Orcadian Basin Devonian Extensional Tectonics Versus Carboniferous

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Orcadian Basin Devonian Extensional Tectonics Versus Carboniferous Journal of the Geological Society Devonian extensional tectonics versus Carboniferous inversion in the northern Orcadian basin M. SERANNE Journal of the Geological Society 1992; v. 149; p. 27-37 doi:10.1144/gsjgs.149.1.0027 Email alerting click here to receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article service Permission click here to seek permission to re-use all or part of this article request Subscribe click here to subscribe to Journal of the Geological Society or the Lyell Collection Notes Downloaded by INIST - CNRS trial access valid until 31/05/2008 on 31 March 2008 © 1992 Geological Society of London Journal of the Geological Society, London, Vol. 149, 1992, pp. 21-31, 14 figs, Printed in Northern Ireland Devonian extensional tectonics versus Carboniferous inversion in the northern Orcadian basin M. SERANNE Laboratoire de Gdologie des Bassins, CNRS u.a.1371, 34095 Montpellier cedex 05, France Abstract: The Old Red Sandstone (Middle Devonian) Orcadian basin was formed as a consequence of extensional collapse of the Caledonian orogen. Onshore study of these collapse-basins in Orkney and Shetland provides directions of extension during basin development. The origin of folding of Old Red Sandstone sediments, that has generally been related to a Carboniferous inversion phase, is discussed: syndepositional deformation supports a Devonian age and consequently some of the folds are related to basin formation. Large-scale folding of Devonian strata results from extensional and left-lateral transcurrent faulting of the underlying basement. Spatial variation of extension direction and distribution of extensional and transcurrent tectonics fit with a model of regional releasing overstep within a left- lateral megashear in NW Europe during late-Caledonian extensional collapse. Later inversion (probably during the Upper Carboniferous)is characterized by E-W to NE-SW contrac- tion. It induced reactivation of extensional faults as thrusts,development of small-scale folds and thrusts, and right lateral transcurrent movement of the major faults such as the Great Glen and Walls Boundary faults The Old Red Sandstone of the Orcadian and northern Scot- Coward 1987). These basins form a group of collapse-basins land basins (Fig. 1) was deposited in an extensional setting (Seguret et al. 1989) that developed in NW Europe during late- duringthe Middle Devonian (e.g. Mykura 1976; Enfield & orogenic extensional collapse of the Caledonian orogenic belt (McClay et al. 1986). Later inversion of these Scottish basins resulted in theformation of folds within the Old Red Sandstone and reactivation of basement faults (e.g. Coward et al. 1989). A consensus relates theLate Palaeozoic tectonic SHETLAND 100 km In evolution of that area to the kinematics of the Great Glen fault which is amajor tectonic boundary (Flinn 1977). Attempts to decipher directions of extension and subsequent compression have been based on fold geometry (Mykura 1976), orientation of faults and associated lateral ramps (Coward & Enfield 1987), or by the kinematics of the Great Glen fault (Norton & Way 1991). However, the history of movement and amount of offset of this trancurrent fault remain controversial (see reviewin Rogers et al. 1989). In particular, folds and faults may develop oblique to deformation axes, and changes in orientation of the stress field close to major discontinuities may prevent simple approximations of directions of extension or contraction. Field observation and mapping of repetitive small scale structures within the Old RedSandstone of Caithness,the Orkney and the Shetland islands, and along its contacts with basement, together with analyses of published structural and solid geology maps, has led to a re-interpretation of the struc- tures in this area. This paper aims to show that some of the structures previously attributed to compressional tectonics in the northern Orcadian basin were probably formed earlier, during extension. Reappraisal of these structures will eluci- date the kinematics of both the Middle Devonian extensional event and the Carboniferous inversion phase. Devonian extensional structures Orkney and Caithness Fig. 1. Map of the main structural features of Northern Scotland. Enfield & Coward (1987) and Enfield (1988) have presented Data