Yell Windhouse
A wide range of organisations and individuals care for the historic environment across the private, public and voluntary sectors.
| Organisation: | Shetland Amenity Trust |
| Project title: | Windhouse, Yell |
Windhouse, Yell.
The very derelict Windhouse is a very imposing building on the skyline in Mid Yell and has the reputation for being Shetland’s most haunted house. Archaeologically it is sandwiched between a broch and is in the vicinity of an unlocated chapel site. Some years ago it was the subject of an unsuccessful planning application.
Windhouse has changed hands and the new owner has been keen to work closely with archaeologists before lodging a planning application. By timeously contacting the Local Authority’s Archaeology Service provider, Shetland Amenity Trust, a programme of work was initiated with archaeological contractors, Headland and also local archaeologist Samantha Dennis. This work has revealed buildings related to the broch, walls which may be part of the chapel, and also discovered that there are indeed skeletons, in very shallow graves, close to the back door – a possible reason for the repeated discovery of human remains and probably the origin of all the stories about hauntings. The applicant has been very enthusiastic about the results and is encouraging more archaeological work than is absolutely essential
We are working with the owner and her architects to find a good solution to the complicated project to make the building habitable before it is submitted as a planning application.
| Which OPiT key performance indicator is the project contributing to? | Main: 09 Increasingly the outcomes of management.. reflect what people value.
Other: 08 Care and protect – improve or maintain the state of Scotland’s historic site and places |
| Contact name: | Val Turner |
| Contact email: | val.turner@shetlandamenity.org |
| Relevant web links: | (there will be an Oasis link in due course) |
Reviewed: September 2018