Auskerry (Scots: Soond; Old Norse: Austrsker, east skerry) is a small island in eastern Orkney, Scotland. It lies in the North Sea south of Stronsay and has a lighthouse, completed in 1866.
| Scots name | Soond[1] |
|---|---|
| Old Norse name | Austrsker |
| Meaning of name | east skerry |
| Location | |
  Auskerry Auskerry shown within Orkney | |
| OS grid reference | HY675165 |
| Coordinates | 59°01′56″N 2°34′11″W / 59.032267°N 2.569761°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Orkney |
| Area | 85 hectares (0.33 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 157= [2] |
| Highest elevation | 18 metres (59 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Council area | Orkney Islands |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 2[3] |
| Population rank | 77= [2] |
| Population density | 4.7 people/km2[3][4] |
 | |
| References | [4][5][6][7] |
| Auskerry Lighthouse | |
 | |
| Constructed | 1866  |
| Built by | David Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson |
| Construction | stone |
| Automated | 1961 |
| Height | 34 m (112 ft) |
| Shape | cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern[8][9] |
| Markings | white tower, black lantern, ochre trim |
| Power source | solar power |
| Operator | Northern Lighthouse Board |
| Heritage | category B listed building |
| Fog signal | None |
| Focal height | 34 m (112 ft) |
| Range | 20 nmi (37 km; 23 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 20s |
Description
editAuskerry is a small, flat, red sandstone islet, 3 miles (5 km) south of Stronsay.[10][11] A standing stone and mediaeval chapel are signs of early settlement.[10] The island was uninhabited for a time after the automation of the lighthouse in the 1960s. It was previously a popular location for hunting seals.[10]
Auskerry has been inhabited for nearly 50 years by a family (of the reporter Hamish Auskerry) who keep a flock of rare North Ronaldsay sheep.[12] There are three small wind turbines and four solar panels on the island, which provide most of the power. After a series of expansions and renovations, the single roomed stone bothy is now a modern house with four bedrooms, kitchen, shower room and living room. The chemical toilet is outdoors due to the complication of installing septic tanks. Mail is delivered from Stronsay, once a month, by a fishing boat.[13]
Lighthouse
editThe lighthouse lights the north entrance to the Stronsay Firth.[14] It was built in 1866 by engineers David and Thomas Stevenson.[15] It is attached to two flats; the lower one is used all year as a store and the top one is used mainly in summer.
The Hastings County, a 116-metre Norwegian cargo ship, ran ashore on north west of Auskerry in 1926 during thick fog.[16] The vessel broke in half and wreckage is spread over a wide area, with the engine on the beach.
Wildlife
editAuskerry is designated a Special Protection Area due to its importance as a nesting area for Arctic tern and European storm petrel; 4.2% of the breeding population of European storm petrels in Great Britain nest on the island.[17] The island has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant breeding populations of seabirds.[18]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Map of Scotland in Scots - Guide and gazetteer" (PDF).
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b National Records of Scotland (15 August 2013). "Appendix 2: Population and households on Scotland's Inhabited Islands" (PDF). Statistical Bulletin: 2011 Census: First Results on Population and Household Estimates for Scotland Release 1C (Part Two) (PDF) (Report). SG/2013/126. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- ^ a b Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
- ^ Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 5 Orkney (Northern Isles) (Map). Ordnance Survey. 2008. ISBN 9780319228111.
- ^ 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)
- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Scotland: Orkney". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
- ^ Auskerry Northern Lighthouse Board. Retrieved 24 May 2016
- ^ a b c "Auskerry". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ Express, Britain. "Orkney geography and climate". britainexpress.com. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Isle of Auskerry". Archived from the original on 3 September 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ "Why postage should be cheaper in UK if Scots vote 'Yes'". BBC News. 19 April 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
- ^ "SS Hastings County Ashore On Auskerry". Scran. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ "Auskerry History". Northern Lighthouse Board. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ "Hastings County". North Isles Diving. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ "Special Protection Area description: Auskerry". JNCC. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2007.
- ^ "Auskerry". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.