Longhope is a coastal settlement on the island of

South Walls South Walls is a tidal island or peninsula at the southern end of Hoy in Orkney, Scotland. It is connected to the main body of Hoy, and to the district of North Walls, by a thin neck of land known as the Ayre. Its largest settlement is Longho ...

, in

Orkney Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland, ...

, Scotland. South Walls is linked to

Hoy Hoy may refer to: People Given name * Hoy Menear (died 2023), American politician * Hoy Phallin (born 1995), Cambodian footballer * Hoy Wong (1920–2009), American bartender Surname * Hoy (surname), a Scottish and Irish surname * H� ...

by causeway; Longhope is the largest settlement on the two islands. The settlement is situated on the B9047, the main road on Hoy and South Walls.

History

coastal artillery Coastal artillery is the branch of the armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications. From the Middle Ages until World War II, coastal artillery and naval artillery in the form of ...

battery, Hackness Gun Battery, was established near Longhope at to defend gathering Baltic convoys from enemy attack. Excavation undertaken by

Headland Archaeology Headland Archaeology Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of the RSK Group. Headland provides archaeological services and heritage advice to the construction industry. Company history Headland Archaeology Ltd was established in 1996. Headquartered ...

proved that this battery had undergone two stages of development. It was built between 1813 and 1815 in response to a perceived threat from American

privateer A privateer is a private person or vessel which engages in commerce raiding under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign o ...

s. On recommendations made by the Admiralty the base was constructed alongside one of only three

martello tower Martello towers are small defensive forts that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards. Most were coastal forts. They stand up to high (with two floors) and typica ...

s in Scotland; the others being across the bay from Hackness at Crockness and the

Tally Toor The Tally Toor is the local name for a Martello tower in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is one of Scotland's three Martello towers, the other two being at Hackness and Crockness in Orkney. Originally built offshore on a rocky outcrop called the ...

in Leith. Eight 24-pounder guns were placed in the original battery, but were replaced in 1866 with four 68-pounder guns as part of an overhaul. This remodelling was in response to a perceived threat from Fenians based in America. No guns were ever fired in anger from the battery and the excavated remains have been left for public display.

Lifeboats

RNLI The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest of the lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways. Founded in 1824 ...

lifeboat has been stationed at Longhope since 1874; the old lifeboat house is now a

museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...

with a former Longhope lifeboat ''Thomas McCunn'' on display. On 17 March 1969 the station suffered one of the worst tragedies in British lifeboat history when its 47-ft wooden lifeboat, ''T.G.B.'', capsized with the loss of all eight crew after answering a mayday call from the Liberian cargo vessel ''Irene'' during a gale of Force 9. An unusually high wave, in what were described in the enquiry as "maelstrom conditions", is considered to have caused the capsize. Boats capable of righting themselves were subsequently introduced. The ''T.G.B.'' itself was salvaged, repaired and re-allocated to another station. It is now on display at the

Scottish Maritime Museum The Scottish Maritime Museum is an industrial museum with a Collection Recognised as Nationally Significant to Scotland. It is located at two sites in the West of Scotland in Irvine, North Ayrshire, Irvine and Dumbarton, with a focus on Scotland' ...

. In total, as of 2004, the station has received 26 bravery honours.

References

External links

Longhope's website
Villages in Orkney Hoy, Orkney {{Orkney-geo-stub

History

Lifeboats

See also

References

External links