from Coward et al. (1989) and BGS 1:250000 Solid Geology evidence for Middle Devonian extensional tectonics in the off- Maps of Shetland, Orkney, Caithness. WOB: West Orkney Basin. shore West Orkney Basin (Fig.1). Sediments of Middle 27 28 M. SERANNE Devonian age were deposited in the hanging-wall of NNE- trending normal faults associated with ESE-trending transfer faults. Thickness variation across the faults and growth struc- tures within the sediments are good evidence for syn-deposi- tional extensional tectonics. Such a simple half-graben geo- metry may be observed onshore in the Turiff basin(Norton et al. 1987) and in west Caithness (Enfield 1988) but it is not observed in Orkney, probably due to a lack of continuous exposure. Enfield (1988) analysed outcrop-scale examples of extensionalfault systems that he related to gravitational sliding on top of tilted hanging-walls in half-graben. These slickensided faults do not allow the reconstruction of the re- gional palaeostress field as they respond to local conditions. Consequently, the Middle Devonian regional extensiondirec- tion in Caithness and Orkneyis best approximated by the geo- metry of the normal faults and associatedlateral ramps in the West Orkney Basin: a NW-SE direction of extension is sug- gested by the ‘bow and arrow’ rule (Enfield & Coward 1987; Enfield 1988) (Fig. 1). Shetland The Devonian rocksof Shetland belong to threedistinct basins (Fig. 2): (1) The Melby basin in the west which consists of volcanic rocks (Esha Ness) and sandstones of Middle Devonian age (Foula and Melby) limited by the Melby fault. (2) The Walls basin covers mostof the Walls peninsula.It is limited to the east by the Walls Boundary fault and unconfor- mably overlies Lewisian-type schists and gneisses to the north (Flinn 1985). The basin comprises sandstones and interbedded a’t acid volcanic rocks and it is intruded by the Late Devonian Sandsting granite (BGS 1:63650 W Shetland, Sheet No. 127) Fig. 2. (a). Simplified map of Devonian bedding in the Walls basin (3) The Southeast Shetland basin (including Fair Isle) in (west Shetland, location on Fig. l), modified from Mykura (1976) which Old Red Sandstone sediments are in contact through and from personal observation on the northern margin. The effects unconformity or oblique normal fault with Dalradiangneisses of north trending folding have been removed. Sandsting granite and and a ‘tectonic melange’ (BGS 1:63650 S Shetland, Sheet No. interbedded volcanic rocks are not represented. Old Red Sandstone 126). series display internal unconformities and progressive syntectonic unconformities that demonstrate syn-depositional folding. Inset (l) Melby basin. Westof the Melby fault, the Middle map shows the position of Devonian rocks (stippled) in Shetland. DevonianMelby formation consists ofsandstones and MF, Melby fault; SW, Sulma Water fault; WBF, Walls flagstones that arerelated to the Old Red Sandstoneof Orkney Boundary fault. (b) Section across Walls basin showing the on sedimentological and palaeontological grounds (Mykura relationship between basement faulting (left-lateral strike-slip) and 1976; Marshal1 1988). Onthe island of Foula,structures folding of the sedimentary cover.Vertica1 and horizontal scales are within the Devonian sediments and underlying basement in- the same. dicate a NE-SW to E-W extension (Norton et al. 1987). In the north, sandstone gives way to volcanic lithologies (EshaNess). The exposed Melby basin has been juxtaposed to the Walls basin by dextral strike slip along the Melby fault in post Old strike-slip fault. North of the Sulma Water fault and east of Red Sandstone time (Donovanet al. 1976). No further evidence the Melby fault the Old Red Sandstone formations preserveat of syndepositional tectonic activity has been found. their base ENE-WSW trending synclines which are unconfor- mably overlain by later Old Red Sandstone. Such local un- (2) Walls basin. The Old Red Sandstone of the Walls basin is conformitiesattest to activetectonics during Old Red poorly exposed and complexly folded and faulted. The BGS Sandstonetime. The Sandness formation onlaps eastwards one inch map provides a good density of bedding dip and strikeonto Lewisian-type basement. This reflects an eastwards shift measurements. Mykura (1976) gave a cartographic interpreta- of the source area with respect to the locus of sedimentation tion based on the recognitionof several marker horizonstrace- which, in turn suggests lateral movement of