Just off the coast of mainland Shetland, the island of Mousa (translating to ‘Mossy Island’ in Old Norse) is famously known for its iconic broch – a towering Iron Age structure that has stood near its original height for over two thousand years. In 1783, Lerwick merchant James Pyper bought the isle of Mousa to keep his wife away from alcohol. However, this plan proved unsuccessful, as Mousa’s long-standing role in smuggling ensured that Mrs Pyper’s bottle never ran dry! But beyond its famous silhouette, Mousa holds a wealth of lesser-known stories. Whether you’re planning a visit or simply curious about the past of this peerie island, here are eight fascinating facts about Mousa that you may not know! Walking along the coast of Mousa photo © Copyright Amy Leith 1. A community lived on Mousa over 4,000 years ago The isle of Mousa has a long history of human settlement, potentially dating back around 4,000 years. Archaeological evidence on the island suggests that the island was first inhabited during the Neolithic period, with settlers building small farming homesteads. On the hill northwest of the West Pool, you can see what admittedly looks like a simple pile of stones, but is actually the Neolithic ruins of a two-compartment structure possibly a double house or a house with an outbuilding. Further evidence of early life on Mousa can be found in the form of burnt mounds, dating from the Bronze Age (2200 BC – 700 AD). These can be spotted near the western edge of the south loch where two distinct one-metre tall mounds can be seen. The function of these turf-covered piles of fire-cracked stones are uncertain with some suggesting they may have been used as communal cooking sites. Mousa Broch still stands near its original height photo © Copyright Charles Tait 2. Mousa Broch was used as a place of refuge during the Vikings rule The Vikings arrived in Shetland and Orkney from Norway around 850 AD and subsequently settled in the islands. This Viking influence would last over 600 years, only coming to an end in 1469 when Shetland and Orkney were gifted to Scotland as part of a wedding dowry. During the Vikings rule, Mousa Broch (which at this time was built over 1,000 years earlier) served as a place of refuge as described in two well-known Viking sagas. In 898 AD, the Saga of Egil Skallagrimsson recounts the story of Bjorn, a young Norwegian who abducted Thora to sail to Ireland. They ran aground on Mousa and while their longship was being repaired, the couple married and took shelter within the broch. After learning that Bjorn was sentenced to death by King Harald of Norway, they fled to Iceland where they settled. Nearly 300 years later, the Orkneyinga Saga tells of Erland the Young, who sought to marry Margaret, the widowed mother of Earl Harald Maddadson. When permission was denied, Erland abducted Margaret and escaped to Shetland, taking refuge in Mousa Broch. Earl Harald Maddadson followed and laid siege to the broch, however the broch was too difficult to attack. The conflict was resolved peacefully, and Erland was granted permission to marry Margaret. The ruins of the Haa house behind Mousa Broch photo © Copyright VisitScotland / Kenny Lam 3. A fishing community lived on Mousa in the 1700s… Following Mousa’s appearance in the Viking sagas, humans did not live on the island until 1765 when the Bruce of Sumburgh purchased the island and established a haaf fishing station, with eleven families settled on Mousa by 1771. In 1783, Lerwick merchant James Pyper acquired the island and built the Haa House – the large stone residence overlooking the broch. Legend has it that he bought the island to keep his first wife, Janet Gray, away from alcohol. This plan proved unsuccessful, as Mousa’s long-standing role in smuggling ensured that Mrs Pyper’s bottle never ran dry! James later married Anne Linklater in 1804 and after his death in 1828, Anne remained in the Haa with three servants and a lodger. At the time, only one other household lived on Mousa; Eramus Jameson alongside his wife and five children, who lived at Knowe House near the south loch. Their eldest son, Andrew, left a lasting mark on the island by inscribing his name and the date – 4th May 1842 – on a stone corner of the house, commemorating the day the family relocated from the island. Seals on the shore of the East Pool on Mousa photo © Copyright Rob Farrow and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence 4. …However, the island was soon abandoned by humans the mid-1800s By the mid-1800s, Mousa’s chapter as an inhabited island quietly came to an end. Anne Pyper passed away in 1852, and the Smith Family – who had taken up residence shortly after the Jamesons – departed the following year. With the departure of human interference, the island flourished as a haven for wildlife. Today, Mousa is a designated Special Protection Area, managed by the RSPB as a nature reserve. The island is home to the UK’s largest and most significant colony of European Storm Petrels, locally known in Shetland as ‘alamooties’. These small seabirds spend