Egilsay

Egilsay
Scottish Gaelic name?Eaglais (see meaning)
Scots nameEgilsay
Old Norse nameEgilsey[1]
Meaning of nameDisputed – either Norse "Egil's island" or Norse "ey" + Celtic "eaglais" – "Church island"
Egilsay from Rousay with St Magnus Church on the skyline
Egilsay from Rousay with St Magnus Church on the skyline
Location
Egilsay is located in Orkney Islands
Egilsay
Egilsay
Egilsay shown within Orkney
OS grid referenceHY470301
Coordinates59°09′00″N 2°54′58″W / 59.15°N 2.916°W / 59.15; -2.916
Physical geography
Island groupOrkney Islands
Area650 hectares (1,600 acres)
Area rank67 [2]
Highest elevation35 m (115 ft)
Administration
Council areaOrkney
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Demographics
Population26[3]
Population rank62 [2]
Population density4/km2
Largest settlementSkaill
Lymphad
References[4] www.aroundrousay.co.uk/egilsay.shtml

Egilsay (/ˈɛɡɪls/, Scots: Egilsay) is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland, lying east of Rousay. The anglicized name of Eagleshay was used in past centuries. The island is largely farmland and is known for St Magnus Church, dedicated or re-dedicated to Saint Magnus, who was killed on the island in 1117 by an axe blow to the head. For hundreds of years the story of St Magnus, part of the Orkneyinga saga, was considered just a legend until a skull with a large crack in it, such as it had been stricken by an axe, was found in the walls of St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.

  1. ^ Anderson, Joseph (ed.) (1873) The Orkneyinga Saga. Translated by Jón A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. Edmonston and Douglas. The Internet Archive. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  2. ^ a b Area and population ranks: there are c. 300 islands over 20 ha in extent and 93 permanently inhabited islands were listed in the 2011 census.
  3. ^ "National Records of Scotland: Statistical Bulletin" (PDF). 15 August 2013. p. 12. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  4. ^ Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh. Canongate.