Hascosay

Hascosay
Scots nameHascosay
Old Norse nameHafskotsey
Location
Hascosay is located in Shetland
Hascosay
Hascosay
Hascosay shown within Shetland
OS grid referenceHU556930
Coordinates60°37′00″N 0°59′00″W / 60.61667°N 00.98333°W / 60.61667; -00.98333
Physical geography
Island groupShetland
Area275 hectares (1.06 sq mi)
Area rank90= [1]
Highest elevation30 metres (98 ft)
Administration
Council areaShetland Islands
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Demographics
Population0
Lymphad
References[2][3][4][5]

Hascosay (Scots: Hascosay; Old Norse "Hafskotsey"[5]) is a small island lying between Yell and Fetlar in the Shetland Islands, Scotland.

Geography and geology

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The island's rock is coarse micaceous gneiss.[3] It has several pools, but the fresh water in them is frequently contaminated by salt spray. Its area is just over one square mile (2.5 square kilometres).

History

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The population of the island was 42 in 1841, but had shrunk to thirteen within a decade. In 1871, the population numbered 4, and in 1881, the island was uninhabited.[6] The laird, Arthur Nicolson, who had bought it had "cleared" parts of Fetlar, and it is possible that the islanders removed themselves in anticipation of a possible future forcible eviction by this landowner.[3]

Wildlife

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House on Hascosay, with the hills of Fetlar beyond

The island is designated as a Special Area of Conservation on account of its largely undisturbed blanket bog habitat. It is also home to a population of otters.

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ a b c Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004) The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh. Canongate.
  4. ^ Ordnance Survey
  5. ^ a b 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
  6. ^ "Old County of Shetland from the Gazetteer for Scotland".

60°37′N 0°59′W / 60.617°N 0.983°W / 60.617; -0.983