Long Lost Bother's 10 Scariest Ghost Towns #7

St Kilda, Scotland

Where is it?

St Kilda is a remote archipelago in the outer Hebrides off Scotland. The natives of St Kilda had lived there in style for over 2000 years. And by ‘in style’ we mean specifically ‘stone age’. Until the last few centuries, St Kilda was reachable only by several days at sea and even then only when the weather was favourable. Which was approximately never. The St Kilda lifestyle largely revolved around these guys.

So wha’ happened next Angus?

The daft bastard pulled me feathers oot, din he

The Atlantic Puffin was to the islanders a primary food source, building material and the feather was the main currency.

The ownership of the island was hereditary, and residents had for time immemorial paid their rent in said feathers.

Hey, where did everybody go?

The islanders had happily lived in obscurity up until mainlanders started seeing the place as a tourist destination, spreading disease and just being fucking pests. Then when most of the able-bodied young men of the island got drafted into World War I the whole place spiralled into decline until in the 1930s residents demanded the government fly them the fuck out of there.

Did we mention that up until that point, the owner of the island, one Reginald MacLeod, was still bat-shit crazy enough to continue demanding the long-traditional rent payment? Yes, the feathers.

Why it’s scary as hell

This guy. Imagine this guy is your landlord. Terrifying.