St Kilda, a Vanished Way of Life Quiz

Answer: British Isles

The archipelago of St Kilda lies 66km west of Benbecula in Scotland's Outer Hebrides, making it the most remote of the British Isles. It is a very isolated place, a long way from the Scottish mainland. Interestingly, no information regarding the saint after whom the island was named has survived to the present day.

Answer: None of these

Although it is not known when the first settlers came to St Kilda, archeological finds indicate that Bronze Age travellers may have visited St Kilda 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. In 1844 an earth house thought to date from around 2,000 years ago was discovered.

There are also records of early chapels, and two Early Christian style stone crosses have been found. The use of Norse place names, as well as finds of brooches and vessels, confirm Norse presence on the islands. In 1697, a group of about 180 people rented the land from the Macleods of Dunvegan in Skye.

Answer: The Hebrides

The St Kildan settlers were from the Hebrides. They brought with them the knowledge and skills aquired by generations of Hebridean crofters, without which they would never have survived in this beautiful by unforgiving environment.

Answer: False

Government troops searched diligently throughout the highlands and Scottish islands in an effort to capture the fugitive prince. In 1746 three vessels made their way St Kilda to enquire about the prince. The islanders were terrified and fled into the hills. When the soldiers found them it soon became apparent that the St Kildans had never even heard of the prince!

Answer: The Great Auk and the St Kilda house mouse

Now extinct, the Great Auk was once a common sight in the North Atlantic. The last known Great Auk in the British Isles was killed on St Kilda in 1840. Legend has it that it was supsected of being a witch that had caused a violent storm. The St. Kilda house mouse, unique to the island, became extinct following the disappearance of the island's human inhabitants.
Fulmars, a type of seabird, and Soay sheep, a breed dating back to the Bronze Age, both continue to have healthy populations on St. Kilda. I made up the goat.

Answer: seabirds

While the islanders did rely on fish and crops for some of their food, seabirds formed a major part of their diet. To them, a puffin was a tasty snack. The St Kildans also raised sheep and cattle but depended on them for their wool and milk.

Answer: They were evacuated

The last 36 St Kildans were evacuated in 1930 at their own request. By this time, they had lost their ability to be self-sufficient, having come to rely on imports of food, fuel, and other staples. Emigration, food shortages, an outbreak of influenza, and an increasing awareness of their isolation all contributed to the inhabitants' decision to request relocation to the mainland.

Answer: They put a message in bottle

The islanders didn't possess a vessel suitable for the treacherous journey to Benbecula and there were no modern amenities such as telephones. However, they were very resourceful. They sealed messages into a wooden containers, attached them to inflated sheeps' bladders and set them out to sea .

The first of these 'mailboats' was sent out to ask for help during a food shortage in 1876. Many were sent out in later years. Most reached shore in Scotland or Scandinavia carried by the prevailing currents.

Answer: It was sold

The archipelago was sold to the Marquess of Bute in 1931. He bequeathed it to The National Trust for Scotland in 1957. Today it is the only Scottish World Heritage Site that is also National Nature Reserve.

Answer: Traces of heavy metal poisoning in the soil

Scientists from Aberdeen University have found evidence that the inhabitants unknowingly contaminated the soil by using seabird carcasses in their fertilizer. Some soil samples showed levels of toxic chemicals so high that they would be considered unsuitable for agriculture under modern legislation because the produce might be harmful to health. The pollutants include lead, zinc, cadmium and arsenic and are often found in high concentrations in the organs of seabirds.
A visitor to the St Kilda in 1697 commented in his writings on the island's fertility. By the mid-18th century, island records begin to reflect a deterioration of crops and the associated food shortages.
If you enjoyed this quiz, please visit the www.kilda.org.uk - be sure to take their quiz.