the basement dur- able throughout thewhole basin. Re-mappingof the northern ing Old Red Sandstone deposition. margin of the Old Red Sandstone outcrop and reappraisal of Inthe centre, Walls peninsula is occupied by theWalls the nature of the Sulma Water fault has led to a simplified formation whose sedimentologyis detailed by Mykura (1976) interpretation of Mykura’s map in which the lateN-S trending and Melvin (1985). The formation presently dips towards the folds have been removed for clarity (Fig. 2a). west and appears to have a cumulative stratigraphic thickness The northernmargin of the Walls basinis an unconformity of about12km. It islikely that this largestratigraphic which suffered minor reactivation as a discontinuous sinistral thickness exceeds the final vertical depth
Recommended publications
  • Cornwall's New Aberdeen Directory
    M. 7£ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from National Library of Scotland http://www.archive.org/details/cornwallsnewaber185354abe CORNWALL^ NEW ABERDEEN DIRECTORY, 1853 54; COMPRISING A NEW GENERAL DIRECTORY; NEW TRADES' AND PROFESSIONS' DIRECTORY; NEW STREET DIRECTORY; NEW COTTAGE, VILLA, & SUBURBAN DIRECTORY; NEW PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS DIRECTORY; NEW COUNTY DIRECTORY; ETC. ETC. ETC. ABERDEEN: GEO. CORNWALL, 54, CASTLE STREET. 1853. ft? *•£*.••• > £ NOTE BY THE PUBLISHER. It is due to the Public to state that, in order to procure informa- tion for the " City " portion of this Directory, from Five to Six Thousand Schedules were issued, for the purpose of being filled up by the Inhabitants. In transcribing these Schedules, the utmost care was taken to preserve the exact address and orthography of Name which had been given; and, still farther to preserve the accuracy of the Work, the ' whole of the Names, after they had been put into type, were again, at a large sacrifice of time, care- fully compared, one by one, with the original Schedules. The " County " Directory, which forms an important part of the Work, has been made up from returns furnished, in almost every instance, by the Schoolmasters of the respective Parishes. To the Gentlemen who have thus so kindly assisted him, the Publisher gladly embraces the present opportunity of returning his most grateful thanks. The short delay which has occurred in getting the Work issued, has been as much a disappointment to the Publisher as it can have been to his Subscribers. To those of them, however, who may have been incommoded by the delay, he begs to offer a respectful apology, and to assure them that, from the complicated and laborious nature of the Work, (this Directory being an entirely new compilation), the delay was found to be quite un- avoidable.
    [Show full text]
  • Sandsting & Aithsting Community Council
    Sandsting & Aithsting Community Council Chairman: Clerk: Mr John Priest Mrs L Fraser Farmhouse West Burrafirth Reawick Walls Shetland Shetland ZE2 9NJ ZE2 9NT Tel: 01595 860274 Tel: Walls 01595 809203 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Minutes of a WebEx meeting of Sandsting & Aithsting Community Council held on Monday 11 January 2021 at 7.30pm. 0800 051 3810 128 693 7972 Present: J Priest Ms D Nicolson G Morrison J D Garrick Mrs S Deyell M Bennett Mrs J Fraser Ex officio: Cllr C Hughson Cllr T Smith By invitation: Ms Beatrice Wishart MSP In attendance: Mrs R Fraser, Community Involvement & Development Worker. Mrs L Fraser, Clerk Mr J Priest presiding The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked for a roll call so that everyone knew who was there no matter in which order they signed in. APOLOGIES: Apologies for absence were received from Cllr S Coutts and Mr M Duncan, Community Liaison Officer. MINUTES & HEADLINES: The minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2020, having been circulated, were taken as read and were approved. Moved by Mr M Bennett, seconded by Ms D Nicolson. MS BEATRICE WISHART, MSP: The Chairman then welcomed Ms B Wishart MSP to the meeting. She said she appreciated being invited to join us. Coronavirus - Ms B Wishart explained that she had been contacting Community Councils to see how they are coping as she felt that it is important to retain contact in order to understand how the community is coping with the present circumstances. She agreed that people were feeling a bit more comfortable before the last outbreak but that there are now 3 vaccines available which are in the process of being rolled out.
