TAP Field Report No. 5 A survey of Shetland's gallow hills Joris ...

TAP Field Report No. 59) Watch Hill (Gallow Hill), Eshaness,Northmavine, MainlandHU 2590 7809?Figure 24 Topography of Watch Hill (GallowHill?), Eshaness (Data: Ordnance Survey. © Crowncopyright /database right 2010). Smith mentions a Gallow Hill at Eshaness,located ‘more or less on the boundary withthe rest of Northmavine’. The name doesnot appear on any edition of the OS map.The Shetland Amenity Trust’s Place NamesProject has mapped the site on Watch Hill, aknoll to the east of Braewick (Fig. 24). The topof the hill is marked by a circular cairn, possiblyof Bronze Age date (Historic Scotland siteindex nr. 6150). 17Located 500m from the coast, but at an elevationof 106 m, the site offers a splendid viewof St. Magnus Bay and the Atlantic covering anangle of 200° (Fig. 25). The horizon at sea lies40km away. The site overlooks Eshaness tothe west; towards the south, one can see thecoastline of south Northmavine, Muckle Roe,West Mainland, Papa Stour and Foula. To thenortheast, one can see Ronas Hill, while to theeast, the view includes several hilltops on Yell.Both the Gallow Hill of Brae and the hilltop atGluss supposedly named Gulga are visiblefrom the top of Watch Hill.10) Gallows Knowe, Holsigarth, Mid YellHU 4878 9122? Figure 25 Viewshed from Watch Hill (GallowHill?), Eshaness. Legend: see ig. 4(DTM: Ordnance Survey. © Crown copyright /database right 2010).Smith (2006) mentioned a site called GallowsKnowe at Holsigarth (spelled Halsagarthon OS maps), a deserted croft opposite the infamousWindhouse near Mid Yell (Fig. 26). Herefers to a tradition recorded by the folkloristLaurence Williamson. According to this story,two men, who were found guilty of stealingcattle belonging to the lord of WindhouseCharles Neven, were hanged at the GallowsKnowe in the early 18th century. As Smithpoints out, it is very unlikely that an executiontook place at this site as late as the 18thcentury, but he believes the story may have amore ancient origin. Although this is admittedlya daring thought, it is remarkable thatthe Windhouse, known as the ‘most haunted18