Talk:Sandness

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia

watch towers

@Ex-isle
In this 1890-map, close to the lower edge, sitting on the north flank of the Spinner there is a "watch tower" marked. The 1881-map shows a "watch tower" a bit to the southwest from this one on the hill on the other side of the main road.
I always wondered about these watch towers being so far inland. Any idea about the reason for this towers? What was watched? thx Islandhopper 03:25, 6 July 2007 (MDT)

yes, I've been up there, I know where you are. Point is vantage, and therefore it would have been a signalling station potentially at any stage through history. I believe there's a Napoleonic connection, but beacons are as old as fire. I'll speak with my father. Now that I've started on the Saanis entry, I'll need to consult on a few stories which I recall him telling me, but which I'm light on the detail of. Cheeri fir eenoo User:Ex-isle

I think there would be a fishing connection too, lining up the cairns with other features on the cliffs would pinpoint fishing grounds, or be parts of 'meads'.Heimdal 06:00, 6 July 2007 (MDT)

absolutely, they were known meads/meids/mieds User:Ex-isle

I have uploaded SandnesscroftsA.jpg which could be used on the Sandness page or on the RTC Scott page if you think it suitableHeimdal 10:03, 6 July 2007 (MDT)

Great Page :-). Aboot time da back o beyond got a mention ;-)

I put in one of those funny wiki break things to separate the tale from the pictures as it looked a bit mixed up on my browser.
The command for that break line is <br style="clear:both;"/>.
It can be very handy when text below pictures won't behave and stay where you want it.
Heimdal, that SandsesscroftA.jpg looks good and should be on the page. It can also be used on other pages as well by just adding the link, so add as required.
Robbie 10:15, 6 July 2007 (MDT)

Thanks ... wasn't quite sure what I was doing format wise - was aiming at what you eventually did but finally just gave up ... but A'm laernin :) Will hae a skoit at da crofts ... cheers E/I

Could identify both of the watch towers in the RCAHMS list. In older sources they are described as "Scandinavian watch towers" (and from that the fishery connection might come) but more recent entries classify them as Bronze Age cairns both with remains of cists inside. Change of category from watch tower to cairn on OS maps happened along with the 1930/40 editions. Islandhopper 05:45, 7 July 2007 (MDT)

My memory of them is fuzzy - I was about 15 I think, when I was there. The Bronze Age connection doesn't surprise me, though ... but as the heights have always had their purpose and so attraction - as watchtowers, meids, beacons etc. - we can imagine they've been different things to different people Ex-isle 03:57, 8 July 2007 (MDT)

1890 map

@Ex-isle
Is it possible that the map is an unauthorized download / republishing from the National Library's map viewer? I'm just asking because the pic bears the same security grid markings as any download from that site ... ;-) Islandhopper 12:14, 6 July 2007 (MDT)

hmm ... could be :0 ... have had it on e-file a while now, I do also have a paper copy of the map. I just dug it our from an old disc along with a lot of fotos of mine. Must we beg clearance to use it if it's electronic and/or if it's a scan? E/I

For that electronic thing: they sell the right for re-publishing from their stock ... if I remember it correctly something like 125 £ per year they did offer me for our non-profite website a couple of years ago :-))) ; own scan might be better ... older than the said 70 years ;-) although ever lasting CCR :-))) Islandhopper 13:01, 6 July 2007 (MDT)