Copinsay

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Copinsay
Old Norse nameKolbeinsey
Meaning of name"Kobeinn's Island"
Horseofcopinsaytocopinsay.jpg
Southwards from the eastern edge of the Horse of Copinsay. Copinsay lighthouse is on the high ground in the distance.
Location
Orkney Islands UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Copinsay
Copinsay shown within Orkney
OS grid reference HY607015
Coordinates 58°54′N2°40′W / 58.9°N 2.67°W / 58.9; -2.67
Physical geography
Island group Orkney
Area73 hectares (0.28 sq mi)
Area rank170  [1]
Highest elevation64 metres (210 ft)
Administration
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Country Scotland
Council area Orkney Islands
Demographics
Population7
Lymphad3.svg
References [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Copinsay Lighthouse OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Copinsay Lighthouse - geograph.org.uk - 253493.jpg
Copinsay Lighthouse in 2005
Coordinates 58°53′47″N2°40′19″W / 58.896432°N 2.672027°W / 58.896432; -2.672027
Constructed1915
Built by David Alan Stevenson   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Constructionstone tower
Automated1991
Height16 metres (52 ft)
Shapecylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markingswhite tower, black lantern, ochre trim
Power sourcesolar power  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
OperatorRoyal Society for the Protection of Birds [7] [8]
Heritagecategory B listed building  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Focal height39 metres (128 ft)
Range21 nautical miles (39 km; 24 mi)
Characteristic Fl(5) W 30s  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Copinsay (Old Norse : Kolbeinsey) is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland, lying off the east coast of the Orkney Mainland. The smaller companion island to Copinsay, Horse of Copinsay lies to the northeast. The Horse is uninhabited, and is managed as a bird reserve. Copinsay is also home to 7 people and a lighthouse.

Contents

Myths about the island include the story of the Copinsay Brownie. [9]

For many generations, prior to the final inhabitants moving to the Mainland in 1958, Copinsay was full of life. This is evidenced by the large double story farmhouse, the Steading (or farm buildings) behind it for the farm tenants, a school with a schoolteacher, and up to three lighthouse keepers' families.

There is also an ancient burial site on the island.

In the earlier part of the 20th century, a weekly postal service provided contact with the Mainland, and there were fortnightly shopping trips to Deerness, allowing for weather. The farm boasted working horses, cattle and sheep - all of which had to be transported on the "coo" or "cow" boat. Bird's eggs provided a good supplement to the islanders' diet, and men were lowered over the cliffs on a special rope, or were rowed out to the Horse to bring back this addition.

Pigs were loosed in the Spring on the Horse for many years, and they fed on the bird's eggs.

Many interesting facts and accounts of life on Copinsay are still retold in the Deerness Community, with many members still remembering when the island was still home to loved ones.

Ecology

The island was bought by the ornithology charity RSPB in 1972 in memory of the naturalist James Fisher. [10] Although Copinsay today is uninhabited, some fields are still farmed at the behest of the RSPB, to try provide suitable conditions for Corncrake. As a result, a patchwork of yesteryear is returning to the island, even though the people have not. Together with the three adjacent three islets (Corn Holm, Ward Holm and Black Holm), it is designated a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the European Union directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds due to the unimproved grassland vegetation and sheer sandstone cliffs providing ideal breeding ledges for seabirds. [11] There is a large colony of grey seals on the island. They usually pup in November each year. Puffins can be seen during July on the adjacent holms.

Notable residents

Edwin Muir, a famous poet

See also

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References

  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. ↑ 2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland
  3. ↑ Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN   978-1-84195-454-7.
  4. ↑ Get-a-map (Map). Ordnance Survey.
  5. ↑ 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. ↑ Pedersen, Roy (January 1992) Orkneyjar ok Katanes (map, Inverness, Nevis Print)
  7. ↑ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Scotland: Orkney". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  8. ↑ Copinsay Archived 2016-03-24 at the Wayback Machine Northern Lighthouse Board. Retrieved 25 May 2016
  9. ↑ "Copinsay Brownie" . Retrieved 6 January 2008.
  10. ↑ "Copinsay reserve". RSPB.
  11. ↑ "Copinsay SPA description". JNCC.

58°53′52″N2°40′34″W / 58.89778°N 2.67611°W / 58.89778; -2.67611

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