Archaeology and Cultural Landscapes
Fair Isle was first colonised in the Neolithic or New Stone Age era around 5000 years ago. The early settlers introduced domesticated animals and grew grain, starting early on to create the landscape we have today. You’ll notice that all of the houses on Fair Isle are in the south of the isle but this wasn’t always the case - there was once a settlement north of Hill Dyke until changes in the environment led to a build-up of bog iron and peat making it less habitable.
Many of the walls around Fair Isle, known as dykes, were constructed in the early settlement period.
One of the most prominent is Hill Dyke, constructed last century and separating the hill land from the crofting land. This was pre-dated by the Feely Dyke, a possibly prehistoric turf dyke which still exists to a height of 2 m in places (see below).
Fair Isle has a number of scheduled monuments:
A • Malcolm’s Head Lookout Tower
The remains of a Napoleonic watch tower.
B • Kirki Geo Settlement
The remains of a settlement from the middle-to-late Iron Age situated below and around the graveyard, with boat noosts and shelters to the south.
C • Hoini Presses
The remains of a modern pre-historic house on the boundary between Barkland and Hoini.
D • Burnt Mounds
Just north of the Pund croft, these are believed to date to the Bronze Age. They are made from the accumulation of heat shattered stones built up around a central water trough. The stones were heated and plunged into the trough to quickly heat the water, which was then used for cooking, tanning hides or possibly as a sauna.
E • Feely Dyke
A substantial boundary dyke of possible pre-historic date.
F • Rocket Signalling Establishment
Built in 1885 to warn passing ships of Fair Isle’s existence in fog, firing rockets every 10 minutes during ‘thick weather and snow showers’. The accommodation block and two signal rocket firing stances remain, as well as the remains of the magazine where rockets were stored to the south-east.
G • Burn of Gilsetter
Has a series of small horizontal water mills and their water supply systems, which were used until WWI. There is also evidence of a Bronze Age settlement, including a burnt mound.
H • Sukka Mire
An area comprising a burnt mound and a number of post-medieval and recent small agricultural enclosures known as crubs.
I • Burn of Furse and Homisdale
Two settlement areas of probable Bronze Age date; two house sites, three burnt mounds, stretches of wall and numerous crubs.
J • Burrashield
A ruined house of prehistoric date.
K • Landberg Fort
An Iron Age promontory fort, more recently excavated due to erosion by burrowing Rabbits and Puffins.
L • Ward Hill Radar Station
The top of Ward Hill comprises the remains of a WWII radar station, blown up with dynamite after the war. Several generator and control houses as well as other huts and buildings used during the war also remain in the surrounding areas.
M • Mopul Cairn
A prehistoric burial cairn located close to the edge of the cliffs.
N • Easter Lother and Jivvy Geo
A prehistoric boundary dyke isolating the north-east corner of the isle with the remains of two structures, possibly houses, incorporated into it.
For more information visit Historic Environment Scotland