Scotland Lerwick, Shetland

Lerwick is the capital of Shetland and home to about 7,500 people, almost one-third of the population. It’s situated on the east coast of the Mainland and is overlooked by the island of Bressay to the east. This provides shelter from winds and Bressay Sound provided sheltered anchorage for ships.

The name, Lerwick, is derived from Old Norse, coming from the words Leir (meaning "mud") and Wick (meaning "bay"), reflecting the natural landscape of the area.

Evidence of Neolithic and Bronze Age settlement in the area and Clickimin Broch is thought to have been constructed around 400BC.

From the 1500s, Dutch fishermen began venturing north into Shetland waters during the summer in search of herring. The herring were caught, gutted and salted onboard before being shipped back to Holland for further processing and sale.

Although Shetland had now become part of Scotland in 14872, the islanders had little allegiance to the Scottish throne and were happy to trade with the Dutch.

Bressay Sound with its natural harbour and south and north entrances, was used by Dutch ships. Initially there were no trade opportunities in Bressay Sound and the Dutchmen would walk to Gulberwick to trade, exchanging goods for fresh provisions and knitwear. By the early C17th, a small settlement of scattered huts grew up along Bressay Sound. Enterprising locals traded fresh goods, woollens and other local produce. In exchange, brandy, gin and tobacco were bartered and smuggled ashore in a series of underground tunnels, so avoiding customs taxes. Small trading booths soon sprang up along the shore for both legal, and illegal trade.

Scalloway, surrounded by fertile farmland, was the island capital and there was increasing concern of the immoral and drunken activities in Lerwick. In 1615, Scalloway banned all trade within Bressay Sound and all the temporary trading booths were ordered to be razed to the ground as the law makers tried to stamp out what they saw as the deplorable behaviour by islanders.

Things didn’t get any better and in 1625 and legislation stated that Lerwick was a lawless place filled with drunkenness, debauchery, murder, theft and prostitution. It was again ordered to be destroyed. Women were banned from attend the foreshore and had to send a husband, son or brother to sell their knitwear

Despite Scalloways’s attempts to impede trade, Lerwick continued to grow and took over from Scalloway as the capital in 1708. Scalloway could no longer compete with Lerwick’s sheltered harbour and rapidly increasing trade. The stone built Fort Charlotte offered extra protection from attack.

By the mid C18th, there were a good handful of substantial stone-built houses lining the rocky foreshore, all built gable on to the sea, maximising every square inch of foreshore available. Known as Lodberries from the Old Norse meaning landing place, these had small docks or landing areas where ships could berth and load or unload cargo, often with a winch. They functioned as shop, workshop and store for the merchants with living quarters above. Many were linked with smuggling with underground tunnels to move illicit goods. (These wetre made famous when they featured in the TV series 'Shetland'.)

The tollbooth was built in thee 1770s for collecting taxes and also housed the sheriff’s court and prison.

By the 1830s proclamations were read from the Market Cross on Commercial Street rather than from the gates of the Scalloway Castle.

As Lerwick continued to grow in size, steep, narrow lanes, often with steps climbed up to the flatter land around Hillhead where the more prosperous were moving into large stone built villas with green spaces and parks.

The splendid Town Hall 
on Hillhead was built in 1882 as a statement of Lerwick’s growing status and importance.

By now Shetland also had its own thriving fishing industry based in Lerwick, which was one of the major herring ports of Britain. A series of small piers was built along the water front. These were characterised by stone buildings known as Bods, which housed fishermen and their gear during the busy fishing season.

A steamer pier was built at Victoria Wharf.

Dutch fishermen continued to use Bressay Sound for their summer fishing until the First World War, along with boats from Scotland and Northern England. A fish market was built and, for the first time, the catch was being processed in Lerwick before being shipped out. Associated industries, like barrel making, flourished.

In the 1960s, many crowded and poor condition houses along the shore were pulled down for the building of the main A969, which allowed better access to the town.

