Pony Punds

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia

Pony Punds are constuctions unique to Shetland.
A Pony Pund is a large square stone constuction with peaked corners to prevent the animals from escaping. Only four have survived, and of those, it is only the one in Gungstie, Noss which is known to have been built for breeding ponies. The others might have been used for sheep.

1 Noss Pony Pund
- 1.1 Some old images :
2 Garth Pony Pund, Sullom Voe
3 Swinister Pony Pund, Dales Voe
4 Kirkabister Pony Pund, Yell

Noss Pony Pund

The Pony Pund at Gungstie, on the small island of Noss, was built for breeding ponies.
In 1870, the Marquis of Londonderry leased the whole island and Maryfield Farm in Bressay, in order to breed ponies for his coal mines in County Durham. They should be with "as much weight as possible, and as near the ground as it can be got"

Robert Cowie in 1874 wrote: "Noss, which, with the exception of the shepherd's garden, is now entirely laid down to pasture, is very fertile, yielding rich crops of grass. Together with Maryfield, Bressay, this island is now used by the Marquis of Londonderry for the purpose of breeding and rearing ponies to be employed in his lordship's coalpits in the north of England. The noble Marquis is now making the first experiment in pony farming in Shetland on a large scale. Mr (John) Walker effected a great improvement by placing a good stone wall round the precipitous part."

The pony breeding went on until 1900.
Noss became a restricted area under the Marquis' rules - Black's Picturesque Tourist (1887) said : "For permission to land on Noss a pass will be required, which may be obtained on application to Mr. Meiklejohn, the factor of the Marquis of Londonderry, the tenant of the island, who lives at Maryfield House."

The Pony Pund and the remaining buildings of the farm in Gungstie were restored in 1986, and serve as the Noss Visitor Centre. It hosts a small exhibition providing more detailed information about the "dark ages" of the Shetland Ponies.

Some old images :

Marquis of Londonderry's horses, at Bressay
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.

Donald McAdie, factor for Marquis of Londonderry's horse farm, with a foal in his arms.
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.

This stable at Bressay was part of the Marquis of Londonderry's farm. The Gentleman is Alec Durno the farm manager.
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.

These three pictures shows how they shipped the ponies to Lerwick

The ponies are loaded onboard the flitboat "The Maid of the Mist" in Bressay. Mr. Alec Durno is watching them from the stern, Donald McAdie is standing at the side.
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.

The ponies has arrived at Victoria Pier slip. The 1st man is unknown, the 2nd is Alec Durno (farm manager), the 3rd is Frankie Hunter (boatman), the 4th is Donald McAdie (farm labourer), and the 5th is unknown.
Photo and information from Shetland Museum and Archives.

The ponies are nearly on safe ground in Lerwick.
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.

Garth Pony Pund, Sullom Voe

This Pony Pund is located a little east of Garth House, above Garths Voe, Delting. It can be seen right south of the flare stack in Sullom Voe Oil Terminal.