Burra, Shetland facts for kids
Burra is the name for two islands in the Shetland Islands. These islands are called West Burra and East Burra. They are connected by a bridge, making it easy to travel between them. West Burra has about 753 people living there, and East Burra has about 66 people.
These islands are also connected by bridges to the main island of Shetland, known as the Shetland Mainland. You cross through another island called Trondra to get there. Burra is part of a group of islands known as the Scalloway Islands.
What Does "Burra" Mean?
The name "Burra" comes from a very old language called Old Norse. In Old Norse, the name was Barrey. Some people think it might have come from "Borgarey," which means "island of the broch". A broch was a type of ancient stone tower built in Scotland.
Even though no broch towers are left on Burra today, there is a place on West Burra called Brough. This name sounds similar to "broch" and might support the idea that the island once had one.
Burra's History as a Parish
For a long time, Burra was known as a "Civil parish." This was an old way of dividing up areas for local government. The Burra parish included other smaller islands too, like South Havra, Little Havra, Papa, and West Head of Papa. West Head of Papa is a tidal island, meaning you can only reach it at certain times when the tide is low.
In 1891, the civil parish of Burra became part of a larger area called the civil parish of Lerwick. This also included nearby places like Quarff and Gulberwick. Even though the civil parish changed, Burra still exists as a special church area for the Church of Scotland.
