Eynhallow

Infobox Scottish island |


latitude=59.14
longitude= -3.11
GridReference=HY359291
celtic name=
norse name= Eyin Helga
meaning of name= "Holy Island"
area= 75 ha
area rank= 166
highest elevation= 30 m
Population= 0
population rank=
main settlement=
island group=Orkney
local authority=Orkney Islands
references= [2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland] cite book| author=Haswell-Smith, Hamish| year=2004| title=The Scottish Islands| location=Edinburgh| publisher=Canongate| isbn=1841954543] cite map| url=http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap/| title=Get-a-map| publisher=Ordnance Survey] [ [http://www.orkneyjar.com/placenames/pl-isle.htm Orkney Placenames] ] 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] Pedersen, Roy (January 1992) "Orkneyjar ok Katanes" (map, Inverness, Nevis Print)]

Eynhallow (Old Norse: "Eyinhelga") is a small uninhabited island, part of the Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Scotland.

Geography

Eynhallow lies in Eynhallow Sound between Mainland, Orkney and Rousay. It is 75 hectares (0.3 square miles) in area.

There is no regular access. 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 Rousay. [cite web| url=http://www.aroundrousay.co.uk/eynhallow.shtml| title=Eynhallow| publisher=Around Rousay| accessdate=2008-01-08]

History

The island's main attraction is a church dating from the twelfth century or earlier, and perhaps originally part of a monastery.cite web| url=http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/scotgaz/features/featurefirst1727.html| title=Overview of Eynhallow| publisher=Gazetteer for Scotland| accessdate=2008-01-05] The site is maintained by Historic Scotland.

In 1841 it had a population of 26. It has been uninhabited since the landowner cleared crofters away in 1851. It is now a bird sanctuary.

It has its own folklore, concerning the initial finding of the island. [cite web| url=http://www.orkneyjar.com/folklore/finfolk/eynfree.htm| title=Folklore| publisher=orkneyjar.com| accessdate=2008-01-08]

ee also

*Gurness

References

External links

* [http://www.charles-tait.co.uk/library/orkney/northisles/eynhallow/ Photographs of the island]