Tingwall, St Magnus's Church And Churchyard

Tombstones, Parish Church.

(1) The fine late-17th century slab commemorating the Reverend John Gauden of the church of 'Tingval' was originally recumbent, but for preservation it has been inserted in the churchyard wall immediately E of the church. The lowest part of the stone is buried, a length of 5 ft 5 in only being exposed with a breadth of 3 ft 2 in. The margin is moulded. At the top is a shield, helmed and mantled, between the initials M I G, for Master John Gauden, and M S for his wife Margaret Sinclair of Quendale, and with two crossed swords below. The shield bears an engrailed cross with a galley and a mullet in the 2nd and 4th quarters respectively, the other quarters being uncharged. A weatherworn inscription, followed by the usual emblems of mortality, reads: HIC SUBCONDUNTUR CINERES / PII AC REVERENDI MAGISTRI / JOHANNIS GAUDEN ECCLESIAE / TINGVALLENSIS QVONDAM / PASTORIS QVI EX HAC VITA / MIGRAVITMA [II 25 1688 AETATIS] / SVAE VERO 38 POS[TQUAMIN] / ECCLESIA ILLA [MUNERE SUO] /PASTORA[LI] 13 ANN [OS FIDE] / PERFUNCTUS[FUERAT] (‘Here are interred the ashes of the godly and reverend Master John Gauden late pastor of Tingwall church, who departed this life 25 May 1688 at the age of 38 after faithfully discharging his pastoral office in that church for 13 years’). The letters in brackets are now obliterated, but have been supplied from Irvine's Shetland Historical Collections, vol. iii.

(2) Another slab occupies a similar position on the W. side of the church; its length is 5 ft. 5 ½ in. and its breadth 2 ft. 2 in. Round the margin runs the inscription: HEIR LYIS ANE HO/NEST MAN THOMAS BOYNE SVMTYM FOVD OF / TINGVAL PERO/CHIN (sic): OBIIT 30 MARCHE: 1603 AETATIS, the age being uncut. In the upper corners are two rings, containing respectively the initials T B and I P. An incised shield in the upper part of the slab is flanked by the initials T B and is charged: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, a helm; 2nd and 3rd, a cross fitchy, the arms of Roberton. Towards the foot of the slab, below an equal-armed cross, is the admonition MEMENTO MORI.

(3) About 11 yds. S. of the church a slab, measuring 6 ft. 5 in. by 2 ft. 8 ½ in., bears an armorial achievement surmounted by a pediment. Above the shield is a helm wreathed and mantled, with a roundel charged with a mullet for crest. The shield, flanked by the initials [L] S for Sinclair, is parted per pale and charged: Dexter, a cross engrailed; sinister, a lion rampant, probably for Mouat. An inscription below in raised letters reads: HE[IR?] LYE[S?] / THE BONES AND DU[ST]/ [OF A PIOU?]S AND WORTHY / [GENTLE]MAN CALLED LAURENC[E] / SINCLA[IR] SOMTYME MERCHANT / IN LERWICK WHO DEPARTED TH[IS]/ MORTAL LIFE APPRYL II 1684 AND / OF H[IS]AGE S8. Another inscription has been incised below but is now illegible, and at the bottom are the emblems of mortality.

(4) Midway between the churchyard entrance and the church stands a sarcophagus or box-tomb measuring 5 ft. in length, 2 ft. 8 in. in breadth, and 2 ft. in height. It has pilaster shafts, and the emblems of mortality are carved on the sides and ends. On each of the sides there has been an elegiac couplet. The one on the sinister side is now almost illegible, but can be restored with virtual certainty as follows: UN[IU]S [OB] CUL[P]AM MORS ES[T VERJS[A]TAPER ORBEMUNIUS AT MER[ITO VITA] SALUSQUE DATA I COR.I5.21 (‘Because of the sin of one man is death busy all the world over. But through the grace of One has come the gift of life and salvation’).

That on the dexter side runs: TANDEM EXESA CADENT MONUMENTA EX MARMORE FICTA UNICA POST CINERES VIRTUS IN AEV A MAN ET (‘Monuments made of marble moulder at last and fall; Virtue alone remains eternal after death’).

At one end of the cover slab are two shields conjoined, helmed and mantled as one. The cover slab is broken across the helm. The dexter shield is charged: Within a checkered bordure a fess between three mascles, for Mitchell. The sinister shield is charged: A chevron between three cinquefoils and a cross-crosslet fitchy, for Umphray. John Mitchell married Jean Umphray, daughter and coheiress of Andrew Umphray of Berry and Westshore. In 1662 he was 21 years and over (Grant, Zetland Family Histories, pp. 174-5). There has been an inscription beneath the shields, but it is partly obliterated.