    [Show full text]
  • Of 30 Field Evidence for the Lateral Emplacement of Igneous Dykes
    1 Field evidence for the lateral emplacement of igneous dykes: Implications for 3D 2 mechanical models and the plumbing beneath fissure eruptions. 3 David Healy1*, Roberto E. Rizzo1,2, Marcus Duffy1, Natalie J. C. Farrell1, Malcolm J. Hole1 & David 4 Muirhead1 5 6 1School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE United Kingdom 7 2Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, University of Manchester, 8 Didcot OX11 0FA United Kingdom 9 10 *Corresponding author e-mail [email protected] 11 12 Keywords: magma, relay, bridge, segment, igneous, volcanic 13 14 Abstract 15 Seismological and geodetic data from modern volcanic systems strongly suggest that magma is 16 transported significant distance (tens of kilometres) in the subsurface away from central 17 volcanic vents. Geological evidence for lateral emplacement preserved within exposed dykes 18 includes aligned fabrics of vesicles and phenocrysts, striations on wall rocks and the anisotropy 19 of magnetic susceptibility. In this paper, we present geometrical evidence for the lateral 20 emplacement of segmented dykes restricted to a narrow depth range in the crust. Near-total 21 exposure of three dykes on wave cut platforms around Birsay (Orkney, UK) are used to map out 22 floor and roof contacts of neighbouring dyke segments in relay zones. The field evidence 23 suggests emplacement from the WSW towards the ENE. Geometrical evidence for the lateral 24 emplacement of segmented dykes is likely more robust than inferences drawn from flow- 25 related fabrics, due to the prevalence of ubiquitous ‘drainback’ events (i.e. magmatic flow 26 reversals) observed in modern systems.
    [Show full text]
  • Shetland Access Routes and Core Paths Codes by Area
    Shetland Access Routes and Core Paths Designations by Area Access Routes (prefixed AR) Core Paths (prefixed CPP) Bressay Bressay ARB01.gpx CPPB01.gpx ARB02.gpx CPPB02.gpx ARB03.gpx Burra and Trondra Burra and Trondra CPPBT01.gpx ARBT01.gpx CPPBT02.gpx ARBT02.gpx CPPBT03.gpx ARBT03.gpx CPPBT04.gpx CPPBT05.gpx Dunrossness ARD01.gpx Dunrossness ARD03.gpx CPPD01.gpx ARD04.gpx CPPD02.gpx ARD05.gpx CPPD03.gpx ARD06.gpx CPPD04.gpx CPPD05.gpx Delting CPPD06.gpx ARDe01.gpx ARDe02.gpx Delting ARDe03.gpx CPPDe01.gpx ARDe04.gpx CPPDe02.gpx ARDe06.gpx CPPDe03.gpx ARDe08.gpx CPPDe04.gpx CPPDe05.gpx Gulberwick, Quarff and Cunningsburgh CPPDe06.gpx ARGQC01.gpx CPPDe07.gpx ARGQC02.gpx ARGQC03.gpx Fetlar ARGQC04.gpx CPPF01.gpx ARGQC05.gpx CPPF02.gpx CPPF03.gpx Lerwick CPPF04.gpx ARL01.gpx CPPF05.gpx ARL02.gpx ARL03.gpx Gulberwick, Quarff and Cunningsburgh ARL04.gpx CPPGQC01.gpx ARL05.gpx CPPGQC02.gpx CPPGQC03.gpx Northmavine CPPGQC04.gpx ARN01.gpx CPPGQC05.gpx ARN02.gpx CPPGQC06.gpx ARN03.gpx CPPGQC07.gpx ARN04.gpx ARN05.gpx Lerwick CPPL01.gpx Nesting and Lunnasting CPPL02.gpx ARNL01.gpx CPPL03.gpx ARNL02.gpx CPPL04.gpx ARNL03.gpx CPPL05.gpx CPPL06.gpx Sandwick ARS01.gpx Northmavine ARS02.gpx CPPN01.gpx ARS03.gpx CPPN02.gpx ARS04.gpx CPPN03.gpx CPPN04.gpx Sandsting and Aithsting CPPN05.gpx ARSA04.gpx CPPN06.gpx ARSA05.gpx CPPN07.gpx ARSA07.gpx CPPN08.gpx ARSA10.gpx CPPN09.gpx CPPN10.gpx Scalloway CPPN11.gpx ARSC01.gpx CPPN12.gpx ARSC02.gpx CPPN13.gpx Skerries Nesting and Lunnasting ARSK01.gpx CPPNL01.gpx CPPNL03.gpx Tingwall, Whiteness and Weisdale CPPNL04.gpx
    [Show full text]
  • Devonian and Carboniferous Stratigraphical Correlation and Interpretation in the Central North Sea, Quadrants 25 – 44
    CR/16/032; Final Last modified: 2016/05/29 11:43 Devonian and Carboniferous stratigraphical correlation and interpretation in the Orcadian area, Central North Sea, Quadrants 7 - 22 Energy and Marine Geoscience Programme Commissioned Report CR/16/032 CR/16/032; Final Last modified: 2016/05/29 11:43 CR/16/032; Final Last modified: 2016/05/29 11:43 BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ENERGY AND MARINE GEOSCIENCE PROGRAMME COMMERCIAL REPORT CR/16/032 Devonian and Carboniferous stratigraphical correlation and interpretation in the Orcadian area, Central North Sea, Quadrants 7 - 22 K. Whitbread and T. Kearsey The National Grid and other Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright and database rights Contributor 2016. Ordnance Survey Licence No. 100021290 EUL. N. Smith Keywords Report; Stratigraphy, Carboniferous, Devonian, Central North Sea. Bibliographical reference WHITBREAD, K AND KEARSEY, T 2016. Devonian and Carboniferous stratigraphical correlation and interpretation in the Orcadian area, Central North Sea, Quadrants 7 - 22. British Geological Survey Commissioned Report, CR/16/032. 