Brei Holm Cave (S entrance))

A sea cave system, under the island of Brei Holm, that consists of 3 tunnels and four entrances. The tunnel from the S entrance runs at 350 deg and meets the tunnel from the N entrance aligned 044 deg. The third tunnel branches from the S tunnel at about 32 m in, aligned 061 deg, coming out of the S middle entrance.

The two middle entrances open onto a pot which has an arched entrance from the sea. This pot has, it seems, opened since the late 19th century since it is not shown on the 1st or 2nd Ed 6" OS. The line from the arch to the N mid entrance (to the N tunnel) would, if straight, have been aligned 344 deg ie nearly parallel to the S tunnel. This would correspond to the tunnel shown on 1st Ed OS which runs across what is now the pot, and whose entrance was where the arch into the pot now is.

The larger part of the island to the west of the pot was a leper colony in the 18th century..

Notes: This pothole appears to have fallen in since the 2nd Ed 6" OS survey in 1902 - assuming it was resurveyed.

Length is from the plan in SNH report 102 - see below. Alt is also from the report and is Above Chart Datum.

Links and Resources:

1st Ed OS 6in shows two southern entrances joining underground towards a N entrance and marked as 'subterranean passage' twice.
Zoomed 1st Ed 6in OS showing Brei Holm.
Canmore Aerial showing Brei Holm with the N and the remaining SW entrance indicated. The SE entrance is now an arch.
Plan from p139 of SNH Report 102: Site Condition Monitoring surveys of marine rocky environments in Papa Stour cSAC.
Video by Ryan Leith of a boat trip entering the N entrance, branching left into the pot and going out by the S entrance. The more direct route N to S is not navigable.
Canmore ID 253. canmore.org.uk/site/253/papa-stour-brei-holm-leper-houses.
Brady and Batey, K and C. 'Excavations and Survey on Brei Holm and Maiden Stack, Papa Stour, Shetland', Scottish Archaeological Journal, vol. 30.
Brady, K. (2002) 'Brei Holm, Pap Stour: in the footsteps of the papar?', in Crawford, B E, The Papar in the North Atlantic: environment and history. St. Andrews. Page(s): 69-82
Cowan and Easson, I B and D E. (1976) Medieval religious houses in Scotland: with an appendix on the houses in the Isle of Man. 2nd. London. Page(s): 164 RCAHMS Shelf Number: C.3.2.EAS.R.
Easson, D E. (1957a) Medieval religious houses in Scotland: with an appendix on the houses in the Isle of Man. London. Page(s): 164 RCAHMS Shelf Number: C.3.2.EAS.
Lamb, R G. (1974c) 'Coastal settlements of the north', Scot Archaeol Forum, vol. 5, 1973. Page(s): 89,91,95 OSA. (1791-9) The statistical account of Scotland, drawn up from the communications of the ministers of the different parishes, in Sinclair, J (Sir. Edinburgh. Page(s): 104, No.20 RCAHMS Shelf Number: B.2.2.STA.
RCAHMS. (1946) The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Twelfth report with an inventory of the ancient monuments of Orkney and Shetland, 3v. Edinburgh. Page(s): 156, No.1704 RCAHMS Shelf Number: A.1.1.INV/12.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8-9eX0qtbk

This entry was last updated: 2024-03-26 20:17:33

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NGR:	HU 18847 60314
WGS84:	60.32647, -1.66056
Length:	146 m
Vert. Range:	20 m
Altitude:	-6 m
Geology:	Papa Stour Volcanic Formation - Rhyolitic Lava & Rhyolitic Tuff
Tags:	Cave, SeaCave, Shake
Registry:	main

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