HOY-AND-GREEMSAY, a parish, in the county of
Orkney, 2| miles (S.) from Stromness; containing 547
inhabitants, of whom 214 are in the small island of
GrcEmsay. This parish is chiefly situated in the island
of Hoy, the principal of the South Orkney isles. It
is bounded on the north by the Sound of Hoy, which
separates it from the parish of Stromness, in the main
land; on the east, by the bay of Scalpa, in which is the
small island of Grteinsay; on the south and south-east,
by the parish of Walls; and on the west, by the Atlantic
Ocean. The district of Hoy, or that part of the
parish which is in the isle of Hoy, is about nine miles
in extreme length, and six miles in breadth. Its surface
is boldly elevated, forming the highest ground in the
island, and the lands are chiefly marked by three lofty
hills, ranged in triangular form, of which that to the
north-east rises from a broad base to a height of 1200
feet above the level of the sea. The soil along the shore
is a rich loam, and in other parts peat, alternated with
clay. The greater portion of the district is covered
with heath, affording pasture to many flocks of sheep
which roam at large: in the husbandry of what is arable
very little improvement has been made. For want of
timber, the scenery has a dreary aspect, relieved however
in some parts by small valleys, intersecting the hills, and
watered by numerous rivulets, whose banks are ornamented
with a few shrubs and wild-flowers. The hills
abound with Alpine plants; and there are several deep
glens, in which the sound of the voice, or the report of a
musket, is re-echoed by repeated reverberations. A
rock on the brink of a valley, called the Dwarfie-stone,
has been excavated into three distinct apartments; in
one of these is something resembling a bed, and between
this and a smaller apartment is a recess apparently intended
as a fire-place, with a hole cut in the roof to emit
the smoke. The whole mass is of sandstone, about
thirty-two feet in length, seventeen feet in breadth, and
seven feet and a half in height. Veins of iron and lead
ore have been discovered; and the latter ore, on analysis,
was found to contain a considerable proportion of silver:
some grains of gold have also been met with. The island
of Grremsay, which is separated from the rest of the
parish by a sound about a mile in breadth, is a beautiftil
spot, a mile and a half in length and a mile broad. Its
surface is level, and covered with verdure affording luxuriant
pasturage j the soil is fertile, and that portion of
the land which is arable produces rich crops of grain:
the substratum throughout is clay-slate, which is wrought
for roofing. Cod, ling, and other fish are found in abundance
otF the coast of the parish; and seven boats belonging
to the parish are regularly employed in the herring-
fishery, during the season.
Ecclesiastically Hoy and Grcemsay are within the limits
of the presbytery of Cairston, synod of Orkney. The
minister's stipend is £150, to which are added £8. 6. 8.
for communion elements; with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £8 per annum: patron, the Earl of Zetland.
There are two churches, both in good repair, the church
of Hoy built towards the close of the last century, and
that of Grserasay thoroughly repaired about the year
1810; they contain each 182 sittings. Divine service
is performed every third Sunday at Graemsay, and on
the two other Sundays at Hoy. The parochial school is
well attended; the master has a salary of £'26, with a
house and garden, and the fees are about £2 per annum.
A school in Graemsay is supported by the Society for
Propagating Christian Knowledge. Among the precipices
on the coast is a massive lofty insulated pillar
which, from a fancied resemblance, is called the " Old
Man of Hoy "; it is conspicuously seen from the Caithness
coast.