ROUSAY-AND-EAGLESHAY, a parish, in the
North Isles of the county of Orkney; containing,
with the islands of Eagleshay, Enhallow, and Wier,
1294 inhabitants, of whom 9^2 are in the island of
Rousay, 9 miles (N. by W.) from Kirkwall. This parish,
which is situated to the north-east of the main land,
comprehends the four islands just named, with two small
holms, or uninhabited isles. Rousay, the largest island,
is about nine miles in length and four in breadth; it
consists chiefly of ranges of hills abounding with game,
and is watered by numerous springs of excellent quality.
Eagleshay, situated about a mile eastward of Rousay, is
three miles in length and one in breadth; the surface is
level, but enlivened with a beautiful lake of fresh water,
and the soil is fertile e-xcept on the north side, which is
principally sand, and a rabbit-warren. The island of
Wier, to the south of Rousay, from which it is divided
by the sound of Wier, about half a mile wide in tlie
narrowest part, is little more than a fourth of the extent
of Eagleshay. Enhallow, a still smaller island, is situated
in the middle of the sound between Rousay and
the Mainland. The several islands comprise together
an area of about 20,000 acres, of which 2200 are arable,
10.400 pasture, and the remainder undivided common
and waste. There is neither any natural wood nor any
plantation, and the scenery consequently is rather of
bold and romantic than of pleasing character. The
crops are oats, bear, barley, wheat, turnips, potatoes, and
other vegetables. The substratum of the various isles
is nearly similar; in that of P^agleshay is obtained a
kind of shell-sand which makes good manure, and limestone
is found in small quantities, of a very compact
quality. Peat and turf, with which the islands abound,
constitute the fuel, with a little coal used by the chief
families. Westness, the residence of William Traill, Esq.,
of Woodvvick, is a handsome modern mansion, beautifully
situated on the south-west coast of Rousay. The
inhabitants are mostly employed in agriculture, and in
the cod, herring, and lobster fishery, which is carried on
to a considerable extent, affording employment to nearly
twenty boats of one hundred tons' aggregate burthen.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of North Isles and synod of
Orkney. The minister's stipend is £150, with an allowance
of £8. 6. 8. for communion elements, a manse, and
a glebe valued at £9 per annum; patron, the Earl of
Zetland. The church is a neat modern structure. There
are places of worship for members of the Free Church
and the United Presbyterian Synod. The parochial
school is well attended; the master has a salary of £26,
with a house and small garden, and the fees. A school
is supported by the General Assembly; and there are
two other schools in the parish, maintained exclusively
by the fees. The island of Eagleshay is said to have
been the place where St. Magnus was murdered, and
the church which was erected to his memory on the spot
is still in a tolerably entire state: it is in the early
English style, with a tower at the west end; is surmoimted
by a low pyramidal roof, and consists of a
nave and choir, the roof of which latter is groined. Several
of the ancient earls and bishops of Orkney made
this island their residence; and from the beauty of its
situation, it was for many generations the seat of its
proprietors, the families of Douglas and Monteith. In
Rousay are the remains of a small church: and on the
shore, a little to the west, is a large pile of stones, around
which are numerous graves formed with stones set edgewise.
This spot, called Swendrow, is supposed to have
been that where Earl Paul was taken prisoner, and his
numerous attendants slain by Swein.