History
Borgarfjörð, the "fjord of the borg", now West Burra Firth on the west side of the Mainland of Shetland, was so named by the Norsemen on account of the borg (broch) or "Pictish tower", which still stands on the little holm north of West Burra Firth pier, now greatly ruined.
The Orkneyinga saga states of Magnus Erlendsson and Hákon Paulsson:
- "Magnus and Hákon ruled their lands and defended them for some time, the two agreeing very well... They also slew a famous man, named Þorbjörn in Borgarfjörð in Hjaltland."
It is probable that the reason of Þorbjörn's connection with Borgarfjörð/Burra Firth was its affording him, and his followers a shelter, and a defensive position in the borg, or broch. The old name Borgarfjörð occurs in a document in the Norse language dated 1299.
The broch dates to the very early 1st century AD and in the nineteenth century was "connected with the land by a bridge of large stepping-stones over which the sea flows at full tide." The diameter is 58 feet (18 m) and the walls are an average of 15 feet (4.6 m) thick. The stone still stands eight or nine courses high in places.
Read more about this topic: Broch Of West Burrafirth
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