{{Short description|Village in the Orkney Islands}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Use British English|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place |country = Scotland |official_name= Whome |static_image_name=Whomeflotta.jpg |static_image_caption= Whome telephone box in 2007, looking down to the village. |population = 30 |os_grid_reference= ND352938 |coordinates = {{coord|58.83|-3.1|display=inline,title}} |civil_parish= Walls and Flotta |unitary_scotland= Orkney |lieutenancy_scotland= Orkney |constituency_westminster= Orkney and Shetland |constituency_scottish_parliament= Orkney |historic_county= |post_town= STROMNESS |postcode_district = KW16 |postcode_area= KW |dial_code= 01856 }}
'''Whome,''' referred to as '''Burnside''' by locals, is the largest settlement on the Orkney island of Flotta, Scotland. The village is situated on the B9046, the main road across Flotta.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?x=336500&y=993500&z=0&sv=336500,993500&st=4&tl=Whome+in+Orkney+Islands&mapp=map&searchp=ids|title=Whome in the Orkney Islands|publisher=streetmap.co.uk|accessdate=1 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://geographic.org/streetview/view.php?place=Whome,%20Flotta,%20Scotland|title=Whome Post Code|publisher=geographic.org|accessdate=8 December 2022}}</ref> Views from Whome look across Pan Hope, to the Flotta oil terminal across the bay.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst4376.html|title=Pan Hope|publisher=Scottish Places|accessdate=1 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7197022|title=Moorland track near Whome|publisher=geograph.org.uk|accessdate=27 May 2022}}</ref> The B9046 on the outskirts of Whome adjoins to the B9045, leading down to the Flotta ferry terminal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findlatitudeandlongitude.com/l/Flotta+Ferry+Terminal%2C+B9045%2C+Whome%2C+Orkney+Islands%2C+Scotland%2C+KW16+3NP%2C+United+Kingdom/5808975/|title=Flotta Ferry Terminal, Whome, Flotta|publisher=findlatitudeandlongitude.com|accessdate=31 December 2008}}</ref>
==History== Much of Whome was developed during the 1970-1980s, built as council housing, however the settlement takes its name from the nearby centuries-old Whome Farm, the kiln and barn of which became a Category C listed building in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/200395718-whome-kiln-and-barn-flotta-hoy-walls-and-flotta#.Y2TSzWnP1PY|title=Whome Kiln And Barn|publisher=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk|accessdate=31 January 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB48333|title=Flotta - Whome Kiln And Barn|publisher=Historic Environment Scotland|accessdate=31 January 2002}}</ref> It grew following the North Sea oil boom in the 1970s, and much of the social housing in Whome accommodated workers at the Flotta oil terminal during the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.repsolsinopecuk.com/files/ICOP_Flotta_2017.pdf|title=Flotta Terminal|publisher=Repsol Sinopec|accessdate=31 May 2017|archive-date=16 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716075002/https://www.repsolsinopecuk.com/files/ICOP_Flotta_2017.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The main council housing estate in Whome is known as Burnside.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lurdy.wordpress.com/travel-and-accommodation/ |title=Flotta Burnside Accommodation |website=lurdy.wordpress.com |access-date=2026-01-16}}</ref>
==Facilities== Flotta Community School is located in Whome. The school was mothballed in 2010 due to lack of pupils, but has since reopened.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flotta.orkney.sch.uk/|title=Flotta Community School|publisher=Flotta Community School|accessdate=20 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.orkney.gov.uk/OIC-News/Committee-recommends-partial-reopening-of-Flotta-Primary-School.htm|title=Committee recommends partial reopening of Flotta Primary School|publisher=Orkney Islands Council|accessdate=9 June 2021}}</ref> The Flotta Community Centre is also located in Whome,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nicelocal.co.uk/scotland/cultural_places/flotta_community_centre/|title=Flotta Community Centre|publisher=Nice Local|accessdate=31 December 2017}}</ref> which accommodates a cafe, as well as a pub every Saturday night.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lurdy.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/flotta-the-flat-island/|title=Flotta: The Flat Island|date=27 May 2011 |publisher=Lurdy.wordpress|accessdate=27 May 2011}}</ref>
The village also has a doctor's surgery. Flotta had its own resident GP, until Dr George Drever died in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lurdy.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/flotta-the-flat-island/|title=Flotta Medical Services|date=27 May 2011 |publisher=Lurdy.wordpress|accessdate=27 May 2011}}</ref> Today, a GP travels over to the island every Tuesday and Friday from the Stromness surgery on the Mainland, and a resident practitioner nurse still offers 24 hour medical care on Flotta.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ohb.scot.nhs.uk/article.asp?page=257|title=NHS Orkney services|publisher=NHS Orkney|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210707/http://www.ohb.scot.nhs.uk/article.asp?page=257 |accessdate=14 August 2014|archive-date=2014-08-12 }}</ref> The Flotta Heritage Centre is located in Whome,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/walk-of-the-week-a-tour-of-britains-crumbling-former-naval-base-djv7tktrn|title=Walk of the Week|publisher=The Times|access-date=12 May 2022}}</ref> next door to the shop and post office. The shop stopped stocking general groceries on 1 June 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lurdy.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/flotta-the-flat-island/|title=NHS Orkney services|date=27 May 2011 |publisher=Flotta: Post Office|accessdate=1 June 2022}}</ref>
Whome has a playpark, a telephone box, and the Flotta Fire Station, until its closure on 25 October 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Files/Council/Community-Councils/Flotta-Meetings/2012/2012_Oct_22_General_Meeting_Flotta.pdf|title=Minutes of the meeting of Flotta Community Council, 22 October 2012|publisher=orkney.gov.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908091552/http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Files/Council/Community-Councils/Flotta-Meetings/2012/2012_Oct_22_General_Meeting_Flotta.pdf |accessdate=22 October 2012|archive-date=2014-09-08 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.orcadian.co.uk/flotta-fire-station-to-close/|title=Flotta Fire Station set to close|date=31 August 2012 |publisher=The Orcadian|accessdate=31 August 2012}}</ref>
==Bibliography== * 1st Edition 25" OS Map (CXIX.15), 1881; A Fenton, THE NORTHERN ISLES, 1978; pp375–383; P Newman, KIL, Vernacular Building 18, 1994, pp48–66. * Birth Records for Whome, Flotta, 1891<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.orkneyfhs.co.uk/docs/resourcedocs/1/osa/Orkney%20and%20Shetland%20American%20BMDs%201889-1894.pdf |title=Transcripts of Births, Marriages and Deaths |work=The Orkney and Shetland America |via=Illinois State Library|date=20 January 1895}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:Villages in Orkney