74pp. Copyright in materials derived from the British Geological Survey’s work is owned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and/or the authority that commissioned the work. You may not copy or adapt this publication without first obtaining permission. Contact the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Section, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, e-mail [email protected]. You may quote extracts of a reasonable length without prior permission, provided a full acknowledgement
    [Show full text]
  • Fracture Attribute Scaling and Connectivity in the Devonian Orcadian
    1 Fracture attribute scaling and connectivity in the Devonian Orcadian 2 Basin with implications for geologically equivalent sub-surface 3 fractured reservoirs 4 5 6 Anna M. Dichiarante1,2, Ken J.W. McCaffrey1,3, Robert E. Holdsworth1,3, Tore I. Bjørnarå4 and 7 Edward D. Dempsey5 8 9 1 Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK 10 2 NORSAR, Kjeller, Norway 11 3 Geospatial Research Ltd, 1 Hawthorn Terrace, Durham, DH1 4EL, UK 12 4 NGI - Norges GeoteKnisKe Institutt, Norway 13 5 Department of Geography, Geology and Environment, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK 14 Correspondence to: [email protected] 15 1 16 Abstract: Fracture attribute scaling and connectivity datasets from analogue systems are widely used 17 to inform sub-surface fractured reservoir models in a range of geological settings. However, 18 significant uncertainties are associated with the determination of reliable scaling parameters in 19 surface outcrops. This has limited our ability to upscale key parameters that control fluid-flow at 20 reservoir to basin scales. In this study, we present nine 1D-transect (scanline) fault and fracture 21 attribute datasets from Middle Devonian sandstones in Caithness (Scotland) that are used as an 22 onshore analogue for nearby sub-surface reservoirs such as the Clair Field, West of Shetland. By 23 taking account of truncation and censoring effects in individual datasets, our multi-scale analysis 24 show a preference for power-law scaling of fracture length over 8 orders of magnitude (10-4 to 104) 25 and kinematic aperture over 4 orders of magnitude (10-6 to 10-2).
    [Show full text]
  • Stratigraphical Framework for the Devonian (Old Red Sandstone) Rocks of Scotland South of a Line from Fort William to Aberdeen
    Stratigraphical framework for the Devonian (Old Red Sandstone) rocks of Scotland south of a line from Fort William to Aberdeen Research Report RR/01/04 NAVIGATION HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS DOCUMENT ❑ The general pagination is designed for hard copy use and does not correspond to PDF thumbnail pagination. ❑ The main elements of the table of contents are bookmarked enabling direct links to be followed to the principal section headings and sub-headings, figures, plates and tables irrespective of which part of the document the user is viewing. ❑ In addition, the report contains links: ✤ from the principal section and sub-section headings back to the contents page, ✤ from each reference to a figure, plate or table directly to the corresponding figure, plate or table, ✤ from each figure, plate or table caption to the first place that figure, plate or table is mentioned in the text and ✤ from each page number back to the contents page. Return to contents page NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Research Report RR/01/04 Stratigraphical framework for the Devonian (Old Red Sandstone) rocks of Scotland south of a line from Fort William to Aberdeen Michael A E Browne, Richard A Smith and Andrew M Aitken Contributors: Hugh F Barron, Steve Carroll and Mark T Dean Cover illustration Basal contact of the lowest lava flow of the Crawton Volcanic Formation overlying the Whitehouse Conglomerate Formation, Trollochy, Kincardineshire. BGS Photograph D2459. The National Grid and other Ordnance Survey data are used with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. Ordnance Survey licence number GD 272191/2002.
