Once though to be a place where witches and thieves were banished, the small island of Shapinsay is rich in history. The King of Norway assembled a fleet off the coast of Balfour, the main village on the island, in 1263. The ferry from Kirkwall lands here six times a day, so visitors do not have any problems with transportation. When you purchase your return ticket at Kirkwall, you also get an admission ticket for Balfour Castle, the best-known tourist attraction on the island. This island was owned by the Balfour family and in 1848, the laird, David Balfour built the castle. The grid formed by the roads on the island are largely due to Balfour’s interest in turning the land into farmland and today these roads divide the island into 10 well-drained squares. The mill and gasworks were built at this time as well. The village was originally known as Shore side, but Balfour convinced the local post office to rename the village after him.
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