Field Visit

Date September 1979

Event ID 617158

Category Recording

Type Field Visit

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/617158

Until c.1832 the North Ronaldsay sheep had virtually the run

of the island and caused great damage by getting in among crops,

but in that year the drystone sheep dyke, which encircles the

island above the shoreline, was completed. Surplus labour

resulting from the collapse of the kelp industry is said to have

been used. The common grazings outwith the dyke are operated

using 9 punds. The dyke is 12 miles long and its proper height

6ft, but in many places now less. Maintenance is the

responsibility of the man holding lands in the tunship adjoining

each stretch of the dyke, and in places red-paint marks are used

to indicate the limits of tunship responsibilities. Great

difficulty is now being found in maintaining the length of the

dyke to the proper standard, on account of the declining

population, and the stretches most exposed to sea damage are

seldom rebuilt to the original height.

Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Sep 79.