Description

1794. 4 x 1-bay symmetrical hall church of rectangular plan. Harl-pointed rubble walls with sandstone margins and details.

N (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical, tall round-arched windows flanking centre with fixed Y-traceried timber glazing; 12-pane timber glazing to outer bays.

W ELEVATION: symmetrical, vertically-boarded timber infill to doorway centring elevation with 3-pane fanlight in keystone arch-head.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: symmetrical; gabled vestry wing projecting at centre with vertically-boarded timber infill to door in E side, 4-pane timber fixed-light to W side, and tall square gablehead stack.

E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: matching E elevation, but with 2-leaf vertically-boarded timber door, square ashlar plinth breaking eaves and rising to open-work birdcage bellcote with stepped pyramidal cap (bell absent 1996).

Modern grey tile cladding to bell-cast piended principal roof and vestry.

INTERIOR: stone flagged entrance porches to E and W; flagged centre aisle to ground floor. Timber fittings to hall including 4-panel doors, vertically-boarded wainscoting, horizontally-boarded pews with panelled fronts to S of centre aisle, grained pews flanking canted panelled and grained pulpit accessed by balustraded stair, grained back panel rising to corniced circular canopy sounding board with octagonal ogee dome terminated by urn finial. Timber half-turn stairs rising from porches and accessing U-plan gallery with horizontally-boarded pews, panelled front over dentilled cornice, supported by timber columns. Timber-lined coombed ceiling with decorative ventilators.

MEMORIAL ENCLOSURE: concrete-coped harl-pointed rubble wall enclosing memorials at centre of S elevation accessed by cast-iron gate in E side, sandstone Greek Revival headstone containing marble memorial slab to Reverend Inches.

Statement of Interest

In ecclesiastical use. The modern grey tile roofing material is out of character with this otherwise complete example of an 18th century Shetland church, which has survived without internal re-organisation or the addition of entrance porches to the gables.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17852545

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)