[2] The main settlement, Burray Village, is a former fishing port on the south west coast.

[8][9] The island has a reasonable amount of birdlife, with Eurasian curlew, herring and lesser black-backed gulls breeding here.

[3] One of the largest Viking hoards in Scotland[10] was discovered on 22 April 1889 by Mr G. Petrie, Little Wart, Burray when he was peat-cutting in the North Town Moss.

[11] It consisted of over 140 items of silver bullion, including many fragments of arm ring or 'ring-money', and about a dozen coins[12] The date proposed for deposition is c.

However, when he returned to Burray after the battle, he happened to chance upon the son of the murder victim, who reported him to the authorities.

To prevent further attacks, the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill ordered the construction of permanent barriers.

Work began in May 1940 and the barriers were completed in September 1944, but were not officially opened until 12 May 1945, four days after the end of World War II.