Tingwall Kirk
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
Tingwall Kirk is the second oldest kirk in use in Shetland. Building started in 1788, and it was opened in November 1790. The church is built near the place where the old St Magnus Church, according to tradition gifted by one of three Norse sisters and built in the late 1100's, was located. It lies in the centre of the old parish of Tingwall, on the slope above Loch of Tingwall. St. Magnus' was known as The mother Church of Shetland. St. Magnus was the base of the Archdeacon of Tingwall, the senior church official in Shetland.
The old church was partly made of sandstone and had a round tower.
"It had the appearance of some antiquity, its steeple is tolerable workmanship, but no date." [Low 1774]. A few years after Low's visit it was knocked down to give place to the church that is now there.
All there is left of St. Magnus Church is the burial vault of the Mitchells of Westshore, Scalloway, in the Churchyard. It contains several graveslabs from the 17th and 18th century, among them, the one of Andrew Crawford, Master of Work to the Earl of Orkney, responsible for the Earl's Palace in Kirkwall, and Scalloway Castle, and most likely also Muness Castle.
"A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland" by Samuel Lewis, from 1846 says : "The church at Tingwall was built in 1788, and contains 570 sittings, but, when full, can accommodate 700 persons."
James Grierson was the first minister after the disjunction of Lerwick in to a separate parish, a position he held from September 18th 1706 until his death on August 3rd 1747.
Just outside the south side of the church is a memorial erected in memory of the parish's longest serving minister, the Rev John Turnbull. His ministry lasted just over 60 years, from Sept 1806 to Feb 1867.
The church bell was installed in 1902 by the second longest serving minister, the Rev Dr Alexander Bayne. He served as minister for 39 years.
See Also
The Story of Tingwall Kirk, G. M. Nelson, 1965
