Vaila

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Vaila with Vaila Hall

**Shetland Islands**
OS Name:	Vaila
Shetland Name:	Vaila

UK Grid Reference:	HU231465
Area (ha):	327 ha
Population:
Community Council:
Ferry Services:
Notes:

Vaila contained 29 inhabitants in 1846 ^[1] is an island in Vaila Sound lying south of the Westland peninsula of the Shetland Mainland, in the mouth of the network of voes which collectively make up the harbours of Walls (Waas). It has an area of about 3 km².

Once home to a fishing station established by Arthur Anderson (the co-founder of P&O), notable buildings on the island include the Mucklaberry Castle tower and Vaila Hall, built in 1895. Vaila is home to an organic sheep farm and is also known for its mountain hares.

In 1576 the lands of Vaila were leased to a Scottish incomer Robert Cheyne from the Norwegian owner. Cheyne was granted leave by James VI of Scotland 'to build ane house and fortalice upoun the saidis landis of Valay for sauftie thairof fra the hiland men, perattis and otheris invasionis'. In time these holdings passed to James Mitchell of Girlsta.

Mitchell's daughter Grizell married John Scott in 1696, whose older brother George was then Steward Depute of Orkney and Shetland. The new Haa of Vaila was completed the same year. The new couple appear to have settled in Melby, however, as it is here their children are born. A further marriage between cousins among the Scotts and the Mitchells in the next generation solidified the estates of Foula, Vaila, Melby and Norby in the Scott family.

However tragedy struck the family in 1764 when the heir, also John Scott, fell from a cliff in Vaila - "da young laird 'at gude owir da banks", as he was remembered locally. The following year his father, also John, the old laird, died too. Around 1800, the estate base moves to Melby, Sandness with the building of Melby Hall, but tragedy dogged them as the next generation's heir was also lost at an early age, drowning off Cruden Bay when the trader Doris went down in 1813.

Vaila Hall - southwest elevation, to the right the oldeest parts

Through Arthur Anderson's friendship with one of the family, James Scott, Vaila became the base for an experiment in local industry, when the first free fishing station was established, encouraging the fishermen to manage their own affairs out of the grasp of Truck.

Vaila remained in Scott hands until the family's fall in fortunes in the 1880s and 90s, after which the island and some other parts of the estate were bought by the rich Anderton family. The Haa was considerably extended by them, and became Vaila Hall.

The only family who live on in Vaila now also own the Vaila Fine Art shop on Commercial Street. They have commissioned Nicholas Groves-Raines Architects to undertake a range of work on the island estate. This includes the big house, a farmhouse at Cloudin, and the lookout tower.

During their research Venables & Venables recorded the following species of birds breeding on Vaila in 1951.

Regular and common: Fulmar; Cormorant; Starling; Shag; Eider; Red-breasted Merganser; Oyster Catcher; Snipe; Greater Black-backed Gull; Lesser Black-backed Gull; Herring Gull; Common Gull; Arctic Tern; Kittiwake; Razorbill; Common Guillemot; Black Guillemot; Rock Dove; Skylark; Hooded Crow; Wren; Wheatear; Rock Pipit; House Sparrow and Twite.

Irregular or rare: Mallard; Great Skua; Blackbird; Meadow Pipit and Raven.

Suspected to be breeding, but unconfirmed: Puffin.

Known to have bred on Vaila previously but extinct by 1951: Peregrine, Red Grouse and Pheasant.

Pictures of Vaila Hall

The following set of images is all old stuff and was taken during two visits in 1985 and 1987 - so a long time before more recent reconstruction and renovation work was carried out as one can easily see: search for water damages on some of the images due to the then rotten roof.

The big fire place inside the hall (watch the big water damage to the left above the fire place)	Picture gallery in the hall	The big window showing family crests	The hall - facing the big window
The Hall - opposite end	A Chinese wooden panel - above the door of the hall	Foot of an old armchair	Vaila Hall