Mail, Shetland

Mail

Sheep and buildings at Mail, looking north, with the Ward of Bressay in the distance
Mail
Mail shown within Shetland
OS grid reference HU430279
Civil parish
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town SHETLAND
Postcode district ZE2
Dialling code 01950
Police Scottish
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
EU Parliament Scotland
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament

Mail is a hamlet on the island of Mainland, in the Shetland Islands, Scotland.

Geography

Mail is located on the south-eastern side of the island of Mainland adjacent to the A970 road some ten miles south of Lerwick, between Cunningsburgh and Sandwick. It lies almost on the 60th parallel north. Mail has two beaches, the Sands of Mail and the Beach of Mail, separated by the promontory of Bur Ness. Bur Ness contains the Mail churchyard, which has been the site of various archaeological finds.

History

Bur Ness was the site of Mail's chapel. The chapel was part of Cunningsburgh parish, now part of Dunrossness. Nothing is known of the chapel except that it was the recognised church of the area from a very early date.[1] However, the churchyard still remains.

Archaeology

Several Pictish gravestones dating from the 7th century have been found in the churchyard,[2] including the Mail Stone, with an incised Pictish figure, found in 1992.[3] Gravestones have also been found with Norse runes, indicating Viking activity in the area, as well as inscriptions in Ogham.[4]

Evidence of earlier Iron Age archaeology is also present. Located on a tidal islet at Bur Ness is the site of the former Broch of Mail. The broch is now non-existent. However, a visit in 1934 indicated the circular foundation of a broch tower, although there are no visible traces, having been covered by turf.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Mail Cemetery". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  2. ↑ "Suspicions of Mischief". British Archaeology. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "Mail Cemetery". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "Another discovery from Shetland’s Pictish power-base". Shetland Museum. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  5. ↑ "Mail". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
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