Dunrossness Kirk
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
Note the earlier bellfry and the entrance.
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives
Dunrossness Kirk
The earliest known Parish Church in Dunrossness was the Cross Kirk, located to the north of the Bay of Quendale and Quendale Sand, and generally to the east of the present day Quendale Farm buildings. Cruciform in structure, from which it's name is believed to have derived, it is also believed to have lent it's name to one of the, later cleared, crofting townships a little way to the south-west, Corston (Township of the Cross), which was located just to the east of Garth.
A stone walled building, it is known to have existed before 1506, as in that year in his Will Sir David Sinclair of Sumburgh bequeathed 1/3 of his black velvet cloak to the Cross Kirk, and 2/3 to the Tingwall Kirk. The Cross Kirk was the chief church for the whole parish of Dunrossness, which included Sandwick and Cunningsburgh, Fair Isle becoming part of the parish in 1700.
Early Vicars of the parish were Henry Strong, 1525. Neil Wishart, 1546, Robert Malcolmson, 1550. Simon Blyth, 1558. George Bellenden, 1561. John Crab is recorded as Reader in 1567. Alexander Thomson, 1570. John Kingson, 1571. Malcolm Sinclair, 1575. Nicol Quyhte (White), 1640, followed by James Forbes. In 1638 the kirk made it's first attempt at Presbyterianism, only to return to Episcopalism in 1661, however Presbyterianism was to return, and stay in 1690. James Kay had been appointed vicar in 1682, he was followed by Walter Hugens in 1720, and William Maxwell in 1735. John Mill arrived in 1742, and was to remain in the post for over sixty two years, retiring in 1805, ten days before his death. He was replaced by John Duncan, who was drowned on passage to Shetland on board the Doris in 1813. James Denoon was then appointed, followed by Thomas Barclay, and then David Thomson in 1827, following Barclay's transfer to Lerwick. John Charteris was next, sometime before 1851 - 1858 (he is recorded as having died in Fair Isle). James Prophet or Prophit followed until either 1865 or 1869 (the available records are in dispute), his replacement was William Brand, who held the post for over forty years until 1911, and was followed by John Logan, who held the post until 1922.
Sibbald was to comment in 1711 that the building was "well replenished but of no magnificent stature, yet equal to (if not exceeding) the rest of the country".
George Low was also to record comment during his visit in 1774. This was during the period that the problems of blowing sand, which was to prove the demise of the estate belonging to the Sinclair of Brew family, were at their height. Therefore unsurprisingly his commentary deals almost exclusively with the problems caused, including the undermining of the foundations of the Cross Kirk, the exposure of human remains in the adjoining kirkyard, and the penetration of sand in to the building, it is said covering any flat surface, and making holding services difficult on particularly windy days.
Gravestone to Katherine Stout. Quendale farm and mill in the background.
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives
At the commencement of Mill's ministry the Cross Kirk was without any form of seating, the congregation probably simply stood during services. However it is said, that in what Mill saw as a kindly act of God, a large timber laden Norwegian ship in passage to Ireland drove from anchor and wrecked in the Bay of Quendale, part of the salvage from which Mill promptly put to use in providing pews for the kirk, and a Manse for himself, which is recorded as having been built in 1751 and furnished out the following year. The wreck in question most probably occured in 1750, as records exist of the wreck of a vessel in 1750 of unknown name and class, but which otherwise fits the description, and include notes referring to salvaged timber being used in local church property. Unfortunately this Manse was destroyed by fire in somewhat mysterious circumstances soon after its completion in 1752, but Mill built a replacement costing some £200 at his own expense. The exact site at Skelberry of Mill's Manse, and whether it still exists is not known. A new Manse was erected at Skelberry early in the 19th Century sometime shortly after Mill's death, which was refurbished and extended in 1862-63 and remained in use until the 1980's when it was sold to become the private dwelling it is today. It was replaced by a much smaller modern house, also at Skelberry, which remained in use for around ten years before it too was sold to become a private dwelling, when reorganisation of local kirk staff saw a greater amalgamation of duties with those for the Sandwick district, and the Minister covering both areas residing there.
The estate belonging to the Sinclair of Quendale family was placed in sequestration in 1749, and as the Cross Kirk was on land of that estate, John Mill and the Cross Kirk were to soon have to deal with new owners, who came in the shape of John Bruce (1) of the Bruce of Sumburgh family, and Andrew John Grierson who between them purchased most of the bankrupt Sinclair of Quendale family estate in 1766. By 1789 the Cross Kirk had deteriorated in to a very poor state of repair and had been condemned twice. John Mill was very keen to see a new Kirk built, but initially John Bruce (2) and Andrew Grierson, along with Robert Hunter (3) of the Hunter of Lunna family who had become involved due to being John Bruce (2)'s maternal uncle, were only willing to patch up the old building, citing John Bruce (2)'s financial state as the reason. However, agreement was finally reached, and the present day Dunrossness Kirk (Popularly known in many circles locally as Da Muckle Kirk) was completed in 1791. The building, it is said, was completed in a three month period between "voar and hairst" (June to August) entirely by the labour of the parishoners. It is believed a number of Gravestones from the kirkyard at the Cross Kirk were subsequently removed and re-erected in the kirkyard at the present day Dunrossness Kirk. Whether any of these still remain there is unknown, as a number of older uninscribed, illegible and broken Gravestones are known to have been removed and disposed of over the years. The Cross Kirk also had a bell, however during John Mill's tenure, in 1765, it was removed and sent to be melted down to raise funds.
During the tenure of William Brand as minister (1865 or 1869 - 1911), the present day Dunrossness Kirk and grounds underwent modernisation, which included the installation of additional windows, and the enlargement of the kirkyard. A bell was added in 1906, which had previously been the fog bell at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse, when it was replaced by a fog signal. The bell in question had been presented by the parents of Captain Thomas Leslie of the Royal Victoria, which was abandoned at sea by her crew a distance, most likely, to NW of Shetland on January 19th 1864. One of the lifeboats eventually came ashore in a geo at Scat Ness later in the month, with two survivors, but also the bodies of the Captain and five crewmembers, who were interred in the kirkyard.
After being abandoned, it is understood an amount of the stone from the walls of the Cross Kirk was utilised by Andrew Grierson for the construction his own farm buildings, at what is today Quendale Farm. Many of these are still standing and remain in daily use. All that remains today of the Cross Kirk and it's adjoining kirkyard is contained within a relatively large grass covered mound, with minimal if any evidence on the surface of the site's former functions.
Reference
Information contained within The Dunrossness Story by James W. Irvine was a main source of reference when preparing this article.
