View source for Barrel of Butter

{{Short description|Skerry in Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands}}
{{for|the literal meaning|barrel (unit)|butter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox Scottish island
|location_map=Scotland Orkney
|caption=Barrel of Butter shown within Orkney
|coordinates = {{coord|58.8905|-3.126|display=inline}}
|GridReference=HY351008
|island group=[[Mainland Orkney|Orkney]] 
|local authority=[[Orkney|Orkney Islands]]
|references=<ref name=Smith>{{Haswell-Smith}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Orkney Islands (Kirkwall) - Ordnance Survey One-inch to the mile maps of Great Britain, Seventh Series, 1952-1961|url = http://maps.nls.uk/view/91549033#zoom=5&lat=3342&lon=4247&layers=BT|website = National Library of Scotland|access-date = 2016-01-23|last = Ordnance Survey}}</ref>
|module = {{Infobox lighthouse
| qid            = Q28869310
| embed          = yes
| image          = Navigation Light, Barrel of Butter, Scapa Flow. - geograph.org.uk - 932393.jpg
| caption        = The navigation light on Barrel of Butter
| location       = Barrel of Butter<br/>[[Scapa Flow]]<br/>[[Orkney]]<br/>Scotland<br/>United Kingdom
| coordinates    = {{coord|58.890415|-3.126391|display=inline,title}}
| yearbuilt      = 1980
| construction   = masonry tower, metal platform
| shape          = conical frustum tower with platform and light
| marking        = unpainted tower, grey platform
| height         = {{convert|6|m|ft}}
| focalheight    = {{convert|6|m|ft}}
| characteristic = Fl (2) W 10s.
| managingagent  = Northern Lighthouse Board<ref>{{Cite rowlett|ork|accessdate=2016-05-27}}</ref>
}}}}

The '''Barrel of Butter''', formerly known as '''Carlin Skerry''', is a [[skerry]] in [[Scapa Flow]] in the [[Orkney Islands]].

==Geography and geology==
The rock is [[old red sandstone]] of the [[Devonian]] period. There is no soil of any significance on it.<ref name="Smith">{{Haswell-Smith}}</ref>

Located in [[Scapa Flow]], between [[Mainland, Orkney|Mainland]] and [[Cava, Orkney|Cava]], it has a section permanently above sea level. It is to the north east of Cava, and south of [[Orphir]]. It is also north of [[Flotta]].

==History==
Formerly known as Carlin Skerry,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scapaflow.co/index.php/activities/remote_places/the_barrel_of_butter |title=The Barrel of Butter |publisher=Scapa Flow Landscape Partnership Scheme |accessdate=2014-09-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318180439/http://www.scapaflow.co/index.php/activities/remote_places/the_barrel_of_butter |archive-date=18 March 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> the rock gained its strange name, not from its shape, or position, as is often the case, but from the annual rent paid on it, by the residents of Orphir. In return for a barrel of [[butter]] per year, they gained permission from the local [[laird]] to hunt the [[Pinniped|seal]]s on it.<ref name="Smith"/>

On 21 June 1919, the waters between the Barrel of Butter and Cava became full of scuttled [[Germany|German]] ships, including the {{SMS|Bayern||6}}, {{SMS|Markgraf||2}}, {{SMS|Cöln|1916|2}}, {{SMS|Dresden|1917|2}} and {{SMS|König||2}}. Some of these are still popular with divers.<ref name="Smith"/>

==See also==
{{stack|{{Portal|Scotland|Engineering}}}}
* [[List of lighthouses in Scotland]]
* [[List of Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses]]
* [[Gutter Sound]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.nlb.org.uk/LighthouseLibrary/Main/ Northern Lighthouse Board] 
{{Commons category|Barrel of Butter}}
{{South West Orkney}}

{{Authority control | additional=Q28869310}}

[[Category:Scapa Flow]]
[[Category:Uninhabited islands of Orkney]]

{{Orkney-geo-stub}}
{{UK-lighthouse-stub}}