Westray (, sco, Westree) is one of the

Orkney Islands Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) no ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, with a usual resident population of just under 600 people. Its main

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

is Pierowall, with a heritage centre, the 15th-century Lady Kirk church and pedestrian

ferry A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water ta ...

service to nearby Papa Westray island. Westray has a number of archeological sites dating from 3500 BC, and remains of several Norse-Viking settlements. The spectacular sea cliffs around Noup Head are home to thousands of

seabird Seabirds (also known as marine birds) are birds that are adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same envir ...

Geography and geology

Westray has an area of , making it the sixth largest of the Orkney Islands. The underlying geology is Rousay type Middle

Old Red Sandstone The Old Red Sandstone is an assemblage of rocks in the North Atlantic region largely of Devonian age. It extends in the east across Great Britain, Ireland and Norway, and in the west along the northeastern seaboard of North America. It also exte ...

, the flagstones of which make excellent building materials. There is very little

peat Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially Decomposition, decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, Moorland, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and ...

and the soil is noted for its fertility.

History

At the time of the earliest known settlements, c. 3500 BC, in Westray and neighbouring Papa Westray, it is believed that the two islands were joined.Keay, J. & Keay, J. (1994) ''Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland''. London. HarperCollins. A

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several pa ...

and

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...

site at the Links of Noltland is in the care of

Historic Scotland Historic Scotland ( gd, Alba Aosmhor) was an executive agency of the Scottish Office and later the Scottish Government from 1991 to 2015, responsible for safeguarding Scotland's built heritage, and promoting its understanding and enjoyment ...

. The site is severely threatened by the rapid erosion of the overlying sand dunes. Ongoing excavations have revealed over 30 buildings of Neolithic and Bronze Age date, the earliest of which overlaps in use with the Knap of Howar on the neighbouring island of Papa Westray (known as Papay to the locals), the oldest standing structure in NW Europe. The Westray Wife, 4 cm carved Neolithic

figurine A figurine (a diminutive form of the word ''figure'') or statuette is a small, three-dimensional sculpture that represents a human, deity or animal, or, in practice, a pair or small group of them. Figurines have been made in many media, with clay ...

was discovered on the Noltland dig in 2009; this is the oldest carving of a human found in the British Isles. In 2010 some local businesses reported a 45% increase in turnover since the discovery of the figurine. Since then, four further figurines have been found, together with a wealth of other artefacts (carved stone ball, decorated grooved ware pottery, numerous carved bone objects and beads etc.). In 2015, a substantial subterranean building dating from the Bronze Age was uncovered; this was very well preserved and is interpreted as a sauna. The excavations won 'Best Rescue Dig' of the year in the prestigious 2014 Current Archaeology awards. Several of the figurines and other artefacts from the site can be seen at Westray Heritage Centre and the excavation is open seasonally (free of charge). The Heritage Centre also exhibits the 'Westray Stone' - a neolithic carved stone from a chambered tomb which closely resembles the art style of the Boyne Valley in Ireland. West_View_Quoygrew_Westray_Orkneys_Jul14_DSC_5421

West_View_Quoygrew_Westray_Orkneys_Jul14_DSC_5421

Westray constituted a major family estate during the saga period. Largescale excavations of Viking-Norse period sites have been undertaken at Tuquoy, Quoygrew and Langskaill in recent years. Each of these was the site of a Viking-Norse settlement. Tuquoy has remains of a longhouse, a large rectangular building, and a

kitchen midden A midden (also kitchen midden or shell heap) is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, mollusc shells, potsherds, lithics (especially debitage), and other artifacts and ecofa ...

(refuse dump). Quoygrew (Scheduled Monument SM13504) has the remains of a longhouse dating from 1100AD. This was used continuously until the early 20th century. Langskaill appears to have been an

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly ...

settlement in use from 500 BC to the 14th century. An underground chamber was discovered in Langskaill farm in 1965. The investigation appears to indicate the abrupt disappearance of the pre-Norse culture, indicating an invasion by force by the Vikings. The Viking-Norse invaders built a large high-status settlement over the site of the earlier settlement. It was at Noltland on Westray too, that one of the most impressive castles in Orkney, and indeed the

Northern Isles The Northern Isles ( sco, Northren Isles; gd, Na h-Eileanan a Tuath; non, Norðreyjar; nrn, Nordøjar) are a pair of archipelagos off the north coast of mainland Scotland, comprising Orkney and Shetland. They are part of Scotland, as are th ...

