Bass Rock
The Bass Rock, or simply the Bass ( /bæs/), (Scottish Gaelic: Creag nam Bathais or Scottish Gaelic: Am Bas) is an island in the outer part of the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland. Approximately 2 km (1 mi) offshore, and 5 km (3 mi) north-east of North Berwick, it is a steep-sided volcanic plug, 107 m (351 ft) at its highest point, and is home to a large colony of gannets. The rock is uninhabited, but historically has been settled by an early Christian hermit, and later was the site of an important castle, which after the Commonwealth period was used as a prison. The island belongs to Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple, whose family acquired it in 1706, and before to the Lauder family for almost six centuries. The Bass Rock Lighthouse was constructed on the rock in 1902, and the remains of an ancient chapel survive.
| Scottish Gaelic name | Am Bas |
|---|---|
| Meaning of name | Uncertain, possibly toponymic from Gaelic ‘bas’, meaning palm |
Bass Rock (top) off the North Berwick coast | |
| Location | |
Bass Rock Bass Rock shown within East Lothian | |
| OS grid reference | NT602873 |
| Coordinates | 56.08°N 2.64°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Islands of the Forth |
| Area | 3 ha (7 acres) |
| Highest elevation | 107 m (351 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Council area | East Lothian |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
| References | |
The Bass Rock features in many works of fiction, including Lion Let Loose by Nigel Tranter, Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson, The Lion Is Rampant by the Scottish novelist Ross Laidlaw and The New Confessions by William Boyd. Most recently it features prominently in The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld, which won the 2021 Stella Prize.