one of the Vikings remarks, "Tha sinn cearr 'sa bhàgh" ("We've got the wrong bay"), hence Cearsabhagh! I am indebted to Hermann Palsson for the suggestion that this is probably Old Norse Hjartavagr = Deer Bay."

Pirates & Herring
A document of 1616 refers to 'Lochmaldie on the coast of Uist' as a rendezvous of the pirates who were committing piracy and murder in Lewis.

There was a major herring fishery at Lochmaddy during the 17th century. A building called Taigh an t-Salainn (The Salt House) was built where Taigh Chearsabhagh now stands, to make the salt required by the fisheries. Its ruins (Tobhta Mòr an t-Salainn) were visible until 1741 when Taigh Chearsabhagh was built.

'From the Farthest Hebrides'

A reel - probably four hundred years old - from the time when salt was made from sea-water in Lochmaddy and several European countries sent their ships to carry salt cargoes:

'An Teanga Riabhach'

"Gu'm bi Steafuin thall ann an Cliasaidh O,Gu'm bi Frangaich folc ann am Bacsaidh O,Gu'm bi Suainich forgach fada fada sios,Aig Mor anns an Teanga Riabhaich O.""Stephen will be over in Cliasaidh, O,And bad-natured Frenchmen in Bhacsaidh, O,While the wonderful Swedes will be far away,With Maura at Teanga Riabhaich, O."

Taigh Chearsabhagh in the past
Taigh Chearsabhagh was built in 1741 by Neil MacLean, a merchant, and served as a travellers' inn. It was one of the first buildings in North Uist to have a slated roof. The Statistical Account of North Uist in 1794 states: "There is not a slated house in the parish, but the church, one mill, a house at Lochmaddie, that was intended for a public house, and one other in the Island of Vallay in ruinous condition."

Mackenzie, 1946:

"Neil "Ruadh," who had a tack of the Change-house and lands of Kersovay, Lochmaddy, where he also carried on a flourishing business as a Merchant. He was Factor of North Uist from 1770 to 1778. There is some confusion as to the date of Neil's death, and this, we believe, has been caused by the faulty recitation of the Lament composed to him by John MacOdrum, the North Uist Bard. The story was that Neil MacLean, in his capacity both as Factor and as Merchant, was very kind to the Bard, who took the passing of his patron so much to heart that he composed the "Marbhrann," and it was said his own demise took place not long afterwards. According to the fragment of the "Marbhrann" given in the "Uist Bards," Neil died in 1769, but, curiously, a small but vital variation in the first line of the stanza makes the year 1779. The former is obviously wrong, as Neil is recorded at much later dates notably in his Factorial capacity. The Rev. William Matheson in his excellent work on the songs of John MacCodrum in the 1938 issue, volume two, of the Scottish Gaelic Texts Society, in a critical review of "Neil MacLean's Lament," shows clearly that the date must have been much later than 1769. The version recited to us by the old and worthy North Uist lorist, was as follows :-

" A bhliadhna tri fichead 'sa naoidh-deug, 'S goirt a ghaoir a tha 's na Baigh; A fear mor anns 'na do chinnich an ciall, Is e air triall bh'uainn leis a bhàs."

"The year three score and nine (or ninteeen), sore wailing that is in the bays. Thou wast the judge over the court, a true countryman in a hard summer; thou who wast without partiality or calumny, thou wast not the tongue for me and against me."

Neil MacLean of Kersovay was a great favourite with the people of North Uist. Neil's prestige, as an outstanding man of business and integrity, was extensive, and he was often nominated as an Executor under the Wills of the gentry in the Western Isles.

Neil MacLean, of Kersovay, married Isabel, daughter of Dr Lachlan MacLean, third of Sollas, with no surviving issue. Their three children - Catherine, Lachlan, and Janet - predeceased them. He died, as we have seen, in 1779, and was buried in the south-east corner of the Boreray Caibal at Ardabhorrain.

Donald MacLean, an Army Surgeon, who was also in the American War, returned to North Uist and took up residence at Kersovay with his brother, Neil, whom he succeeded in the Factorship of North Uist, from 1779 to 1786."

(Erskine Beveridge in his book 'North Uist' says "Neil MacLean 'of Kerseva' or Kersivay (an old place-name for Lochmaddy village) is said to have been factor for North Uist, but more probably was only ground-officer.")

The 1800's
In 1802 a Post Office was established in Lochmaddy - probably at Taigh Chearsabhagh.

'A Journey Through The Highlands & Western Isles' by James Hogg, June 1804:

"About mid-day we opened Loch Maddy in North Uist, when no arguments could move them to proceed further; so they run the vessel up into it, and anchored beside two other large ones that had taken shelter there. It is not easy to conceive a more dreary and dismal-looking scene, than the environs of this harbour exhibit; the whole country is covered with moss, or grey stones, without the smallest green spot ... and indeed there is not the smallest semblance of a road. We were, however, agreeably surprised at finding a good slated inn, of two stories, where we took up our residence during the remainder of the day and the following night.

You would lose all patience, were I to detail the whole of our adventures in Uist, which are nevertheless well worthy of a place; and if you had not found fault with me in this respect, you should have heard such a story! What should I have heard, James? You should have heard what a curious waiter we had; - how he clasped his hands above his head whenever he could not comprehend our meaning;- how much we were at a loss for want of Gaelic:- how we hunted the rabbits;- tired of waiting at Kersaig, and set out to traverse the country on foot to its northern extremity, and there procure a passage for Harries. You should have heard our unparalleled embarrassments and difficulties, and how we fell out with the natives and were obliged to return; - how we arrived again at the place where we set out in the morning, both completely drenched and fatigued; - how the house and every part about it, was crowded with some hundreds of Lord MacDonald's people, who were assembled to pay their rents; - what an interesting group they were, and how surprised my two friends were at seeing such numbers in a place they had judged a savage desert, and unfit for the nourishment of intellectual life."'Memorials of the Rev. Norman MacLeod'

The steamer 'Vulcan' called at Lochmaddy on 27 July 1838:

"The vessel's course was thereafter directed to Staffa and Iona, thence to the Spar Cave, Loch Scavaig, and Loch Coruisg, in the island of Skye, casting anchor at Loch Maddy on the evening of the 27th. The only curiosity about the place was a negro waiter at the inn, who spoke and sang in Gaelic!"

The present Lochmaddy Hotel opened its doors in 1864, to cater for the visitors taking advantage of the improved communications to come to North Uist, mainly to fish and shoot. Lochmaddy's original inn, Taigh Chearsabhagh, continued to provide accommodation, for example for seasonal labourers from the west side of North Uist - but eventually became a dwelling house some time after 1900

Taigh Chearsabhagh Modern History
From the 1950's it was used as a workshop for North Uist Estate.

In 1993 it was leased by North Uist Estate to a charitable trust - Taigh Chearsabhagh Trust - formed by the North Uist Historical Society (Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath) (CEUT) and the Uist Arts Association. The building was restored and converted to a museum and arts centre that opened to the public on 25 March 1995.

In 2000, it was extended with grant funding from The Scottish Arts Council National Lottery Fund, Western Isles Enterprise and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. The extension contains a third exhibition area, an artists' studio and a new Cafe with views out over the loch. Some 30,000 people now visit the centre every year.

Architectural and other professional services for the extension were provided by the Technical Services Department of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. The contractor was MacInnes Brothers, Benbecula.