, was built, Noltland Castle. The castle was commissioned in the 1560s by Gilbert Balfour, who probably played the leading role in the murder of

Lord Darnley Lord Darnley is a noble title associated with a Scottish Lordship of Parliament, first created in 1356 for the family of Stewart of Darnley and tracing a descent to the Dukedom of Richmond in England. The title's name refers to Darnley in Sco ...

, consort of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of S ...

. Balfour married Margaret Bothwell, the sister of

Adam Bothwell Adam Bothwell, Lord of Session (c.1527, Edinburgh – 1593, Edinburgh), was a Scottish clergyman, judge, and politician. He served as Bishop of Orkney (1559), Commendator of Holyrood House (1570), Extraordinary Lord of Session (1563–4), and as ...

Bishop of Orkney The Bishop of Orkney was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Orkney, one of thirteen medieval bishoprics of Scotland. It included both Orkney and Shetland. It was based for almost all of its history at St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. Th ...

who endowed him with Westray, when it was episcopal property. The Castle is situated above the Bay of Pierowall, was built in the 1560s. It is notable for an unusually large spiral staircase, "second only to

Fyvie Castle Fyvie Castle is a castle in the village of Fyvie, near Turriff in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. History The earliest parts of Fyvie Castle date from the 13th century – some sources claim it was built in 1211 by William the Lion. Fyvie was the s ...

, while its triple tiers of gunloops are without parallel in Scotland, if not Europe". However, Balfour was executed by the Swedes before he could use it. Other attractions include the Romanesque Cross Kirk and the Castle O'Burrian

sea stack A stack or sea stack is a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast, formed by wave erosion. Stacks are formed over time by wind and water, processes of coastal geomorphology ...

once used as a

hermit A hermit, also known as an eremite ( adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a C ...

age. Noup Head Lighthouse was constructed in 1898.

Economy and infrastructure

Flights leave the island's Westray Airport at Aikerness for

Kirkwall Kirkwall ( sco, Kirkwaa, gd, Bàgh na h-Eaglaise, nrn, Kirkavå) is the largest town in Orkney, an archipelago to the north of mainland Scotland. The name Kirkwall comes from the Norse name (''Church Bay''), which later changed to ''Kirkv ...

on the

Orkney Mainland The Mainland, also known as Hrossey and Pomona, is the main island of Orkney, Scotland. Both of Orkney's burghs, Kirkwall and Stromness, lie on the island, which is also the heart of Orkney's ferry and air connections. Seventy-five per cent of O ...

, and to Papa Westray in the world's shortest scheduled flight, of two minutes. The main ferry terminal is at

Rapness Rapness is a settlement on the island of Westray in Orkney, Scotland. The slipway is the ferry terminal for the Orkney Ferries crossing from Kirkwall on the Mainland of Orkney and to/from the nearby island of Papa Westray. The B9066 road runs fro ...

with regular sailings by

Orkney Ferries Orkney Ferries is a Scottish company operating inter-island ferry services in the Orkney Islands. The company operates ferry services across 15 islands. History The company is owned by the Orkney Islands Council and was established in 1960 as t ...

to Kirkwall. The

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An isla ...

's main industries are

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from fish stocking, stocked bodies of water such as fish pond, ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. ...

fish farming upright=1.3, Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture) at Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye">mariculture.html" ;"title="Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture">Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture) at Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye, Scotland Fish farming o ...

and

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...

farming. Tourism is also important to the island economy. The local cheese, Westray Wife, is an organic unpasteurised cheese available in mild and mature varieties. It marries well with the local range of Westray chutneys (all Fairtrade) and bakery goods (including oatcakes). Fresh fish, seafood and lobster is available locally and is of a very high standard. The Westray

Development Trust Development trusts are organisations operating in the United Kingdom that are: *community based, owned and led *engaged in the economic, environmental and social regeneration of a defined area or community *independent but seek to work in partners ...

is well known for its

renewable energy Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes sources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy ...

and

recycling Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. The Energy recycling, recovery of energy from waste materials is often included in this concept. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability t ...

initiatives and plans to make the island self-sufficient in energy by 2012. A 900 kW community-owned wind turbine was erected in October 2009, the third large-scale such project in Scotland. “When the community realised it was their turbine, not someone else’s, there was no objection,” stated Alasdair McVicar of Westray Renewable Energy.

