The 'Twelve Apostles' houses in Catacol, are a reminder of the Scottish Clearances and the lives of those affected by them. Built in the 1860s, these cottages were designed to accommodate people cleared from land in the island's interior, with the hope they would turn to fishing. Each cottage had a first-floor window of a different shape, intended to signal to fishermen by lighting a candle in the window. However, many of the displaced crofters refused to move into these houses, leading to their abandonment for years. Today, the cottages are privately owned and offer a glimpse into the history of the area and the lives of those who lived there.