Swanbister House
Pier (First World War)
Site Name Swanbister House
Classification Pier (First World War)
Alternative Name(s) Toy Ness; Swanbister Bay; Scapa Flow
Canmore ID 177770
Site Number HY30SE 2.01
NGR HY 3555 0443
NGR Description Centred HY 3555 0443
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/177770
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Kirkwall And St Ola
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
HY30SE 2.01 centred 3555 0443
This is the most likely location for the First World War landing ground noted in Smith (Smith 1983) under Smoogro, would have been on Toy Ness as this is the only piece of level ground in the area. The Naval pier at HY 35581 04472 which may have been used to haul aircraft out of the water, has now been reduced to three sections with a crane on the seaward end.
Sections of anti-submarine netting being used to assist with modern coastal sea defences were noted between HY 3520 0462 and HY 3516 0490.
Visited by RCAHMS (DE, GS), August 1999
Field Visit (1998)
A narrow harbour is encloed on two sides by walls which extend for approximately 80m. It has a hand crane located at the seaward end. Both the harbour walls and the crane are becoming dilapidated.
Moore and Wilson, 1998
Orkney Coastal Zone Assessment
Project (March 2013 - September 2013)
A project to characterise the quantity and quality of the Scottish resource of known surviving remains of the First World War. Carried out in partnership between Historic Scotland and RCAHMS.