Wildlife

The spectacular sea cliffs around Noup Head are home to thousands of

s including 60,000 common guillemot and

black-legged kittiwake The black-legged kittiwake (''Rissa tridactyla'') is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae. This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'' as ''Larus tridactylus''. The English ...

, 30,000

razorbill The razorbill, razor-billed auk, or lesser auk (''Alca torda'') is a colonial seabird and the only extant member of the genus '' Alca'' of the family Alcidae, the auks. It is the closest living relative of the extinct great auk (''Pinguinis im ...

and numerous

Atlantic puffin The Atlantic puffin ('), also known as the common puffin, is a species of seabird in the auk family. It is the only puffin native to the Atlantic Ocean; two related species, the tufted puffin and the horned puffin is found in the northeastern ...

and

black guillemot The black guillemot or tystie (''Cepphus grylle'') is a medium-sized seabird of the Alcidae family, native throughout northern Atlantic coasts and eastern North American coasts. It is resident in much of its range, but large populations from the ...

. During the 1990s the

black rat The black rat (''Rattus rattus''), also known as the roof rat, ship rat, or house rat, is a common long-tailed rodent of the stereotypical rat genus ''Rattus'', in the subfamily Murinae. It likely originated in the Indian subcontinent, but is ...

(''Rattus rattus'') may have been present. There are now no reported sightings of rats In the island of Westray. Local resident Trevor Byres says this is due to a certain stone which effects the rats health, which has meant they have not survived. An Audit Of Alien Species In Scotland
(May 2004) (Microsoft Word). Edinburgh. Scottish Natural Heritage. Mice and the

Orkney vole The Orkney vole (''Microtus arvalis orcadensis'') is a population of the common vole (''Microtus arvalis'') found in the Orkney Islands, off the northern coast of Scotland, as well as in the Channel Island of Guernsey. Orkney voles are about 10% ...

are present however, as are European otters. In the North end of Westray there seems to be a limited supply of grass and a certain Edgar Thomas says its every man for him self when it comes to sheep farming

Gallery

File:Westray House.jpg, A ruined house on Westray with traditional flag-stone roof File:Westray from Papay.jpg, Westray from Papa Westray File:Westray - Fishing Village.jpg, Gill Pier File:Sunset Pierowall Village View Westray Orkney Jul14 DSC 5380.jpg, Sunset over Pierowall, across the bay. Jul '14 File:Westray - West.jpg, Western part near Midbea File:Westray - Noup Head Beacon.jpg, Lighthouse at Noup Head File:Westray - Cliffs 2.jpg, Cliffs at Noup Head File:Westray - Cliffs 1.jpg, Cliffs near Langskaill File:Westray - Seabirds.jpg, Flock of gulls File:Westray Skiffs.jpg,

Skiff A skiff is any of a variety of essentially unrelated styles of small boats. Traditionally, these are coastal craft or river craft used for leisure, as a utility craft, and for fishing, and have a one-person or small crew. Sailing skiffs have deve ...

s racing in the Bay of Pierowall, Jul '05 File:Gravestone Groat Pierowall Orkney Jul14 DSC 5410.jpg, John & Jemima Groat family grave, Lady Kirk, Pierowall. Jul '14 File:Info Board Quoygrew Westray Orkneys Jul14 DSC 5420.jpg, Info board, Quoygrew Viking settlement. Jul '14 File:East View Quoygrew Westray Orkneys Jul14 DSC 5423.jpg, East view of Viking longhouse, Quoygrew. Jul '14

References

Bibliography

* ''Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney''. Trans. Pálsson, Hermann and Edwards, Paul (1978). London: Hogarth Press. . Republished 1981, Harmondsworth: Penguin. .

External links

One of Orkney's North Isles

Westray and Papa Westray

VisitOrkney page on Westray and Papa Westray
{{Authority control Islands of the Orkney Islands