Symbister facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Symbister |
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 Symbister Harbour, viewed from Ward of Clate |
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 Symbister
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| Population | 797 |
| OS grid reference | HU539622 |
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| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SHETLAND |
| Postcode district | ZE2 |
| Dialling code | 01806 |
| Police | Northern |
| Fire | Highlands and Islands |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Symbister is the biggest village and port on Whalsay. Whalsay is an island in the Shetland islands of Scotland. In 1991, about 797 people lived here.
The main part of the village is its busy harbour. It is home to small fishing boats and also very large trawlers. These big boats go out into the deep sea to fish. The village is watched over by Symbister House. This large granite mansion was built in 1823 by Robert Bruce of Symbister. The harbour is also called Bay Of Symbister or Symbister Old Harbour.
The Pier House is now a museum. Long ago, it was a busy place for sending dried and salted fish away. This fish went to the Hanseatic League. This was a group of trading businesses that controlled trade in much of Northern Europe. They were active from the 1200s to the 1600s.
Contents
Symbister's Past: A Look Back in Time
Ancient Life on Whalsay
People have lived on Whalsay for over 4,000 years. We know this from old houses found at Yoxie and Benie. These houses were built a very long time ago. There is also an Iron Age block house. It stands to the northeast and looks over the Loch of Huxter.
In the 1300s, a family called the Huxters took over the island. They owned it until the 1830s. Traders from Germany also came to Symbister. They brought iron tools, seeds, salt, and cloth. They traded these items for dried and salted fish from the island. The old Hanseatic house was used by German traders for centuries. It was made into a museum in 1707.
The Bruce Family's Influence
William Bruce of Symbister moved to Symbister from Fife. In 1571, he was a very important leader in Shetland. He was called the Great Foude of Shetland. He married Marjorie Stewart. After he retired, he went back to Fife. But he left his lands in Symbister to his oldest son.
The Bruce family lived in Symbister for a long time. They had a lot of power on the island. Tobset Bruce built the grand Symbister House in 1823. It cost a lot of money, more than £30,000. It was built using strong granite stone.
In the 1850s, Robert Bruce of Symbister rented out some of his land. A merchant named Robert Mouatvery managed it. He treated the people living on the land unfairly. Fishing on the Symbister estate was still done in old ways in the 1860s.
The last person to live in Symbister House died in 1944. Since the 1960s, Symbister House has been a school. It is called Whalsay Junior High School. Students from 4 to 16 years old go there. There is an old wooden boat sculpture near the house. People also tell ghost stories about the place. One story is about an old sailor who was murdered there.
Life in Symbister: What You'll Find
Harbour and Travel
Symbister has a sheltered harbour. This means it is safe from strong winds and waves. It is always busy with small fishing boats and boats for fun. Large ocean-going trawlers also use the harbour. The marina here has space for seventy boats. Ferries that travel between the islands also use this harbour.
A ferry goes from Symbister to Laxo on the Shetland mainland. You can also reach Symbister by road from the Whalsay airstrip. This small airport is at the northeast end of the island, near Skaw.
Local Services and Fun
Symbister has many useful services. There is a post office, several shops, and a community hall. You can also find a police station and a hospital with surgery rooms.
Other important places include the Whalsay Leisure Centre. This is a great place for sports and activities. Grieve House camping Böd offers a place to stay. Harbison Park is the home of the Whalsay Football Club. Symbister Harbour is now very modern. It has a large fleet of fishing boats. These boats have helped the island's economy grow. This makes Whalsay one of the richest islands in the area. The Whalsay Boating and Sports Club is also based at the harbour.
Fishing has always been the most important industry for Whalsay. The harbour was the center for the fishing community. In earlier centuries, herring was the main fish caught. Catches were highest in 1834. But this industry suffered when the number of fish dropped quickly. Fishing became strong again in the late 1800s and mid-1900s.
Amazing Wildlife Around Symbister
You can see many Sea mammals from the rocks near the harbour. These include porpoises, dolphins, minke whales, and even orcas (killer whales). Many different kinds of birds also visit. These include wheatears, meadow pipits, snow buntings, and buff-breasted sandpipers.