    [Show full text]
  • Devonian Extensional Tectonics Versus Carboniferous Inversion in the Northern Orcadian Basin
    Journal of the Geological Society, London, Vol. 149, 1992, pp. 21-31, 14 figs, Printed in Northern Ireland Devonian extensional tectonics versus Carboniferous inversion in the northern Orcadian basin M. SERANNE Laboratoire de Gdologie des Bassins, CNRS u.a.1371, 34095 Montpellier cedex 05, France Abstract: The Old Red Sandstone (Middle Devonian) Orcadian basin was formed as a consequence of extensional collapse of the Caledonian orogen. Onshore study of these collapse-basins in Orkney and Shetland provides directions of extension during basin development. The origin of folding of Old Red Sandstone sediments, that has generally been related to a Carboniferous inversion phase, is discussed: syndepositional deformation supports a Devonian age and consequently some of the folds are related to basin formation. Large-scale folding of Devonian strata results from extensional and left-lateral transcurrent faulting of the underlying basement. Spatial variation of extension direction and distribution of extensional and transcurrent tectonics fit with a model of regional releasing overstep within a left- lateral megashear in NW Europe during late-Caledonian extensional collapse. Later inversion (probably during the Upper Carboniferous)is characterized by E-W to NE-SW contrac- tion. It induced reactivation of extensional faults as thrusts,development of small-scale folds and thrusts, and right lateral transcurrent movement of the major faults such as the Great Glen and Walls Boundary faults The Old Red Sandstone of the Orcadian and northern Scot- Coward 1987). These basins form a group of collapse-basins land basins (Fig. 1) was deposited in an extensional setting (Seguret et al. 1989) that developed in NW Europe during late- duringthe Middle Devonian (e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • Shetland and Orkney Island-Names – a Dynamic Group Peder Gammeltoft
    Shetland and Orkney Island-Names – A Dynamic Group Peder Gammeltoft 1. Introduction Only when living on an island does it become clear how important it is to know one‟s environment in detail. This is no less true for Orkney and Shetland. Being situated in the middle of the North Atlantic, two archipelagos whose land-mass consist solely of islands, holms and skerries, it goes without saying that such features are central, not only to local life and perception, but also to travellers from afar seeking shelter and safe passage. Island, holms and skerries appear to be fixed points in an ever changing watery environment – they appear to be constant and unchanging – also with regard to their names. And indeed, several Scandinavian researchers have claimed that the names of islands constitute a body of names which, by virtue of constant usage and relevance over time, belong among the oldest layers of names (cf. e.g. Hald 1971: 74-75; Hovda 1971: 124-148). Archaeological remains on Shetland and Orkney bear witness to an occupation of these archipelagos spanning thousands of years, so there can be little doubt that these areas have been under continuous utilisation by human beings for a long time, quite a bit longer, in fact, than our linguistic knowledge can take us back into the history of these isles. So, there is nothing which prevents us from assuming that names of islands, holms and skerries may also here carry some of the oldest place-names to be found in the archipelagos. Since island-names are often descriptive in one way or another of the locality bearing the name, island-names should be able to provide an insight into the lives, strategies and needs of the people who eked out an existence in bygone days in Shetland and Orkney.
