ORCADIA-L Archives

Archiver > ORCADIA > 2003-10 > 1067136196


From: "Mike Clouston" <>
Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Gairsay - from Charles Tait
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 02:43:24 -0000
References: <NBENJEAGFADEEFFIEDJFAEAHCAAA.charles.tait@zetnet.co.uk> <001401c39b52$96e41760$ad498a18@athlon>


Do you mean bere, Dutch? Pronounced "bare" by the way.
Makes good home brewed beer and bere bannocks :-)
--
Mike Clouston

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dutch Thompson" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2003 11:49 PM
Subject: Re: [<orcadia>] Gairsay - from Charles Tait


> Hello-
> Very interesting Charles as always. One question slightly on topic-you
> mention the island was noted for its grain- am I right in thinking that a
> variety of black oats was/is gown in Orkney ? That is, oats with a dark
> complexion ?
> It was grown here on this island in eastern Canada at least until the
> 2nd WW, mainly for horse feed, especially for the pit ponies in the coal
> mines of neighbouring Nova Scotia. Unfortunately I do not have the proper
> name for the oats (one old oats variety was "Banner") Here it was only
> referred to as "Black Oats" by farmer, schooner-man & general store owner
> (who bought the oats from farmers & shipped it by rail or vessel) alike.
> Ring any bells anyone ?
>
> cheers D Thomson in Prince Edward Island
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Charles Tait" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2003 7:11 PM
> Subject: [<orcadia>] Gairsay - from Charles Tait
>
>
> > Interesting query on Gairsay. My maternal grandfather's (George
> > Leonard) mother who was an mather originally from Fair Isle lived with
> > her family on Gairsay for a time, I think at Boray before marrying John
> > Leonard from Wyre, the founder of the shop in town.
> >
> > We have visited Gairsay regularly every year ever since I can recall.
> > It is an exceptionally pleasant little island with fertile land on the
> > south side and moor on most of the north side. There is no peat to
> > speak of, although there is a boggy area on the north slope of the hill.
> >
> > Millburn bay is one of the best natural harbours in the north isles, and
> > the combination of good south-facing land made for a good Viking base.
> > There are at least two chambered cairns, two ruinous farms at Boray and
> > Skelbist as well as other huts and walls which might be dwellings. The
> > broch was probably below Boray. Langskaill was the site of Sweyn
> > Asleifson's long house of course.
> >
> > The school is along the bay from Langskaill. As far as I know no
> > archaeologist has been interested in the island, but "antiquarians" were
> > in the 19th century and dug into the conspicuous chambered cairn on the
> > east ridge and perhaps the most likely burnt mound at Millburn Bay
> > beside the loch.
> >
> > Gairsay is a fabulous place for nature lovers with its breeding skuas,
> > gulls, terns, waders, eiders, tysties, etc., and in autumn Grey seals
> > and their pups. It is also very good for wild flowers. The island
> > would have been quite capable of supporting 71 people, as it was
> > renowned for its grain. No doubt the home brew, and bannocks were
> > excellent. Whether many sheep were kept in not known, but I suspect
> > that there would have been quite a few cattle as there are several small
> > byres among the buildings at Skelbist and Boray. They also had pigs.
> > Of course sheep would have been kept, but they would have been the
> > native kind I suspect.
> >
> > The McGill family lives at Langskaill which they farm. The grazing of
> > the remainder of the island has been held by Swanbister for many years.
> > All in all Gairsay is one of the most attractive of the smaller north
> > isles - but hard to get to without a boat.
> > --
> > Charles Tait
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ====
> > To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the
word
> > 'unsubscribe' in the message body to
> >
> >
>
>
>
> ==== ORCADIA Mailing List ====
> To unsubscribe from the Orcadia mailing list, send an e-mail with the word
> 'unsubscribe' in the message body to
>
>

This thread: