Vaila
Encyclopedia
Vaila is an island
in Shetland, Scotland
, lying south of the Westland peninsula
of the Shetland Mainland
. It has an area of 327 hectares (1.26 sq mi), and is 95 metres (312 ft) at its highest point.
Vaila is home to an organic
sheep farm and is also known for its mountain hare
s.
and bronze age
remains have been found here.
Older remains on the island include Mucklaberry Castle tower, which was restored in the 1890s.
In 1490, the Ciske family's estates were divided and Vaila and Foula
became the property of Alv Knutsson. However, the Ciskes were Norwegian, and as Scotland had annexed Shetland a few decades before, there were confusing and conflicting claims of ownership.
In the 17th century Martin Martin
recorded an unusual folk tale:
In 1837, Arthur Anderson
(the co-founder of P&O
), chose the island as the base for his Shetland Fishery Company. This helped end landlords' dominance of the Shetland fishing industry. The journalist John Sands
lived on Vaila for a while during the late nineteenth century.
Vaila Hall, was built in the 1890s, by Herbert Anderton, a Yorkshire
mill owner. It is considered to be one of the finest mansions in all of Shetland. It incorporates an older laird's
house, built by James Mitchell in 1696. Stone and Labour were brought in from England
, and ornamentation from even further away: for example, it is thought that the stone griffin
s may come from Germany
.
The Anderstons owned the island until 1993.
The geology consists of fine dark grey sandstone
of the type found in nearby Walls, which was formed 400 million years ago, and subjected to glacial processes. There is some Sandsting granite in the south east by Gaada Stacks.
There are five burns
, and four ponds on the island, meaning that it is fairly well watered.
The south end is higher and dominated by Ward Hill (a common name in the Northern Isles
.), which is divided into West Ward (81 metres), Mid Ward and East Ward (95 metres).
There are several caves in the south and west, and natural arches on the east and west coasts.
To the north west is Wester Sound, and Easter Sound to the East. Vaila Sound is to the north, and contains one of the many Shetland islands called Linga
.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in Shetland, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, lying south of the Westland peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
of the Shetland Mainland
Shetland Mainland
The Mainland is the main island of Shetland, Scotland. The island contains Shetland's only burgh, Lerwick, and is the centre of Shetland's ferry and air connections....
. It has an area of 327 hectares (1.26 sq mi), and is 95 metres (312 ft) at its highest point.
Vaila is home to an organic
Organic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
sheep farm and is also known for its mountain hare
Mountain Hare
The Mountain Hare , also known as Blue Hare, Tundra Hare, Variable Hare, White Hare, Alpine Hare and Irish Hare, is a hare, which is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. It is distributed from Fennoscandia to eastern Siberia; in addition there are isolated populations in the Alps,...
s.
History
The island has been inhabited for thousands of years, and neolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
and bronze age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
remains have been found here.
Older remains on the island include Mucklaberry Castle tower, which was restored in the 1890s.
In 1490, the Ciske family's estates were divided and Vaila and Foula
Foula
Foula in the Shetland Islands of Scotland is one of Great Britain’s most remote permanently inhabited islands. Owned since the turn of the 20th century by the Holbourn family, the island was the location for the film The Edge of the World...
became the property of Alv Knutsson. However, the Ciskes were Norwegian, and as Scotland had annexed Shetland a few decades before, there were confusing and conflicting claims of ownership.
In the 17th century Martin Martin
Martin Martin
Martin Martin was a Scottish writer best known for his work A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland . This book is particularly noted for its information on the St Kilda archipelago...
recorded an unusual folk tale:
The inhabitants of the isle Vaila say that no cat will live in it, and if any cat be brought to it, they will rather venture to sea, than stay in the isle. They say that a cat was seen upon the isle about fifty years ago; but how it came there was unknown. They observed about the same time, how the proprietor was in great torment, and as they supposed by witchcraft, of which they say he then died. There is no account that any cat has been seen in the isle ever since that gentleman’s death except when they were carried to it, for making the above-mentioned experiment.
In 1837, Arthur Anderson
Arthur Anderson (businessman)
Arthur Anderson was a Scottish businessman and Liberal politician. He was co-founder of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company .-Career:...
(the co-founder of P&O
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which is usually known as P&O, is a British shipping and logistics company which dated from the early 19th century. Following its sale in March 2006 to Dubai Ports World for £3.9 billion, it became a subsidiary of DP World; however, the P&O...
), chose the island as the base for his Shetland Fishery Company. This helped end landlords' dominance of the Shetland fishing industry. The journalist John Sands
John Sands
John Sands of Ormiston was a Scottish freelance journalist and artist who also had an interest in archaeology and folk customs, especially the way of life on Scottish islands...
lived on Vaila for a while during the late nineteenth century.
Vaila Hall, was built in the 1890s, by Herbert Anderton, a Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
mill owner. It is considered to be one of the finest mansions in all of Shetland. It incorporates an older laird's
Laird
A Laird is a member of the gentry and is a heritable title in Scotland. In the non-peerage table of precedence, a Laird ranks below a Baron and above an Esquire.-Etymology:...
house, built by James Mitchell in 1696. Stone and Labour were brought in from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and ornamentation from even further away: for example, it is thought that the stone griffin
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
s may come from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The Anderstons owned the island until 1993.
Geography and geology
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
of the type found in nearby Walls, which was formed 400 million years ago, and subjected to glacial processes. There is some Sandsting granite in the south east by Gaada Stacks.
There are five burns
Burn (stream)
In Scotland, North East England and some parts of Ireland and New Zealand, burn is a name for watercourses from large streams to small rivers. The term is also used in lands settled by the Scots and Northern English in other countries, notably in Otago, New Zealand, where much of the naming was...
, and four ponds on the island, meaning that it is fairly well watered.
The south end is higher and dominated by Ward Hill (a common name in the Northern Isles
Northern Isles
The Northern Isles is a chain of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The climate is cool and temperate and much influenced by the surrounding seas. There are two main island groups: Shetland and Orkney...
.), which is divided into West Ward (81 metres), Mid Ward and East Ward (95 metres).
There are several caves in the south and west, and natural arches on the east and west coasts.
To the north west is Wester Sound, and Easter Sound to the East. Vaila Sound is to the north, and contains one of the many Shetland islands called Linga
Linga, Vaila
Linga is one of the Shetland Islands, near Vaila and Walls on Mainland, Shetland.-Geography and geology:Linga is made up of sandstone, subjected to ancient glacial erosion....
.