Effstigarth

[meaning the uppermost yard or farm from Norse Udal Law 1554 ‘fra da effste stein I field till den neste I fjoren’ (from the highest stone in the hill to the lowest on the beach)]Effstigarth is reputed to have the highest built houses in Yell. Certainly there are fine views. As well as Gremister we could see part of the main road to Westsandwick and a glimpse of the highest part of Mid Yell.

'This is very fine land, runrig and could divide well, and could have a further increase of rent if divided. John Gilbertson's house requires repairs. William Anderson's house is done and should be rebuilt and I have no doubt tenant would pay good rent for new house-1878'

Effstigarth 1980s. The Barren Knowe well is mid way down the left of the photograph.

At the north and the south of Effstigarth are two narrow streams of running water known as vedeks, or vjedeks. In the lower part of the north vedek there are some fairly deep rivvicks. Inside the south hilldykes is the second vedek and this is where the original hilldyke was built. A little above the brig on the Effstigarth side was a bog [eart bile] where, if anything was put on it, it would sink in without trace. Chas said these bogs can still be found and it is safest to keep off them. Further up where the road reaches the hill dyke fence and inside the hilldyke fence was a clay hole. The clay was used for building work.

Near the hill dyke fence is the ruin of the furthest south building in Effstigarth. It was a school and then used as a dwelling house and is marked on early maps of 1878 and 1881 as a school for boys and girls. In 1851 the census notes only two scholars in the Herra, both in Graveland one being a scholar at home. In 1809 every parish had a school for both sexes. By 1878 there were quite a number of scholars in the Herra.

Peering into the little, old house we found difficulty imagining it being used as a home never mind a classroom.

Meggy Babbie Anderson lived in the old school building when another school was built and the building has been called Meggy Babbie's ever since.

Old School Building, Effstigarth 2001

The census of 1861 gives the number of scholars in the Herra as thirty. Catherine Laurenson was schoolteacher in Effstigarth at that time. Education fees were usually one shilling per term each for reading, writing and arithmetic. There were two terms, the three months before and three months after New Year. Education for an individual lasted for two or three terms only. There was no secondary school at all except privately although a beginning was made in 1862 by the opening of the AEI in Lerwick. The Education Act of 1872 made education compulsory for children over seven years old. They had to attend for seven years unless further than three miles from the school. To begin with this was a great shock for parents and children alike as some children had never attended school. The Attendance Officer had to bring reluctant scholars to school. After the Act new schools were built and the old thatched schoolrooms were abandoned. The Act of 1889 made education free.

Although, as far as is known, there is no connection between Frank Barnard's sketch 'Out of School' we both thought it bears some similarity in its depiction of the situation of this school and the stream in full flood.

Close to the school at Effstigarth we found a small waterfall on the vedek. There would be quite a fall in heavy rain. The bank of the vedek used to be sandy. It was called the Mortary and it was a great play area for the children as it sloped to about 10ft.

Five houses were occupied in Effstigarth in 1861. It is thought that the earliest houses there were built further down the hill. The North House had a flat topped stone built into the south side of the original porch. The stone had been inserted into the wall at stool height so that it could be used as a seat outside.

Beyond the hilldykes at the back of the houses are two hill-gaets, or cart roads, which lead to the Farhill peat banks and the Mires' peats banks.

The Mortary 1950s

On our walk we had discovered, that for convenience, most houses had wells quite near and we found the well at the south side of the upper house at Effstigarth. In very dry weather this well could dry up then water had to be carried from the Barren Knowe Well which is about half way to the burn and just outside the cultivated rigs making acquiring water quite a struggle for the tenants. Two other springs are beside the hill fence behind North House but the water contains a reddish iron deposit so was only suitable for washing and was used only when the well dried up.

Chas knew that the most northerly cultivated field is the Heljatus [too or thufa meaning mound]

As a lot of Shetland furniture was made at home from drift wood this account shows how much a good find was prized.

A mahogany log was found at the West Neaps during the first world war. It was approximately 4ft square. As it should have been reported to the authorities the log was to be kept secret. After being towed to the beach by the Herra men. It was sawn there on the Ayre then it was dragged up the burn to below Effstigarth. That was to get as much salt water out of it as possible. A pit was dug so that it could be manoeuvered and sawn up. Each of the four men who salvaged it got their share and the log was used for furniture and joinery work. Some of the furniture survives. A poem was written about the salvage and gives names of the men involved.

While at Effstigarth we decided our next walk would be all round the West Neaps, to the Stuis then back to the beach. As we would have to head west up the hill at the back the Effstigarth houses and travel for about twelve miles our decision was to return again another time to finish the journey.

When we met up the next day I was very glad to have Chas's company as he is well acquainted with this part of the Herra while I had been at the cliffs only a few times. I knew that as well as having safety in mind he would be able to give me plenty of information on the area.