Where is Egilsay located?
Egilsay is one of the Orkney Islands off the coast of Scotland, lying just east of Rousay.
Questions about Egilsay
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who was killed on Egilsay in 1117?
Magnus was killed on Egilsay in 1117 by a single axe blow to the head. His death is recorded in the Orkneyinga saga and is honored by the island's St Magnus Church.
What evidence supports the story of Magnus's death on Egilsay?
A skull with a large crack, consistent with an axe wound, was found inside the walls of St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall. For hundreds of years before that discovery, the account had been treated mainly as folklore.
What does the name Egilsay mean?
Egilsay may mean 'Egil's island,' using the Norse personal name Egil, but it may also derive partly from the Gaelic eaglais, meaning church, since a church older than the Norse settlers stands on the island.
What is the population of Egilsay?
Egilsay's population was 26 at the 2011 census, down from 37 in 2001, and had fallen to 17 by 2022.
How do you get to Egilsay?
Orkney Ferries sail to Egilsay from Tingwall on the Orkney Mainland, via Wyre and Rousay.