TINGWALL-WHITENESS-AND-WEESDALE, a parish, in the
county of Shetland, 5 miles (N. W. by
W.) from Lerwick; containing, with the village of Scalloway,
and the islands of Hildasay, Langa, Linga, Oxna,
and Trondray, 2957 inhabitants. This district consists
of the ancient but now united parishes of Tingwall,
Whiteness, and Weesdale. The first of these at one
time comprehended the lands of Lerwick, which were
disjoined from it, and erected into a separate parish,
in 1701; and also those of Sound and Gulberwick,
which were severed in 1722, and united to Lerwick.
Tingwall appears as a place of some consideration in
the ancient history of the Shetland Isles. It was
created an archdeaconry, after bishops had been appointed
for these islands by permission of Adlebert,
Archbishop of Bremen; and most of the church lands
were conveyed by Sir Jerome Cheyne, one of the archdeacons,
to his nephew, in whose family they were
allowed to remain without litigation. On the establishment
of Presbyterianism in Scotland, in 1592, this place
became the seat of the presbytery of Shetland; the
business of which was, however, afterwards removed
to the village of Scalloway. It is also celebrated in
the ecclesiastical history of Scotland for its process of
augmentation, a former incumbent, the Rev. William
Mitchell, having obtained from the house of lords a
decision in favour of an increase in the stipends of the
clergy, by an appeal from the court of session, where,
after a sharp discussion, the case had been rejected.
During the time that Shetland belonged to the Danish
crown, the chief magistrate, who was called the Foud,
resided here; and when, in 1271, the isles were separated
from those of Orkney, and Faroe was united to
them, one " Fond" and " Lagamand" was appointed for
Shetland and Faroe conjointly, who resided at Scalloway.
The assize was held at a small holm in the loch
of Tingwall, where an appeal was admitted from the
other courts, which were all regulated by the law called
Gula Thing; and the final sentence was executed on
criminals upon a hill in the vicinity. This superior
court was removed to Scalloway when the islands were ceded to Scotland.
The PARISH is situated in the Mainland, and washed
on the north, south, and west by the sea. Tingwall is
from twelve to fourteen miles in length, from north to
south; Whiteness, on the west of Tingwall, between five
and six miles in length; and Weesdale, to the northwest
of Whiteness, from six to seven miles in length;
the three comprising together upwards of 20,000 acres,
about 2500 of which are under tillage. In general the
shore is similar to that of other parts of the islands;
but this district is superior on account of its excellent
harbours, formed by arms of the sea. The principal
of these are. Deals voe, Laxfirth voe, Wadbister voe,
and Catfrith voe, on the north; Weesdale voe, Binnaness
voe, and Whiteness voe, on the west; and Cli£F
sound and Scalloway voe on the south. To the west
of the last mentioned inlet, is a cluster of islands,
contributing to afford fine anchorage in the waters
towards the interior. The surface comprehends much
variety. A number of valleys parallel with each other
run through the district from north-east to south-west;
and on the sides of these, rise hills, for the most part
barren, and unfit for tillage, but serviceable for the
pasturage of cattle and sheep, and lor the supply of
peat, which constitutes the chief fuel. Among the
numerous lakes, most of which are well stocked with
fish, the principal are, the lakes of Tingwall, Asta, and
Girlsta, in Tingwall; and that of Strom, in Whiteness.
At Strom are the remains of a small fort which, according
to tradition, was inhabited by a son of one of the
ancient Earls of Orkney, who was slain at the Standingstone
of Tingwall by order of his father.
In some places the soil is a light brown earth, in
others a dark loam, and frequently moorish. The produce
consists of almost every variety. Wheat and rye
seldom arrive at maturity for want of sun; but barley,
oats, and turnips thrive well, and Lerwick and Scalloway
are usually supplied with potatoes from this parish.
Grass- seeds, hay, peas, and pasture-grass are cultivated;
and an improved system being practised here, founded
on a regular rotation of crops, the district has advanced
in husbandry far beyond most others in the Shetland
Isles. The land in many parts is prepared by the
spade; but ploughs are also much used, generally
drawn by horses, but often by horses and o.ven together.
Shell-marl, of which there is a good supply, is
found highly beneficial as manure. Draining has recently
been carried on to a considerable extent. Much
waste land, also, has been reclaimed; but a large proportion
of open common of the best quality is destroyed
by the practice of cutting up the turf for various purposes,
and carrying it to the respective farms. On many
of the high grounds, too, especially those on the east
side of Tingwall, which appear capable of cultivation,
the moss has been so deeply cut out in places as to
leave nothing but the rugged substratum of clay-slate
and micaceous schistus, with stones of coarse granite
and gneiss. The progress of agricultural improvement
is much obstructed by the nature of the subsoil in some
lands, and of the substratum in others. A bed of fine
blue slate was lately discovered on the north-east of
Tingwall, which is very superior to the grey slate commonly
quarried, and was for a time wrought. Sienite is
found on the shores, and hornblende on some of the hills,
where there is also a considerable quantity of quartz.
The annual value of real property in the parish is £957.
The only village is Scalloway {which see). Traffic is
carried on by carts in the Tingwall district, where there
are roads, which are now in very superior order compared
with their former condition: there are no roads
in the two other districts.
Here, as in the Shetland Isles generally, the principal
article of trade is fish, the taking of which constitutes
the main occupation of the inhabitants. The first fishing
in the year, which is that of cod and ling, begins
early in the spring, and is carried on in open boats;
the produce is very considerable, and is exported partly
to Leith and Liverpool, and partly to Spain. The
" summer" fishery begins about the end of April, and is
carried on in sloops of twenty tons' burthen, which bring
home large freights of ling, saith, tusk, and other fish.
That of herrings commences about the beginning of
August, and there is now an early herring-fishery in
June: the herring-fishery is often a source of great
profit to the inhabitants, who, however, by its failure
at times, as well as by failure of the agricultural crops,
are occasionally reduced to great distress. Cattle and
ponies, with several articles common to the islands, are
exported to England; and oatmeal, tobacco, coffee, tea,
and spirits are imported for the use of the inhabitants.
Ecclesiastically this parish is in the presbytery of
Lerwick, synod of Shetland, and in the patronage of the
Earl of Zetland: the minister's stipend is £263, exclusive
of a manse, and a glebe of the annual value of £20.
The church at Tingwall was built in 1*88, and contains
570 sittings, but when full can accommodate 7OO persons.
A church has been built in Whiteness (in place
of an old church dedicated to St. Ola) for the u.se of
the districts of Whiteness and Weesdale; and a missionary
officiates, who is supported by the Royal Bounty.
A church has also been erected at Scalloway, for the
benefit of the village and its neighbourhood. There
is a small place of worship for Independents. The parochial
school is situated at Tingwall; the master has
a salary of £35 a year, a dwelling-house built in 1799,
and £8 fees. In addition are a school in Weesdale,
another in Whiteness, and a third at Scalloway, all
supported by the Society for Propagating Christian
Knowledge. In the island of Trondray, also, and at
Laxfirth, schools are maintained by the General Assembly.
The principal antiquities are, the remains of
numerous chapels, and the fine ruin of a castle near
Scalloway. There are several tumuli, originally used as
places of sepulture by the Scandinavians, in which urns
containing calcined bones have been discovered; and
arrow-heads, and steinbartes, or stone axes, here called
thunderbolts, have been frequently found. A church
formerly existed at Weesdale, dedicated to Our Lady,
whose shrine is still visited by persons from various
parts of Shetland, in the expectation of obtaining relief
from trouble.