Auskerry

A small, flat, red sandstone islet of the Orkney Isles, Auskerry is situated in the North Sea 3 miles (5 km) south of Stronsay from which it is separated by the Auskerry Sound. Auskerry has an area of 85 ha (210 acres). A standing stone and Mediaeval chapel are signs of early settlement, but in the 1960s when the lighthouse was automated, the island was abandoned. However, in 2001, a population of 5 was recorded. An inlet known as Hunters Geo was a favourite place for hunting seals in the past.

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©2012 The Editors of The Gazetteer for Scotland
Supported by: The Robertson Trust,  The Royal Scottish Geographical Society,
  School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh.