Overview of West Burra

One of two long green islands known as the Burras, situated to the west of the South Mainland of Shetland. West Burra (sometimes referred to simply as Burra) has an area of 743 ha (1836 acres) and road bridges link this island with East Burra and Trondra. The island's main settlements are Bridge End and the fishing port of Hamnavoe. At Duncansclate in the south lies Easthouse, a rare example of a traditional croft-house, with drystone walls and a thatched roof and, at nearby Papil, stand the ruins of St Laurence's Church in whose churchyard have been found several Pictish sculptured stones including the famous 'Papil Stone'. Its population has grown steadily from 561 in 1961 through 501 (1971), 767 (1981) to 817 in 1991 before falling back to 753 (2001).