    [Show full text]
  • 1851 Census (Shetland).Xlsx
    Wishart Surname in the 1851 UK Census (Shetland, Scotland) Forename Surname Age Sex Address Civil Parish Occupation Relationship Condition Birthplace Birth County Country Henry Wishart 41 Male Commercial Street Lerwick Sailor Head Unmarried Nesting Shetland Scotland Penelope Wishart 50 Female Craigies Court Lerwick House Servant Servant Unmarried Nesting Shetland Scotland Adam Wishart 50 Male 3 Reform Lane Lerwick Sailor Lodger Married Weesdale Shetland Scotland Hugh Wishart 70 Male Torrisdale Lunnasting Pauper (Formerly Crofter & Fisher) Head Married Skelberry Shetland Scotland May Wishart 73 Female Torrisdale Lunnasting Pauper Wife Married Delting Shetland Scotland Catherine Wishart 30 Female Torrisdale Lunnasting Agricultural Labourer Daughter Unmarried Skelberry Shetland Scotland Laura Wishart 30 Female Torrisdale Lunnasting Knitting & Spinning Daughter Widow Skelberry Shetland Scotland Catherine Wishart 6 M Female Torrisdale Lunnasting Grandaughter Skelberry Shetland Scotland Joanna Wishart 18 Female Catfirth Nesting Labouring Servant Unmarried Nesting Shetland Scotland Janet Wishart 70 Female Quays Nesting Pauper Visitor Unmarried Brough (Nesting) Shetland Scotland Robert Wishart 47 Male Aswick Nesting Fishing & Labouring Head Married Bensten (Nesting) Shetland Scotland Elizabeth Wishart 46 Female Aswick Nesting Labouring Wife Married Aswick (Nesting) Shetland Scotland Agnes Wishart 20 Female Aswick Nesting Labouring Daughter Unmarried Aswick (Nesting) Shetland Scotland David Wishart 17 Male Aswick Nesting Fishing & Labouring Son
    [Show full text]
  • 127639442.23.Pdf
    •KlCi-fr-CT0! , Xit- S»cs fS) hcyi'* SCOTTISH HISTORY SOCIETY FOURTH SERIES VOLUME 4 The Court Books of Orkney and Shetland The Earl's Palace, Kirkwall, Orkney Scalloway Castle, Shetland THE COURT BOOKS OF Orkney and Shedand 1614-1615 transcribed and edited by Robert S. Barclay B.SC., PH.D., F.R.S.E. EDINBURGH printed for the Scottish History Society by T. AND A. CONSTABLE LTD I967 Scottish History Society 1967 ^iG^Feg ^ :968^ Printed in Great Britain PREFACE My warmest thanks are due to Mr John Imrie, Curator of Historical Records, H.M. General Register House, and to Professor Gordon Donaldson of the Department of Scottish History, Edinburgh University, for their scholarly advice so freely given, and for their unfailing courtesy. R.S.B. Edinburgh June, 1967 : A generous contribution from the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland towards the cost of producing this volume is gratefully acknowledged by the Council of the Society CONTENTS Preface page v INTRODUCTION page xi The Northern Court Books — The Court Books described Editing the transcript - The historical setting The scope of the Court Books THE COURT BOOK OF THE BISHOPRIC OF ORKNEY 1614- 1615 page 1 THE COURT BOOK OF ORKNEY 1615 page 11 THE COURT BOOK OF SHETLAND 1615 page 57 Glossary page 123 Index page 129 03 ILLUSTRATIONS The Earl’s Palace, Kirkwall, Orkney Scalloway Castle, Shetland Crown copyright photographs reproduced by permission of Ministry of PubUc Building and Works frontispiece Facsimile from Court Book of Orkney, folio 49V. page 121 m INTRODUCTION THE NORTHERN COURT BOOKS This is the third volume printed in recent years of proceedings in the sheriff courts of Orkney and Shetland in the early decades of the seventeenth century.
    [Show full text]
  • The Old Red Sandstone of Britain and Ireland – a Review
    The Old Red Sandstone of Britain and Ireland – a review RS Kendall British Geological Survey - Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff. CF10 3AT. [email protected] Abstract The Old Red Sandstone (ORS) is an informal term which is given to continental, predominantly siliclastic, strata of late Silurian to early Carboniferous age which were deposited across the continent of Laurussia at sub-tropic to tropical latitudes. The coincidental development of land plants had a major impact on the atmosphere and global climate by lowering atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, which profoundly affected the style of alluvial sedimentation during this interval, by stabilising flood plains and facilitating the development of soils. The ORS also provides examples of syn- to post- orogenic deposition related to the Caledonian Orogeny, which was affected by synchronous tectonism and volcanism. The influence of Variscan tectonics on basin deformation and tectonism are also evident in the ORS sequence. In October 2014, a symposium was held, organised by the South Wales Geologists’ Association, entitled The Old Red Sandstone: is it Old, is it Red and is it all Sandstone? The event consisted of talks and posters on topics associated with the Old Red Sandstone deposits, principally of Wales and the Welsh Borders and the Scottish Borders in the UK, and included a series of field trips. Seven of the speakers have contributed manuscripts which are presented in this volume. These include papers discussing fossil fish and plant assemblages, the Fforest Fawr Geopark, Old Red Sandstone building stones, and soft sediment deformation. A brief report on the event and acknowledgements is also included.
    [Show full text]