In 1838, following the decline in power of the Clanranald and MacNeill’s of Barra, Colonel Gordon of Cluny, Aberdeenshire, acquired the islands of Benbecula, South Uist and Barra and the Bishop Isles, creating the “Long Island” estate.

After Colonel Gordon’s death in 1858 the estate passed to his son John Gordon of Cluny. On his death in 1878 the estate passed to his second wife and widow, Lady Gordon. She continued as proprietor until her death in 1932, having remarried Sir Reginald Cathcart in 1880. After her death the Estate was managed by her trustees before being sold in 1944 to the London banker, Herman Anton Andreae.

In 1960, the Islands passed to a syndicate of sporting enthusiasts who managed the island, creating South Uist Estates Ltd in 1969.

Over the years, parts of the Long Island Estate were sold, specifically Barra and the Bishop Isles, parts of Benbecula and sections of South Uist to various bodies including the Ministry of Defence, Scottish Natural Heritage and private landlords.

In 2006, the entire share capital of South Uist Estates Ltd was acquired in a community buy out through a new company, Sealladh na Beinne Mòire, established in 2005 for the purpose. Sealladh and South Uist Estates Ltd is managed by a board of seven directors who in turn are directors of the following South Uist Estates Ltd subsidiary companies:

• Stòras Uibhist Ltd (est. 2004, VAT registered)
• South Uist Renewable Ltd (est. 2009 to manage the Loch Carnan wind farm development)
• Lochboisdale Development Ltd (est. 2011)

In 2011, the estate encompasses 93,000 acres of land across South Uist, Eriskay and Benbecula with a population of c3,000 including 850 tenant crofters. Major industries continue to be tourism, aquaculture, fishing, food processing, construction and local services. As well as managing the estate, it also manages the hire of Grogarry Lodge and is actively pursuing community-interest and income generation projects including wind farming.