Sandwick, Orkney

rdf:langString Sandwick, Orkney

rdf:langString Sandwick (Old Norse: Sandvík; Norn: Sandvik) is a parish on the west coast of Mainland, Orkney, Scotland, 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Stromness. The parish's name derives from the Old Norse Sandvík meaning "Sand Bay". The coast, except at the small sandy bay (whence the parish's name) consists of cavernous cliffs, from 100 to 200 ft, and includes a lofty natural arch called the hole of Rowe, and is much flanked by insulated pillar-rocks. The interior is much diversified, and comprises both a large aggregate of flat arable land, and a considerable extent of hilly ground, partly more than 300 ft high. The chief residence is Skaill House, and chief antiquities include numerous tumuli, a vitrified cairn, a remarkable cromlech, a remnant of a very large stone circle, five Norse forts, and the ruins of Sunsgar castle. Notably, Skara Brae and Yesnaby are in this parish. Sandwick is the biggest parish in Orkney. Farming plays a large role in the parish. Many of Orkney's biggest and most successful farms are in the parish of Sandwick, where the land is very green and fertile. Sandwick only has two dairy farms left; in the 1970s there were over 25 in the parish. All other farms are mixed beef arable. The small township of Quoyloo is in Sandwick and has a shop, general store, post office, and a garage run by Isbister Brothers Ltd, founded in the parish in 1929.