Wyre, Orkney


Wyre is one of the Orkney Islands, lying south-east of Rousay. It is and 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.

History

Wyre's history is still very apparent, and it has two ancient monuments maintained by Historic Scotland, Cubbie Roo's Castle and St Mary's Chapel.
Bishop Bjarni grew up on Wyre, and was the son of Kolbein Hruga, Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland says of him that he:
The poet Edwin Muir, known for his prominent part in the Scottish Renaissance, born in Deerness on Mainland, Orkney , spent much of his childhood on Wyre. In his autobiography he said of himself - "I'm an Orkneyman, a good Scandinavian", and commented that some of his happiest childhood years were spent here.

Cubbie Roo's Castle

Cubbie Roo's Castle, built about 1150, is one of the oldest castles 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.

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 Romanesque and demonstrates that the Norsemen, best known for their Viking 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 Sandstone 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, Stronsay to the east, Mainland to the south west, and Shapinsay to the south east. Bu ties with Ae in Dumfries and Galloway as being Britain's shortest name for a settlement.

Wildlife

Wyre is also known for its grey and common seals, and for birdlife including divers and ducks.

Wyre Sound

Wyre is separated from the neighbouring island of Rousay by the Wyre Sound. The sound experiences strong tides, which creates the perfect conditions for maerl beds to form. The maerl beds in turn provide a sheltered habitat for species as peacock worms and various sponges, as well as small fish, shrimps, gobies and crabs. Since 2014 the sound, along with the neighbouring Rousay Sound, has been designated as a Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area. Fishing activities are controlled within the MPA, and no dredging, beam trawling, demersal trawling or Seine fishing is permitted.

Footnotes