orkney-shetland-1946-vol-3/04-012

Transcription

INVENTORY
OF
ANCIENT AND HISTORICAL MONUMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIONS
IN SHETLAND, ASSIGNED TO A DATE PRIOR TO 1707
Descriptions of Monuments are arranged by parishes, the larger islands embraced within a
parish being treated separately. The reference numbers in Roman numerals, which will be
found at the end of each description, indicate the sheet of the 6-inch Ordnance Survey map on
which the monument in question may be found. The dates on which the monuments were
visited are likewise shown. Topographical descriptions refer to the most recent edition of
the 6-inch O.S. map, namely that revised in 1900. But incases where the forms of place-
names given on the 1-inch O.S. map, as revised in 1928 and 1929, differ from those
given on the 6-inch map, the form given on the 1-inch map is adopted as being the more
authoritative. Marginal inscriptions on tombstones usually begin at the "top left-hand"
corner, i.e. that which corresponds to the top dexter corner of a shield. The point at
which these inscriptions begin is consequently not stated specifically unless it is other than
this corner. The occurrence of square brackets in an inscription indicates that the letters or
words within them are illegible but have been restored, a note of interrogation being prefixed
when the restoration is uncertain; letters or words which appear in round brackets have been
inserted for the sake of clarity but have never existed on the stone.

[left column]
PARISH OF BRESSAY
ECCLESIASTICAL MONUMENTS.

1083. St Mary's Church, [endnote 1] Cullingsburgh.-Ad-
joining the site of the broch of Cullingsburgh
(No. 1086) stands the fragmentary ruin of what
Dryden describes as the one cruciform church
recognizable in Shetland. Its major axis lies
approximately E. and W., but nothing now re-
mains to suggest that the whole has had the
form of a cross. The S. transept has been de-
molished, and in the other divisions a dry-stone
dyke takes the place of most of the walling, but
old masonry can be observes both at the E.
end and in the N. transept gable. All of the
latter is apparently dry-built, although it may
be that it was mortared with clay, which the
weather has washed out, leaving the joints bare.
The nave has been about 21 ft. 6 in. long by
10 ft wide, measured within walls about 2 ft.
3 in. thick. The chancel, similar in width, has
been no more than 6 ft long. The N. transept
is 12 ft. long by 8 ft. 6 in. wide, within walls
2 ft. and 2 ft. 3 in. thick.
Although the fabric was an almost complete
ruin when surveyed by Dryden in 1855, [endnote 2]
enough remained to indicate the position of a
central E. window in the chancel, while a lin-
telled window in the gable of the N. transept
was still intact
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[right column]
TOMBSTONES.-Inside the church are three
tombstones.
(1) A slab 5 ft. 1 in. long and 2ft. 3 in. wide
displays two shields, one above the other. The
upper one is charged: Three wolves' heads
erased, a crescent at fess point as difference, for
Robertson. Flanking the shield are the letters
A R, below each of which is what may be an
adaption of the pierced hands, feet, and heart
symbolic of the Passion, the dexter set having
a five-petalled rose above. The lower shield,
which occupies the central position on the stone,
bears a rude representation of three bars
ermine, for Gifford, and is flanked by the
initials A and G. An incised marginal inscriptions-
ion, beginning at the top dexter corner, reads:
HEIR LYIS ANE VER/TVOVS & DISCREIT GENTLE-
WOMAN/AGNES GIFFERD/SPOVSE TO ANDROW
ROBERTSONE, followed by an open hand and
continuing below the shield, WHA DECEAST/
VPON YE XX OF/OCTOBER 1628. At the bottom
of the stone is a skull with crossbones.
(2) A slab of blue slate, 6ft. 5 in. long by
2 ft. 3 1/2 in. wide, having an incised inscription
at the top, and a circular panel, 1 ft. 9 in. in
diameter, in the middle, displays in a sunk
field a finely wrought achievement. The shield
is charged with a swan crowned, and is sur-
mounted by a helm with wreath and mantling.
The crest is a swan's neck and head crowned.
The inscription in Dutch runs: HEIR LEYT
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