Garth, Graveyard
Burial Ground (Medieval) - (Post Medieval), Chapel (Medieval)(Possible), Gravestone (17th Century), Parish Church (Medieval) - (Post Medieval)
Site Name Garth, Graveyard
Classification Burial Ground (Medieval) - (Post Medieval), Chapel (Medieval)(Possible), Gravestone (17th Century), Parish Church (Medieval) - (Post Medieval)
Canmore ID 1159
Site Number HU45SE 19
NGR HU 4712 5406
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/1159
- Council Shetland Islands
- Parish Nesting
- Former Region Shetland Islands Area
- Former District Shetland
- Former County Shetland
HU45SE 19 4712 5406.
(HU 4712 5407) Chapel (LB) (Site of)
OS 6" map, Shetland, 2nd ed., (1903).
The foundations of the pre-1794 parish church of Nesting, said to occupy the site of a pre-Reformation chapel, lie in the middle of an apparently ancient burial ground which was still in use in 1878.
Name Book 1878.
There are now no remains of a building in the church yard. A 1688 tombstone is built into the inner side of the north wall of the graveyard.
RCAHMS 1946.
No trace of a chapel. Graveyard still used.
Visited by OS (NKB) 11 May 1968.
Field Visit (23 July 1930)
Chapel and Memorial Slab, near Garth. There are no remains of the chapel that formerly stood in the churchyard at Garth. But built into the inner side of the N. wall of a burial enclosure is a tombstone of late 17th century date, which is now badly weathered. It is of grey sandstone and is 5 ft. 11 in. long by 2 ft. 10 in. wide, and 5 in. thick. The main portion of the inscription runs: HERE LYES THE DUS/T OF A HOPFULL YOUTH CALLED THOMAS S/INCLAIR WHO DIED / OCTOBER 25 1688 AND OF HIS AGE THE / 1[9] YEARE.* In addition to the inscription the slab bears a shield flanked by the initials T and S, and charged: a cross engrailed. Below the shield there is a further inscription which may be read as the following quatrain:-
[? A WHIL]E YOU S[TAY]
[? AS ALL] MEN MAY
[THER]EFOR REPE[NT]
[? ERE] TYME [? BE] SP[ENT].
Lower down there is a label bearing [ME]MENTO MOR[I] above the usual emblems of mortality. The resemblance in style and inscription between this tombstone and that found at Mail (HU42NW 5) suggests that they were by the same hand.
RCAHMS 1946, visited 23 July 1930.
OS 6" map, Shetland, 2nd ed., (1903).
*The letter N is cut reversed in both cases.
