General view from road to N. Digital image of D 3459

Description General view from road to N. Digital image of D 3459

Date 14/8/1996

Collection Scottish Farm Buildings Survey

Catalogue Number SC 738374

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of D 3459

Scope and Content Backaskaill Steading, Sanday, Orkney Islands, from north The 400-acre farm of Backaskaill on the Orkney island of Sanday was owned by the Earl of Zetland from at least 1793. In 1863 the then earl erected new buildings for his tenants as well as draining the land. In 1874 it was occupied by John Paul and described as 'a first rate farm'. This shows the farm viewed from the road to the north with cattle grazing in the foreground. When this photograph was taken, the house and two new buildings, as well as the midden and silage pit, were still in use, but the old steading was largely disused and falling into disrepair. Sanday has always been a major farming community. By the 17th century the island was paying more scat (tax) than the other Orkney Islands, so it is likely that it contained more arable land than the rest. It was not until the 19th century that the agricultural improvements which were happening elsewhere in Britain came to Orkney. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/738374

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap