Graemsay
Encyclopedia
Graemsay is an island in the western approaches to Scapa Flow
, in the Orkney Islands
of Scotland
. The island has two lighthouse
s.
Graemsay lies between Hoy
and Stromness
on Mainland Orkney, separated from the Mainland by Clestrain Sound
. The island is 409 ha (1.58 sq mi) in area and is mainly crofted
.
The island's geology is old red sandstone
of the Devonian
period, with two volcanic faults. On the north coast there is granite
-schist
, a great rarity in Orkney.
Graemsay is surrounded by strong tidal race
s, known locally as roosts. An Orkney Ferries
service links the island with Stromness and Moaness on Hoy
.
s, redshank
and curlew
.
Parts of the island are largely undeveloped and are a haven for wild plants.
The island has two lighthouse
s, Hoy High (NE) and Hoy Low (NW), both built in 1851 by Alan Stevenson
for the 19th century herring
industry.
At the Point of Oxan in the far north west, in Burra Sound, are block ships, which were scuttled deliberately during World War II
. This is a common feature of the straits/former straits around Scapa Flow
The school closed in 1996 and the island's children travel daily by boat to school in Stromness on the ferry 'Graemsay.'
There is a web site run by the current residents of Hoy High Lighthouse that gives a flavour of life today on Graemsay. http://www.graemsay.org.uk/index.htm
The largest building, Sandside House, has been renovated and a website describing the property and the island is also of interest. http://www.graemsay.com
Former residents of Graemsay and their descendants may find the web site run by Robert Whitton at http://www.robertwhitton.eu contains information about all Graemsay families.
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
, in the Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The island has two lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
s.
Geography and geology
Hoy
Hoy is an island in Orkney, Scotland. With an area of it is the second largest in the archipelago after the Mainland. It is connected by a causeway called The Ayre to South Walls...
and Stromness
Stromness
Stromness is the second-biggest town in Orkney, Scotland. It is in the south-west of Mainland Orkney. It is also a parish, with the town of Stromness as its capital.-Etymology:...
on Mainland Orkney, separated from the Mainland by Clestrain Sound
Clestrain Sound
Clestrain Sound is a strait between Mainland Orkney and the Isle of Graemsay within the Orkney Islands, Scotland.Clestrain Sound lies in the western entrance to Scapa Flow. Like other seaways within the Orkney Islands, Clestrain Sound has been recognized for many years to be warmed by the North...
. The island is 409 ha (1.58 sq mi) in area and is mainly crofted
Croft (land)
A croft is a fenced or enclosed area of land, usually small and arable with a crofter's dwelling thereon. A crofter is one who has tenure and use of the land, typically as a tenant farmer.- Etymology :...
.
The island's geology is old red sandstone
Old Red Sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is a British rock formation of considerable importance to early paleontology. For convenience the short version of the term, 'ORS' is often used in literature on the subject.-Sedimentology:...
of the Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
period, with two volcanic faults. On the north coast there is granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
-schist
Schist
The schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
, a great rarity in Orkney.
Graemsay is surrounded by strong tidal race
Tidal race
Tidal race is a natural occurrence whereby a fast moving tide passes through a constriction resulting in the formation of waves, eddies and hazardous currents...
s, known locally as roosts. An Orkney Ferries
Orkney Ferries
Orkney Ferries is a company operating inter-island ferry services in Orkney, to the north of mainland Scotland.-History:The company is owned by the Orkney Islands Council and was established in 1960 as the Orkney Islands Shipping Company....
service links the island with Stromness and Moaness on Hoy
Hoy
Hoy is an island in Orkney, Scotland. With an area of it is the second largest in the archipelago after the Mainland. It is connected by a causeway called The Ayre to South Walls...
.
Wildlife
Birds include oystercatchers, ringed ploverRinged Plover
The Common Ringed Plover or Ringed Plover is a small plover.Adults are 17-19.5 cm in length with a 35–41 cm wingspan. They have a grey-brown back and wings, a white belly, and a white breast with one black neckband. They have a brown cap, a white forehead, a black mask around the eyes...
s, redshank
Common Redshank
The Common Redshank or simply Redshank is an Eurasian wader in the large family Scolopacidae.- Description and systematics :...
and curlew
Eurasian Curlew
The Eurasian Curlew, Numenius arquata, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia...
.
Parts of the island are largely undeveloped and are a haven for wild plants.
History
As with many other Orkney Islands, there is a connection to the Celtic Church, possibly a pre-Norse one. There are the remains of two early churches, dedicated to St Bride and to St Columba., who are both saints of Irish origin.The island has two lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
s, Hoy High (NE) and Hoy Low (NW), both built in 1851 by Alan Stevenson
Alan Stevenson
Alan Stevenson FRSE MInstCE was a Scottish lighthouse engineer who was Engineer to the Board of Northern Lighthouses...
for the 19th century herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
industry.
At the Point of Oxan in the far north west, in Burra Sound, are block ships, which were scuttled deliberately during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. This is a common feature of the straits/former straits around Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
The school closed in 1996 and the island's children travel daily by boat to school in Stromness on the ferry 'Graemsay.'
There is a web site run by the current residents of Hoy High Lighthouse that gives a flavour of life today on Graemsay. http://www.graemsay.org.uk/index.htm
The largest building, Sandside House, has been renovated and a website describing the property and the island is also of interest. http://www.graemsay.com
Former residents of Graemsay and their descendants may find the web site run by Robert Whitton at http://www.robertwhitton.eu contains information about all Graemsay families.