There was a massive period of extension in the 1970s in response to the North Sea boom and the new enlarged ferry terminal was built, replacing Victoria Pier. This is now used by the Bressay ferry and the lifeboat is berthed here.

Lerwick still retains its character with a pedestrianised Commercial Street with its small family run businesses.

Fishing is still important with Shetland handling about 20% of all fish landed in Scotland. The main fish market is here. Fishing is now more important than oil. Tourism continues to grow and Cruise ships now regularly dock in Lerwick. Interestingly the Shetland Museum in Lerwick is the top tourist attraction in Shetland, receiving more visitors than Jarlshof.

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[Eleanor]

Fort Charlotte

The five sided artillery fort in the centre of Lerwick, overlooking the Sound of Bressay was built to defend the Sound against Dutch and later French warships. It was the first substantial stone building to be built in Lerwick and dominated the the shoreline.

Since it was built, more modern buildings have grown up in front of the fort. The walls can still be seen from the esplanade but the best views of the fort are either from the air or from North Link Ferries.

In 1652, during the First Anglo Dutch Wars, Oliver Cromwell, then Lord Protector of England, declared war on Holland over trade routes. A stone fortification was built on the cliffs to protect British ships using Bressay Sound. Little is known of the original structure and no trace of it has been found.

At the start of the Second Anglo-Dutch War in 1665, Charles II, ordered his master Mason, John Myles to oversee the building of a new fort on the same site. This had a polygonal design, typical of the period, and the rampart was mostly earth and timber. It successfully held off an attack by the Dutch fleet, who thought it was far more heavily manned and gunned than it actually was. The fort was still unfinished by the time the war ended in 1667 and was abandoned soon afterwards when the government decided not to station a garrison in Lerwick.

During the Third Anglo-Dutch War of 1672 to 1674, the Government chose not garrison Lerwick. A Dutch raiding party landed at Lerwick and, facing no opposition, burnt down the barrack block, leaving the fort in ruins.

During the American War of Independence from 1776-1783, Great Britain faced a serious threat with the Royal Navy at war with the French, Dutch, Spanish and American navy. The fort was rebuilt in stone with barrack blocks, artillery store, powder magazine and guardroom. It was named Fort Charlotte after the wife of George III, and garrisoned with 270 soldiers of the Earl of Sutherland’s regiment. Twelve guns faced seaward behind a zig-zagged parapet wall and angled bastions defended the landward sides.

During the Anglo-American war of 1812 to 1815, new gun batteries were built to defend Bressay Sound from privateers.

Fort Charlotte never saw any hostile action, and not one of its many guns was ever fired in anger. The guns were removed in 1855

From 1837 to 1875, the fort was used as the town jail, courthouse and later a custom house, coastguard station and drill hall.

It was again used as a military based during both World Wars. An Army Reserve Unit is based here now.

The fort is now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland and been restored with barrack block, powder magazine and replica guns, as it would have in the 1780s

There are three gateways controlling entry to the fort.

Inside is a large grassy are a with replica cannons overlooking Bressay Sound.

There was no water supply to the fort, so rain water from the roofs was collected in a water cistern. The latrines in the walls of teh fort were flushed by overflow water from the cistern into the Sound.

The large white buildings in the centre of the fort were the barracks, officer’s mess and the commanding officers apartment. They are now used by the 105th Regiment Royal Artillery, 212 (Highland) Battery.

The stone building was probably a workshop.

In one of the corner bastions and protected by a blast wall is the magazine where the barrels of gunpowder were stored. This had a vaulted brick roof to withstand a direct hit. Air vents provided a through draft to help prevent condensation and keep the powder dry. Gunners wore wooden clogs to prevent sparks inside the magazine.

Entry to the fort is free . In some ways there isn’t a lot to see inside but there is a good view overlooking Bressay sound. There are information boards around the site.

