Rousay, an island of Orkney, 7 furlongs N by E of the nearest point of Evie parish in Pomona, 4¼ miles SSW of Westray, and 11 N by W of Kirkwall, under which it has a post office, with money order and savings' bank departments. Its utmost length, from E to W, is 5½ miles; its utmost breadth, from N to S, is 4½ miles; and, but for Saviskaill Bay (2½ miles x 1 mile) on the N side, its outline would be nearly circular. The north-western coast is rocky and precipitous, rising rapidly to a height of 399 feet above sea-level; but elsewhere the shore is lower and more sloping, with several safe though small harbours. Of six fresh-water lakes much the largest is the Muckle Water (1½ x ¼ mile; 322 feet), which sends off Suso Burn east-north-eastward to Rousay Sound; but Loch Saviskaill or Wasbister yields far better trout-fishing. On every side the surface rises in hilly acclivity, and forms an upland mass in the general shape of a flattened cone. which, measuring several miles around the shoulder, presents an imposing aspect. The ascent for the most part is steep, and is marked at intervals with abrupt ridges and terraces, apparently former sea-margins. A strip of fertile arable land fringes much of the seaboard, between the beach and the base of the uplands. The latter are suitable for black-faced sheep, for Highland cattle, and for game, Rousay being the best grouse island in Orkney. The rocks belong to the Old Red Sandstone formation. A group of five sepulchral mounds, known as Manzie's or Magnus', on Corquoy farm, were carefully trenched in 1880, and yielded a curious oval urn, of a somewhat metallic appearance. Trumland House, near the southern shore, was erected in 1872 from designs by the late David Bryce, R.S.A., and is the seat of Lieut. -Gen. Frederick William TraillBurroughs, C.B. (b. 1831), who holds 6693 acres in Orkney, valued at £2116 per annum. The parish of Rousay and Eagleshay comprises also the inhabited islands of Eagleshay or Egilshay and Weir or Viera, both of which are noticed separately; and has a land area of 13, 754 acres. It is in the presbytery of North Isles and the synod of Orkney; the living is worth £.207. Rousay and Eagleshay have each an Established church, and there are also Free and U.P. churches of Rousay; whilst an Episcopalian cemetery, near Rousay parish church, was consecrated in 1881. Five public schools -Eagleshay, Frotoft, Sourin, Viera, and Wasbister- with respective accommodation for 50, 60, 90, 25, and 65 children, had (1884) an average attendance of 18, 30, 41, 17, and 38, and grants of £29, 8s., £45, 13s., £35, 10s. 6d., £18, 14s. 4d., and £47, 2s. Valuation of parish (1884) £3879, 9s. 4d. Pop. of Rousay island (1811) 795, (1831) 921, (1851) 937, (1871) 860, (1881) 873; of parish (1801) 1061, (1841) 1294, (1871) 1101, (1881) 1118.
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