(5) A slab, much broken and fractured, bears an incised inscription within an incised margin: HEIR LYIS ANE / GENT[ LE ]MAN / ANDROW/ CRAWFVRD SVM/TYM SERVANT / AND MAISTER/ OF VARK TO / THE ERLE OF / ORKNAY QV/HA DEPERTIT / THE [I MAI ?] / 160[?]. On a panel at the bottom are the initials A C.

(6) A slab 6 ft. 10 in. long by 2 ft. 7 ½ in. wide carries a shield at the top charged: A lion's head between three falcons' heads. It is helmed and mantled, and has for crest a mullet. The inscription, now illegible, probably commemorated Mr. James Nicolson, minister of Tingwall, who died about 1675. At the bottom of the stone appear the usual emblems of mortality.

(7) Lying near the gateway is a slab measuring 6 ft. by 2 ft 8 in., which exhibits a shield charged with a three-masted ship and surmounted by mantling and helm, the latter having for crest clasped hands and a heart, while overall is a label with a now illegible motto. Below ran an inscription in Latin, no longer legible except for the ending ANNO DOM [??]02 / AETATIS SUAE 51.

(8) A slab leaning against the wall at the westernmost gate has an inscription in raised letters within an oval panel. The top of the stone is broken away but apparently it has also contained an oval panel in which there may have been a coat of arms. The Latin inscription, which is badly weathered, is the epitaph of George Scott of Gibleston. HIC SEPUL/TUS EST MAGISTE[R] / GEORGIUS SCOTT DE / GIBLESTOUNE PRIMVS [PRIN]/CIPALIS ORCADUM ET Z[ET]/LANDIAE SENESCALLUS V[IR] / VERE GENEROSVS NECNON [CEL]/SUS ET PRAECLARVS FILIUS LEG[I] /TIMUS NATU MAXIMVS IOANNIS / SCOTT DE GIBLESTOUNE FILII / LEGITIMI DOMINI IOANNIS SCOT[T] / DE SCOTSTARVIT SENATORIS /COLLEG[II] [I]UR[IS] NATUS EST / TERT[I]O DIE MAII ANNO DO / M DC XLIV OBIIT / ULTIMO DIE FEBRUAR[II] / A D MDCCIII / AET SUAE LIX (‘Here is buried Master George Scott of Gibles-toune, Steward Depute of Orkney and Zetland, a truly noble man, the eminent and famous lawful eldest son of John Scott of Giblestoune lawful son of Sir John Scott of Scotstarvit, a Senator of the College of Justice. He was born on the third day of May A.D. 1644 and died on the last day of February A.D. 1703 aged 54’). George Scott seems to have been the builder of the old mansion-house of Vaila: see RCAHMS 1946 No. 1708.

(9) Near the middle of the churchyard stands the small oblong burial-vault of the Mitchells of Westshore, now permanently closed, which, according to tradition, once formed part of the former parish church. A tombstone, 2 ft. 2 in broad and having a length of 3 ft. exposed, has been built into the E. gable. In the upper part are two shields conjoined beneath a helm and mantling, with three ears of barley, conjoined in the stalk, for crest. The dexter shield is charged: Within a bordure checky, on a fess between three mascles, three ears of barley (?), conjoined in the stalk, for Mitchell. The sinister one is charged: Within a bordure, three stars with a bezant for difference, for Murray. Beneath the shields appear two initials, possibly J M, for Sir John Mitchell, 1st baronet.

RCAHMS 1946, visited 8 July 1930.

OS 6" map, Shetland, 2nd ed., (1903).

This plain rectangular church was still quite new when Sir Waiter Scott heard his friend the Reverend Turnbull preach here on Sunday, August 7, 1814. Scott would have been pained to know that the church had replaced a fine medieval steeple kirk. With its sparkling white harling and semi-circular topped belfry, it is nevertheless welcoming. The porch was added in the mid 19th century, but the late 18th-century interior is intact, with panelled gallery on columns and an elegant pulpit.

In the churchyard to the south is the turf-grown burial aisle of the Mitchells of West shore (see no. 11), dating from the 17th century. Its entrance archway is finely moulded, and it now contains several carved tombstones of the 17th and 18th centuries. One commemorates Andrew Crawford, Master of Work to the Earl of Orkney and Shetland, who was responsible for the construction of the Earl's Palace at Kirkwall and probably the castles at Scalloway and Muness (nos 27, 28). There is also, nearby in the churchyard, an elaborate 17th-century stone sarcophagus, carved with two shields for Mitchell and Umphray and emblems of mortality in relief Oohn Mitchell and his wife Jean Umphray). Elegiac couplets on both long sides read:

Because of the sin of one man is death busy all the world over,

But through the grace of One has come the gift of life and salvation.

Monuments made of marble moulder at last and fall,

Virtue alone remains eternal after death.

This sarcophagus used to serve as a social restingplace for men who arrived early for the Sunday morning service, some of whom may have walked several miles - the tomb could seat up to eight people!

Information from ‘Exploring Scotland’s Heritage: Shetland’, (1997).