burgh and largest town and port of the Outer Hebrides islands of Scotland. It is the chief town of Lewis, on the island of Lewis and Harris. It is part of the Western Isles council area and the historic county of Ross-shire in the historic region of Ross and Cromarty. The quickest sea crossing from the mainland takes about 3 hours from Ullapool, and there is air service from Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness. Stornoway grew from the 18th century as a fishing town, but herring fishing has declined. Today tourism is important to the local economy. The town is a centre for the manufacture of Harris tweed, as well as the commercial and administrative centre of the Western Isles council area. Pop. (2001) 5,602.