Girlsta
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
| Shetland Settlements | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Girlsta |
 | |
| UK Grid Reference: | HU428506 |
| Distance from Lerwick by road: | 10 miles |
| Community Council: | Tingwall, Whiteness, & Weisdale |
| Google Street View: | Street View |
Girlsta (Old Norse : Geirhildastadir = Where Geirhild lives.), is a small settlement on the east side of the Shetland Mainland, about 8 miles north of Lerwick, on the west side of Wadbister Voe.
History
The tale says that Girlsta is named after Geirhilda, the daughter of Floki Vilgerdarson, (or Hrafna Floki), a Norwegian who stopped here on his way to Iceland in around year 870. The daughter drowned and was buried on a holm in Girlsta Loch.
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.
In 1861, Hay & Company, Lerwick, built a commercial water mill at the head of Wadbister Voe. The water source was the the overflow from Girlsta Loch.
Just a short disance from the mill, the same company built a large lime kiln in 1872. The kiln was burning limestone from an adjacent quarry, giving work to many local men.
A pier was also built, serving both the mill and the lime kiln.
The Girlsta Pier was renovated by Tingwall & Girlsta Development Association in 1987, and a slipway was also constructed.
Both the mill and the kiln are still standing, but sadly enough in a rather bad state; the mill is partly roofless, the kiln has a warning sign across the arched opening to the furnace, but plans are being made by Shetland Amenity Trust to preserve the kiln and the quarry.
A limestone grinding plant was established at Girlsta around 1944 to supply ground limestone to the agriculture industry. This plant ceased to be operational by around the 1970's.
Businesses
- Wadbister Offshore Ltd.
- Wadbister Salmon Ltd.
- A.J. Hughson, Fencing.
See Also
