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

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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
Gallow hills Figure 26 Topography of the Hill of Halsagarth,Mid Yell, with the approximate locationof Gallows Knowe (Data: Ordnance Survey. ©Crown copyright /database right 2010). house’ in Shetland (and beyond), is associatedwith a place of execution in a local tradition.In this case, the reputation of the house mayhave inspired the story, but it could also bethe other way round; similar to the reservationagainst the last inhabitant of Golgo, thenegative connotation of Windhouse may beolder than the house itself and originate froman older, fearful place.Be this as it may, the name of the GallowsKnowe is neither marked on any historicalor modern map, nor is it generally known tolocal residents. Smith now considers the evidencefor this site too weak and prefers not toinclude it in his study of gallows sites anymore(pers. comm., May 30 2011). Due to thepoor localisation of the site, little can be saidabout its visibility. Tentatively, a viewshedwas calculated for the spot on the northernslope of the Hill of Halsagarth (Fig. 27), wherethe panoramic photos were taken (Fig. 55). Itmust at least be close to the alleged GallowsKnowe. Compared to the other sites, the visibilityappears rather limited. However, theview includes both Whale Firth in the westand (parts of) Mid Yell Voe in the east.Figure 27 Viewshed from the Hill of Halsagarth(approxiamte location of Gallows Knowe), MidYell. Legend: see ig. 4 (DTM: Ordnance Survey. ©Crown copyright /database right 2010).11) Gallow Hill, FetlarHU 5919 9070The Gallow Hill of Fetlar is located at thewest side of the island. It is a large hill withgradual slopes on all sides, except for the west,where it has steep cliffs to Colgrave Sound(Fig. 28). Its summit lies at 106m ODN.The Gallow Hill of Fetlar is the only placeknown in Shetland, where possible remainsof the execution site can still be seen today.About 750m SSW of the television mast and200m from the coast, there is a knoll with aremarkable enclosure on it (Fig. 29). The enclosureis formed by a low turf wall (thougha stone wall might be buried beneath) up to40cm high and about 1m wide at the base(Fig. 30). It is slightly trapezoidal; the side19
Page 1 and 2: TAP Field Report No. 5A survey ofSh
Page 3 and 4: Gallow hillsTable of contentsIntrod
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Page 7 and 8: Gallow hillssite’s biography and
Page 10 and 11: TAP Field Report No. 5to the northw
Page 12 and 13: TAP Field Report No. 5Figure 11 Top
Page 14 and 15: TAP Field Report No. 5 Figure 17 V
Page 16 and 17: TAP Field Report No. 5Hills (252m).
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Page 23 and 24: Gallow hillsFigure 36 Topography of
Page 25 and 26: Gallow hillsWilgi Geos should proba
Page 27 and 28: Gallow hillsboth from the sea and l
Page 29 and 30: Gallow hillsFigure 44 Location of p
Page 31 and 32: Gallow hillsas Herrisdale (Park) an
Page 33 and 34: Gallow hillsof the discussed sites
Page 35 and 36: Gallow hillsturn are strongly conne
Page 37 and 38: Gallow hillsNotes1Brian Smith, foru
Page 39 and 40: Gallow hillsCrawford, O.G.S. 1922.
Page 41 and 42: Gallow hillsAppendix IHistorically
Page 43 and 44: Gallow hills‘Luckymenis Ness’ (
Page 45 and 46: Gallow hillsto be naild to the gall
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