TThe island of Foula lies some 15 miles off the Atlantic coast of Shetland. With 20 or more souls still living there, it can claim to be the most remote inhabited isle in the United Kingdom. It is only three miles long by less than two wide, and the whole of the western part is mountainous, with spectacular cliffs dropping to the sea – at over 1200ft, these cliffs at Kame are the highest in Britain. It has its own car ferry, just big enough to carry one car on the stern, and is also served by an eight-seater islander aircraft. There is no shop, no pub, just a Post Office and a school.
John Holbourn had to leave his beloved island for health reasons, and chose to settle in West Wiltshire. Here, he met Keith Turner, a member of the Bath and Camerton Archaeological Society with access to geophysics equipment. Helen Bradley had just completed a survey of Foula for her archaeology MA, and, as it happens, had recommended geophysical survey as the next step in exploring the island’s archaeology.
Two stone ‘eggs’
In May 2006, six members of the society flew north, blown by strong southerly winds, which brought wonderful weather: we were to lose only one afternoon to bad weather in ten days. Meantime, John had arrived on the island by car, laden to the roof with equipment, and only just enough space for his wheelchair.
