The Holm of Noss or Cradle Holm
is an uninhabited islet of the
Shetland Islands. It is about 48m at its highest point.
Geography and geology
It is a tabular islet with vertical faces about high,
[Wilson, Rev. John ''The Gazetteer of Scotland'' (Edinburgh, 1882) Published by W. & A.K. Johnstone.] and is adjacent to the
Isle of Noss
The Isle of Noss or Noss ( sco, Noss) is a small, previously inhabited island in Shetland, Scotland. Noss is separated from the island of Bressay by the narrow Noss Sound. It has been run as a sheep farm since 1900, and has been a national natu ...
, from which it is separated by a . gap
[ Both the Holm of Noss, and the adjacent Faedda Ness on Noss are riddled with caves.
]
History
The island's other name, "Cradle Holm", comes from a small hoist, or cradle, which used to run between the island and Noss, for around 200 years from the 17th century, to 1864. It was said to be big enough to be able to take one man, and one sheep.laird
Laird () is the owner of a large, long-established Scottish estate. In the traditional Scottish order of precedence, a laird ranked below a baron and above a gentleman. This rank was held only by those lairds holding official recognition in ...
's factor, Mr Walker, had the cradle dismantled on the grounds of safety, and had a wall erected on the neighbouring cliff on Noss. The crofter who constructed the original cradle is said to have won his bet, that he could not climb it, but died shortly after constructing the cradle.
References
Uninhabited islands of Shetland
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