The Strange Case of the Stronsay Beast

Research notes

Dr. Yvonne A. Simpson, geneticist and science communicator





The Orkney Science Festival Lecture (12/09/08) has now taken place.  Thank you to all who attended.  The lecture has been recorded and may become available on the site - keep checking for new updates.  New material to be added soon.  

Welcome to the Stonsay Beast website.  Here you will find the original eye-witness descriptions of the creature that washed up in Orkney 200 years ago along with sketches and the history of the case. There are photo's of the remaining specimens held in the Royal Museum  of Edinburgh and pictures of those now lost.  I have made available my research into the possibility that the Stronsay Beast may have been a decayed basking shark, and ruled out creatures it could not have been.   The newly rediscovered remains are not discussed on the site yet due to reporting agreements.