Firth, a parish in the mainland of Orkney, bounded N by Rendall parish, E by Firth Bay and Kirkwall parish, S by Orphir and Stenness, and W by Harray. It includes the islets of Damsay and Grimbister Holm; contains Finstown village; and is united to Stenness. The united parish of Firth and Stenness, in its SW or Stenness portion, communicates by a bridge with Stromness parish, and is largely bounded by Stenness Loch and Hoy Sound. Its greatest length, from NE to SW, is 8½ miles; and its greatest breadth is 4½ miles. The shores of the united parish are undulating and fertile; but the interior consists largely of moor and hill, covered with heath and peat-moss. Between 1841 and 1879, however, the late Mr Robert Scarth of Binscarth did much in the way of reclaiming, enclosing, draining, liming, and planting-improvements described at length in pp. 48-51 of Trans. Highl. and Ag. Soc. (1874). A lake and a singular Caledonian monument are noticed in our article on Stenness. Two proprietors hold each an annual value of between £100 and £500, 2 of from £50 to £100, and 4 of from £20 to £50. This parish is in the presbytery of Cairston and synod of Orkney; the living is worth £225. There are 2 parish churches, that of Firth built in 1813, and that of Stenness in 1793. There are also a U.P. church of Firth and Free churches of Firth and Stenness; and 2 public schools, Firth and Stenness, with respective accommodation for l60 and 100 children, had (1881) an average attendance of 77 and 62, and grants of £82, 5s. 6d., and £64, 10s. Valuation of Firth and Stenness (1881) £1752, 10s. 10d. Pop. (1801) 1272, (1861) 1493, (1871) 1434, (1881) 1362.
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