Stronsay (/ˈstrɒnziː/) is an island in Orkney, Scotland. It is known as Orkney's 'Island of Bays', owing to an irregular shape with miles of coastline, with three large bays separated by two isthmuses: St Catherine's Bay to the west, the Bay of Holland to the south and Mill Bay to the east. Stronsay is 3,275 hectares (13 square miles) in area, and 44 metres (144 feet) in altitude at its highest point. It has a usually resident population of 349. The main village is Whitehall, home to a heritage centre.
As with most of Orkney, Stronsay is made up of Old Red Sandstone which has produced a fine soil in many places.[1] It is generally low-lying.
On the eastern coast, spectacular rock formations include the Vat of Kirbister – Stronsay's famous natural rock arch, often described as the finest in Orkney. The coast around Odiness Bay features numerous dramatic geos, caves, flagstone rock platforms and sea stacks, including Tam's Castle, reputed to have once housed a hermitage on its flat summit.
Stronsay is the seventh largest of the Orkney Islands. Surrounding small islands include Linga Holm, Papa Stronsay, the Holm of Huip (named after a district in north west Stronsay) and the Holms of Spurness. To the north is Sanday, to the north west Eday, to the south west Shapinsay and Mainland Orkney, and the islet of Auskerry due south.
Wildlife
Sketch of the "Stronsay beast" made by Sir Alexander Gibson in 1808.
While the landscape has few trees, the fertile soil supports a wide variety of wildflowers, including oysterplant, frog orchids, adder's tongue, and also a naturalised population of Patagonian ragwort.[1] Seals can also be spotted at many locations, including the Ayre of the Myers, a popular picnic spot near Whitehall, at the twin south-facing bays at Houseby and Sand of Crook or from the seal-hide near Holland Bay.
Two flint arrowheads discovered at a site investigated by Orkney College in April 2007 are believed to date from the late Paleolithic or early Mesolithic periods some 10–12,000 years ago. They were found amongst a scattered collection of other tools on a farm. If confirmed, they could be the earliest human artifacts found in Scotland.[10]
The island is now agricultural, but during the 18th and 19th centuries, kelp collection and herring curing employed up to 5000 people. The population was over 1000 for the entire 19th century and until the mid-20th century, with the 1891 census recording a population of 1275, excluding seasonal itinerants involved in the herring industry.[1]
The kelp burning industry was started by James Fea of Whitehall in 1727,[1] and thrived during the remainder of the 18th century, lasting into the early 19th century; some of the kiln ruins can still be seen.
Demography and economy
The usual resident population of the island in 2011 was 349,[4] compared to 342 in 2001.[11] The island is mainly agricultural with farming and fishing the main industries. Efforts are being made by the community to develop the economy by improving tourism infrastructure. There is a thriving craft community, with several specialised craft shops.
Much of the settlement is strung out along the island's main road, but the main population centre is Whitehall village, in the north of the island, with a row of seafront houses and two piers, a link to the village's foundation as a herring fishing station in the 19th century. There is a variety of accommodation in Whitehall, including the Stronsay Hotel, Storehouse B&B and FishMart hostel. The island's school is well-resourced and caters for nursery, primary and secondary pupils.
Whitehall overlooks the separate island of Papa Stronsay, across the blue waters of Papa Sound. A prominent feature of the smaller island is the monastery complex of the Transalpine Redemptorist monks who live there. Visitors are welcome and the monks can help arrange boat trips.
^Anderson, Joseph (Ed.) (1893) Orkneyinga Saga. Translated by Jón A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. James Thin and Mercat Press (1990 reprint). ISBN0-901824-25-9
^Pedersen, Roy (January 1992) Orkneyjar ok Katanes (map, Inverness, Nevis Print)