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[Eleanor]

Shetland Museums and Archives

The Shetland Museum and Archives moved from its previously cramped quarters in the library to a splendid new satate of the art building on the waterfront overlooking the restored C19th Hay’s Dock.

The museum tells the story of Shetland's heritage and culture from Neolithic times until the present day. Allow plenty of time for a visit as there is a lot to see and take in. I never got beyond the ground floor! It was a fascinating visit and linked in what can be seen at both Skara Brae on Orkney and Jarlshof.

Neolithic man used a variety of really quite sophisticated tools including hammer stones, knives and scrapers as well as arrow heads.

The best tools made from felsite which took a long time to shape and polish. Stones were often selected for their attractive patterns.

There were examples of early pottery too.

The Picts arrived from 400AD, but apart from their brochs and a few carved stones, left little else, apart from the St Ninian ’s hoard. This dates from around 800AD and is a wonderful collection of silver objects and jewellery decorated with Pictish imagery. It is thought to have been buried for safe keeping in response to Viking raids.

Christian priests and monks arrived from Scotland during the 700s. This altar front from the Isle of Burra shows five monks coming ashore with staff and book satchels.

Christianity became the official religion from around 995AD. Before then, both Pictish and Viking carvings appeared alongside Christian symbols as can be seen on this green carved stone.

Later there are just Christian crosses on grave markers.

The Vikings arrived from the700s onwards, initially as raiders but later settling as farmers and fishermen and marrying into the local population. Their language and culture replaced the earlier Pictish way of life. Many examples of their jewellery and combs have been found. Simple bracelets made from silver were used as money in place of coins.

Most of their household vessels were made from steatite (soapstone), quarried from near Catpund.

They also left behind many examples of their art.

Life had changed little in the centuries after the Vikings arrived. There was very little wood on the island, so peat was the main fuel. Cooking was done in stone pots.

Runes were replaced by Roman script in official documents.

The Shetland came under Scottish rule in 1472. Most of the population were crofters living in simple two roomed stone buildings, roofed with either turf or straw, which had to be replaced every three years. The main living room know as the 'But' and was simply furnished with home made furniture made from drift wood or wrecked ships, and a central hearth for cooking and heat. Beyond was the 'Ben' where the family slept in box beds .

As well as fishing, most families kept chickens a pig and one or two cattle. In the summer months the cattle were allowed to graze freely on pasture land beyond the croft. Their milk was used to make butter and cheese which could be sold at market. The land around the croft was used to grow oats, barley, kale and potatoes to feed both the family and the animals during the winter months.

Shetland merchants were wealthy and their possessions reflected this. They were able to buy luxury items like alcohol, sugar and spices as well as cloth for furnishing and clothes made up by a seamstress.

Music has always been popular and the simplest instrument was a ‘gue’ with two strings. In the C18th, this was replaced by the fiddle.

Fishing has always been important in Shetland. Many crofters fished from the land or in small boats.

A hand knitted undershirt gave extra layer for warmth. The bast (container) was used to carry food and fishing tackle. A gutting knife was essential. The straw baddi (basket) could be folded flat and used as a cushion when empty.

Seaweed was collected to use as fertilizer. Driftwood was used for buildings and tools The sea could always be relied on a supply of fish or shellfish (especially mussels and winkles) when crops failed. Limpets were prized off the rocks using a knife and used as bait. Fish could be cured by wind drying, salting or smoking to provided food during the winter months.

When whales were spotted, the whole community joined in the chase, driving the whales to the shore where they could be killed. All parts of the whale were important. The flesh was used for meat. The blubber was melted down to provided oil for lighting and cooking. Their skins provided waterproof coverings and bones were used for tools and boat fittings as they were stronger than wood.

Seals were also hunted for meat and their skins which were softer and more waterproof than cow or sheepskin.

Otter skins were traded for goods or money and exported south to be turned into luxury clothes.

Sea birds were killed for food and their eggs collected too.

KIt was a hard life and nothing was wasted!