their days feeding far out at sea and return under the cover of darkness to nest in burrows beneath rocks, boulder beaches and even within the walls of Mousa Broch! From late May to mid-July, guided evening trips offer visitors the rare opportunity to witness the spectacle of storm petrels darting through the dusk and filling the air with their calls. Mousa is also home to many other seabirds including black guillemots, arctic terns and great skuas, while harbour and grey seals are frequently seen around the shoreline. The isle of Mousa photo © Copyright Charles Tait 5. The waters surrounding Mousa has seen several shipwrecks Despite being a small island, the sounding waters of Mousa have proven quite hazardous over the years with several ships running aground on the isle. In April 1853, the French Le Jeune Alphonse was swept into the West Pool on the southeast corner of the island during rough seas. While the vessel was a total loss, all crew members were rescued. Nearly eighty years later in 1930, the St Sunniva – a passenger ship operated by the North of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Company – ran aground in thick fog also near the West Pool. Bound for Lerwick, the ship’s passengers and crew escaped unharmed, but the vessel succumbed to the bad weather and broke apart two weeks later. Today, its bell is preserved in the Shetland Museum and Archives. The last documented wreck occurred in 1942 when the SS Murrayfield – an armed merchant ship travelling south without cargo – ran aground. Part of its iron structure can still be seen at the West Pool, after a violent storm shifted the remains here from nearby. Approaching the isle of Mousa on the ferry photo © Copyright Charles Tait 6. The Mousa Ferry has been operated by local families for over 70 years For over seven decades, the Mousa Ferry has been operated by local families who have kept the service running come rain or shine. It all began in 1952 when Eric Stove of Sandwick launched the first ferry using a small open Shetland model boat, powered by a modest 1.5hp engine. After Eric’s passing, his son Ernest continued the service until 1962, before passing over to Peter Smith who operated the boat for a further eight years. The present operator – Tom Jamieson – took over the service in 1971 and evolved the service to match the growing interest in visitors to Mousa. Tom introduced a fleet of vessels named Solan, starting with a 12-passenger boat and expanding to the purpose-built Solan IV, which launched in 1999 and can carry up to 60 passengers. Mousa Broch as viewed from the Broch of Burland photo © Copyright Andrew Tryon and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence 7. Mousa Sound was once guarded by two brochs Did you know that Mousa Sound (the narrow strip of water between Mousa and Mainland Shetland) was once flanked by two Iron Age fortresses – each standing guard on opposite shores? On Mousa, the iconic Broch remains one of the best-preserved examples of its kind reaching 13-metres tall. But directly across the sound on the Mainland at Burland, stood its lesser-known twin: the Broch of Burland. Built sometime between 500 BC and 200 AD, Burland Broch occupies a dramatic position 30-metres above sea level on a narrow peninsula surrounded by cliffs. Unlike Mousa Broch which stands on its own, Burland was part of a larger settlement and was surrounded by supporting buildings. Over time, many of its stones were repurposed to construct nearby buildings. A pleasant walk leads to this broch which is still worth a visit for a unique view over to Mousa. The Mousa Ferry at Sandsayre Pier, Sandwick photo © Copyright Russel Wills and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence 8. The renowned Stevenson lighthouse builders were involved with the design of Sandsayre Pier In July 1852, John Bruce petitioned the Board of Fisheries in Edinburgh for help constructing a pier at Sandsayre (where the Mousa boat deaprts from) to support the struggling local fishing community. Bruce began construction, but a storm in November 1852 destroyed the partially built pier. Though the Board of Fisheries declined to fund the rebuild, they agreed to send two of the most respected engineers of the time – David and Thomas Stevenson – to conduct a survey. David and Thomas were already making plans to build the remote lighthouse at Muckle Flugga, off the northern tip of Unst. Their survey of Sandsayre, completed in August 1853, recommended a 190-foot (58m) slipway to serve the harbour. Construction resumed in April 1854 under the supervision of Thomas Hope, sent by the Stevensons themselves. After a pause during winter, the pier was completed by May 1855 and successfully served 12 boats and 54 fishermen. By Amy LeithBorn and raised in Aberdeen with an admiration for Orkney and Shetland, loves to travel and visit new places, enjoys cooking, always listening to music, spends a little too much time on TikTok. Pin it! Header image: Mousa Broch on the uninhabited isle of Mousa in Shetland photo © Copyright VisitScotland / Kenny Lam