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TINGWALL - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer (1868)]

"TINGWALL, (Whiteness and Weesdale) a parish in the mainland of Shetland, Shetland Islands, coast of Scotland. It comprises the village of Scalloway, and the islands of Linga, Oxna, and Irondray, lying betwixt Wadbuster, Laxforth, and Deal Voes on the E., and Weesdale, Stromness, and Ustaness Voes on the W. The parish extends in length from 18 to 20 miles, with an extreme breadth of 10 miles. It is so much indented by the voes, that no portion of it is more than two miles distant from the sea. The surface is irregular and hilly, but much of it has been reclaimed and cultivated. In the straths limestone is abundant.

The village of Tingwall is about 4 miles N.W. of Lerwick. This parish is in the presbytery of Lerwick and synod of Shetland. The stipend of the minister is about £263. There are two parish churches-viz:, at Tingwall and Whiteness; the former was erected in 1788, and the latter in 1837. There is an Independent chapel at Scalloway, at which place a church was erected in 1842. At Weesdale, Whiteness, and Scalloway are Society's schools, and an Assembly's school at Tronday."

"LINGA, an islet belonging to the parish of Tingwall, in the Shetland Islands, coast of Scotland. It is situated about midway between the island of Hildasay and the mainland."

"OXNA, an island in the parish of Tingwall, Shetland Islands, coast of Scotland. It is situated in Scalloway Bay, about 2 miles N.W. of Burray Island, and 5 N.W. of Leswick. Between this island and Burray is a passage leading to the bay."

"SCALLOWAY, a village in the parish of Tingwall, county Orkney and Shetland, Scotland, 6 miles S.W. of Lerwick. It is situated at the head of a bay of the same name, in a valley on the W. coast of the mainland. It has a bar harbour with from 4 to 5 fathoms water, and Trantray, Burray, Papa, Oxna, and other islands outside. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in the fisheries. The village consists of a few scattered houses in the neighbourhood of the old castle, which stands on the brink of an arm of the sea. There is a church in connection with the Establishment, erected in 1842. The Independents have a small chapel. This place was once the capital of Shetland, the seat of justice, and the occasional residence of the earls of Orkney and Zetland. The vale from hence to Tingwall is fertile, and in the pastures is much clover, both red and white. The substratum is primitive limestone of a pale blue colour."

"TRONDRAY, an island in the parish of Tingwall, Shetland Isles, coast of Scotland, 6 miles S.W. of Lerwick. It extends about 3 miles in length from N. to S., with an extreme breadth of about 2 miles."

"WEESDALE, an ancient parish in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, Scotland, 10 miles N.W. of Lerwick. It is situated at the head of Weesdale Voe, and is now joined with Tingwall."

"WHITENESS, an ancient parish in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, Scotland, now joined to Tingwall."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]