Eynhallow ( sco, Eynhallow; non, Eyinhelga; nrn, Øjinhellig) is a small, presently uninhabited island, part of

Orkney 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) north ...

, off the north coast of mainland Scotland.

Geography

Eynhallow lies in

Eynhallow Sound Eynhallow Sound is a seaway lying between Mainland Orkney and the island of Rousay in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. The tidal indraught is "scarcely felt beyond a line joining Costa Head and the Reef of Quendale". An Iron Age broch, Gurness ...

between

Mainland, Orkney 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 ...

and

Rousay Rousay (, sco, Rousee; non, Hrólfsey meaning Rolf's Island) is a small, hilly island about north of Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. It has been nicknamed "Egypt of the north", due to its archaeological diversit ...

. It is in area. An unnamed

skerry A skerry is a small rocky island, or islet, usually too small for human habitation. It may simply be a rocky reef. A skerry can also be called a low sea stack. A skerry may have vegetative life such as moss and small, hardy grasses. They a ...

is situated approximately to the north-east of the island, separated by Fint Sound. Sheep Skerry adjoins the southern end of the island. There is no ferry to the island, although

Orkney Heritage Society The Orkney Heritage Society in Orkney, Scotland, is a nonprofit organisation founded in 1968. It promotes "the beauty, history and character of Orkney" as well as "high standards of architecture and planning" in Orkney. It organizes conferences a ...

organises a trip each July. Otherwise, visitors have to arrange their own transport to the island by private local boat hire. Access can be problematic, as there are strong tidal surges in the surrounding strait, squeezed between Mainland of Orkney and

History

The island's main attraction is

Eynhallow Church Eynhallow Church is a ruined medieval church located on the uninhabited island of Eynhallow in Orkney, Scotland. The church dates back to the 12th-century and is thought to have originally been a monastery. Near the church are the building rema ...

dating from the twelfth century or earlier, and perhaps originally part of a

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

. The site is maintained by

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. ...

. In 1841 the island had a population of 26. It has been uninhabited since the landowner cleared

crofters A croft is a fenced or enclosed area of land, usually small and arable, and usually, but not always, with a crofter's dwelling thereon. A crofter is one who has tenure and use of the land, typically as a tenant farmer, especially in rural area ...

away in 1851. The clearing led to the discovery of the church ruins, forgotten until then. It is now a

bird sanctuary An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and to be protected for the rest of their lives. Pattrice Jones, co-founder of VINE Sanctuary defines an animal sanctuary as "a safe-enough place or relationship within the cont ...

. It has its own folklore, concerning the initial finding of the island. Eynhallow was believed to be the summer residence of the

shape-shifting In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherite ...

mer-people the

Finfolk In Orkney folklore, Finfolk (sometimes Finnfolk) are Magick shapeshifters of the sea, the dark mysterious race from Finfolkaheem who regularly make an amphibious journey from the depths of the Finfolk ocean home to the Orkney Islands. They wade, s ...

, who were driven away by the farmer, Guidman o' Thorodale from

Evie Evie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Evie (given name) * Evie (singer), American contemporary Christian music singer Evelyn Tornquist (born 1957) * Evie (wrestler), ring name of New Zealand female professional wrestler Cheree Crowl ...

.Turnbull, Catherine (29 July 2010) "Exploring the Mysteries of Eynhallow". Kirkwall: ''Orkney News''.

Notes

References

* *

External links

Photographs of the island
Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Orkney Uninhabited islands of Orkney Former populated places in Scotland Bird sanctuaries {{Orkney-geo-stub

Geography

History

See also

Notes

References

External links