Wyre, Orkney
Encyclopedia
Wyre, also formerly spelt Weir, is one of the Orkney Islands, lying south-east of Rousay
. It is 311 hectares (1.2 sq mi) and 32 metres (105 ft) at its highest point. It is one of the smallest inhabited islands in the archipelago.
Orkney Ferries
sail from the island to Tingwall on the Orkney Mainland, Egilsay
and Rousay.
, Cubbie Roo's Castle and St Mary's Chapel.
Bishop Bjarni grew up on Wyre, and was the son of Kolbein Hruga (see Cubbie Roo's Castle below), Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland
says of him that he:
The poet Edwin Muir
(1887–1959), known for his prominent part in the Scottish Renaissance
, born in Deerness on Mainland, Orkney http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/edwin_muir/biography, spent much of his childhood on Wyre. In his autobiography he said of himself - "I'm an Orkneyman, a good Scandinavia
n", and commented that some of his happiest childhood years were spent here.
s in Scotland
and was mentioned in the Orkneyinga Saga
. It takes its name from Kolbein Hruga who was said to have lived there.
In King Haakon's saga, it is mentioned that after the last Norse Earl of Orkney, Earl John, was murdered in Thurso
, his killers fled to Wyre. They took refuge in the castle, which was so strong that the besiegers had to thrash out a deal with them to get them out.
and demonstrates that the Norsemen
, best known for their Viking
raids, also had a cosmopolitan cultural influence. It has been partly restored.
of the Devonian
period.
The island is low lying, and is shaped like an isosceles triangle on its side. It is generally low lying, and is separated from Rousay
by Wyre Sound.
Rousay is to the north, Gairsay
to the south, Mainland to the south west and Shapinsay
to the south east.
and common seals, and for birdlife including divers and duck
s.
Rousay
Rousay is a small, hilly island about north of Orkney's Mainland, off the north coast of Scotland, and has been nicknamed "the Egypt of the north", due to its tremendous archaeological diversity and importance....
. It is 311 hectares (1.2 sq mi) and 32 metres (105 ft) at its highest point. It is one of the smallest inhabited islands in the archipelago.
Orkney Ferries
Orkney Ferries
Orkney Ferries is a company operating inter-island ferry services in Orkney, to the north of mainland Scotland.-History:The company is owned by the Orkney Islands Council and was established in 1960 as the Orkney Islands Shipping Company....
sail from the island to Tingwall on the Orkney Mainland, Egilsay
Egilsay
Egilsay is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland, lying east of Rousay. The island is largely farmland and is known for its corncrakes.-St. Magnus Church:...
and Rousay.
History
Wyre's history is still very apparent, and it has two ancient monuments maintained by Historic ScotlandHistoric Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
, Cubbie Roo's Castle and St Mary's Chapel.
Bishop Bjarni grew up on Wyre, and was the son of Kolbein Hruga (see Cubbie Roo's Castle below), Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland
Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland
Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland is a reference work published by Harper Collins, edited by the husband and wife team, John and Julia Keay.-History:...
says of him that he:
- "composed the only significant work of Norse poetry to have survived in the [Orkney] islands, his Lay of the JomsvikingsJómsvíkingadrápaJómsvikingadrápa is a skaldic poem by Bjarni Kolbeinsson , Bishop of Orkney, in honour of the fallen Jomsvikings at the Battle of Hjörungavágr.- External links:* in Old Norse...
. He also played an important part in securing the canonisation of Earl Rognvald."
The poet Edwin Muir
Edwin Muir
Edwin Muir was an Orcadian poet, novelist and translator born on a farm in Deerness on the Orkney Islands. He was remembered for his deeply felt and vivid poetry in plain language with few stylistic preoccupations....
(1887–1959), known for his prominent part in the Scottish Renaissance
Scottish Renaissance
The Scottish Renaissance was a mainly literary movement of the early to mid 20th century that can be seen as the Scottish version of modernism. It is sometimes referred to as the Scottish literary renaissance, although its influence went beyond literature into music, visual arts, and politics...
, born in Deerness on Mainland, Orkney http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/edwin_muir/biography, spent much of his childhood on Wyre. In his autobiography he said of himself - "I'm an Orkneyman, a good Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n", and commented that some of his happiest childhood years were spent here.
Cubbie Roo's Castle
Cubbie Roo's Castle, built in about 1150, is one of the oldest castleCastle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
s in 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...
and was mentioned in the Orkneyinga Saga
Orkneyinga saga
The Orkneyinga saga is a historical narrative of the history of the Orkney Islands, from their capture by the Norwegian king in the ninth century onwards until about 1200...
. It takes its name from Kolbein Hruga who was said to have lived there.
In King Haakon's saga, it is mentioned that after the last Norse Earl of Orkney, Earl John, was murdered in Thurso
Thurso
-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
, his killers fled to Wyre. They took refuge in the castle, which was so strong that the besiegers had to thrash out a deal with them to get them out.
St Mary's Chapel
In the centre of the island is the roofless, but largely complete, twelfth century St Mary's Chapel. Its architecture is RomanesqueRomanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
and demonstrates that the Norsemen
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
, best known for their Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
raids, also had a cosmopolitan cultural influence. It has been partly restored.
Geography and geology
Like most of Orkney, Wyre is made up of Old Red SandstoneOld Red Sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is a British rock formation of considerable importance to early paleontology. For convenience the short version of the term, 'ORS' is often used in literature on the subject.-Sedimentology:...
of the Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
period.
The island is low lying, and is shaped like an isosceles triangle on its side. It is generally low lying, and is separated from Rousay
Rousay
Rousay is a small, hilly island about north of Orkney's Mainland, off the north coast of Scotland, and has been nicknamed "the Egypt of the north", due to its tremendous archaeological diversity and importance....
by Wyre Sound.
Rousay is to the north, Gairsay
Gairsay
Gairsay is a small island in Orkney, Scotland, located in the parish of Rendall, off the coast, astride one of the approaches to the bays of Firth and Kirkwall...
to the south, Mainland to the south west and Shapinsay
Shapinsay
Shapinsay is one of the Orkney Islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland. There is one village on the island, Balfour, from which roll-on/roll-off car ferries sail to Kirkwall on the Orkney Mainland...
to the south east.
Wildlife
Wyre is also known for its greyGrey Seal
The grey seal is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus...
and common seals, and for birdlife including divers and duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s.