Stronsay
| Norse name | Strjónsey |
|---|---|
| Meaning of name | Old Norse for "good fishing and farming island" |
 An aerial view of Whitehall, with Grice Ness at the end of Stronsay's north-eastern peninsula |
|
| Location | |
 Stronsay
Stronsay shown within Orkney
|
|
| OS grid reference | HY669239 |
| Coordinates | 59°06′N 2°36′W / 59.1°N 2.6°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Orkney |
| Area | 3,275 hectares (13 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 27 |
| Highest elevation | Burgh Hill 44 metres (144 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Council area | Orkney Islands |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 349 |
| Population rank | 26 |
| Population density | 10.7 people/km2 |
| Largest settlement | Whitehall |
 |
|
| References | |
Stronsay is an island in Orkney, off the north coast of Scotland. It is 3,275 hectares (13 sq mi) in size, and 44 metres (144 feet) at its highest point and has a usually resident population of 349. The main village is Whitehall, home to a heritage centre.
Sights on the island include the Vat of Kirbister, a natural arch described as the "finest in Orkney" and various seabirds amongst which are Arctic terns.
As with most of Orkney, Stronsay is made up of Old Red Sandstone which has produced a fine soil in many places. It is generally low lying.
With an area of 33 square kilometres (13 sq mi) it 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, Shapinsay and Mainland Orkney to the south west, and Auskerry due south.
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.
The island is now agricultural, but during the 18th and 19th centuries, kelp collection and herring curing employed up to five thousand people. The population, which is high for a Scottish island, was over a thousand for the entire 19th century through the mid-20th century, with the 1891 census recording a population of 1275 people, excluding seasonal itinerants involved in the herring industry.
...
Wikipedia