South Havra

South Havra
Norse name Hafrey
Meaning of name "Ewe Island"

Aerial view of South Havra
Location
South Havra
South Havra shown within Shetland
OS grid reference HU360268
Physical geography
Island group Shetland
Area 59 hectares (0.23 sq mi)
Area rank 183= [1]
Highest elevation 42 metres (138 ft)
Administration
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Country Scotland
Council area Shetland Islands
Demographics
Population 0
References [2][3][4][5]

South Havra (Old Norse: Hafrey)[5] is an uninhabited island in the Scalloway Islands, Shetland, Scotland.

Geography and geology

South Havra lies south of Burra and west of the southern peninsula of the Mainland, Shetland.

The island's rock is "epidiotic syenite with undifferentiated schist and gneiss."[3]

The soil is fairly fertile, but the lack of running water meant that, unusually for Shetland, the islanders resorted to building a windmill to grind corn.

Geological features on the island include caves and natural arches

Little Havra is to its west.

History

Olaf Sinclair, foud (a kind of magistrate) of all Shetland lived here in the 16th century.

The island's ruined windmill is an unusual sight in the Shetland Islands, especially as some have pointed out, that the Dutch were amongst the archipelago's most frequent visitors.[6]

South Havra has been uninhabited since May, 1923. Previously the population was big enough to support a school.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
  2. ↑ 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
  3. 1 2 3 Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
  4. ↑ Get-a-map (Map). Ordnance Survey.
  5. 1 2 Anderson, Joseph (Ed.) (1893) Orkneyinga Saga. Translated by Jón A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. James Thin and Mercat Press (1990 reprint). ISBN 0-901824-25-9
  6. ↑ "Windmills of Scotland". Windmill World. Retrieved 2008-11-06.

Coordinates: 60°1′31.5″N 1°21′11″W / 60.025417°N 1.35306°W / 60.025417; -1.35306

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