St Mary's Chapel

Heritage listing

Category C Date Added 18/10/1977 Local Authority Shetland Islands Planning Authority Shetland Islands Parish Sandsting NGR HU 34672 47217 Coordinates 434672, 1147217 — Roughly L-shaped graveyard; entrance gate at NE corner with bod chancel arch adjacent S, and bod (see separate listing) integral with wall to W. ST MARY'S CHANCEL ARCH: late mediaeval ruin comprising segmental-headed chancel arch in random rubble fragment of former chapel; rubble fragments to W and E denoting position of nave and (narrower) chancel. GRAVEYARD: variety of enclosures with rubble walls and decorative cast-iron railings. Classical monument (currently in pieces 1996) to S of chancel arch in memory of Garriock family; stepped base supporting central funereal urn with battered memorial stones flanking, and shallow pediment above; cast-iron obelisk stanchions to chain-link enclosure. GRAVEYARD WALL: battered random rubble wall with triangular cope, recently rebuilt in places, harled section at SE corner. — The proximity of the old church and graveyard to the sea is a reminder of the fact that historically nearly all communication between settlements was by sea. They form a historically and visually interesting focus at the end of the vista E from Haa of Sand (see separate listing). Replaced in the later 18th century by the church at Semblister, the late mediaeval date of the chapel pre-dates the popular tradition that the chapel was built by survivors from an Armada shipwreck.

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.