Field Visit
Date 1999
Event ID 882263
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/882263
The 12m long Sheep Dyke encircles the entire coastline of the island, serving to keep the flocks of sheep off the land. It is said to have been built in 1832 using surplus labour after the collapse of the kelp industry. Common grazing outwith the dyke is controlled using nine punds (see NR16). The wall is communally maintained, according to township, with red painted marks used to indicate the limits of each section. It is now in a state of disrepair in some areas due to reductions in the population. Ref.: RCAHMS (1980), #211.
Moore & Wilson 1999.
Coastal Zone Assessment Survey, 1999
