Quarff
Encyclopedia
Quarff is a small village in the Shetland Islands
in Scotland
. It is located on the main A970 road, 5 miles south of Shetland's only town, Lerwick
. The village is spread along a classic glacial valley that runs east-west across the island between high hills to north and south, with centres of population at Easter Quarff which is near the main road and the east coast, and Wester Quarff which is 1½ miles west and faces the Atlantic Ocean. A narrow road runs along the valley between the two.
, the word 'Quarff' means 'the portage
'. The village has long been a site where goods and boats could be transported across between the east and west coast, avoiding what would otherwise be a sea journey of about 40 miles round Sumburgh Head
. Sir John Sinclair
reported in 1794 that, "The people of Quarff are frequently employed in transporting goods from one side of the country to the other, which brings them in considerable sums."
In 1830, when the church was built, the villagers were reported to be mostly sea fishermen, catching cod
, ling
and herring
. They also cultivated small patches of land, growing potatoes and corn.
There is evidence of Stone Age
occupation in the area. In 1900 a local crofter excavated a mound on his croft and found a stone slab covering a stone-lined chamber containing a skull and a bowl. Similar chambers were found in the locality.
and 28 houses; by 2004 there were over 70 dwellings. Wester Quarff, however, has remained fairly constant with thirteen dwellings in small clusters.
. The village has mains electricity.
Regular buses between Sumburgh Airport
and Lerwick pass through Easter Quarff.
Quarff has a community hall used for youth clubs, play groups, as a venue during the folk festival and for other events.
. It is located on a rising bank, about 500 yards from the sea-shore, and its first minister, Mr James Gardner, was inducted in September 1830. However, in 1843 his allegiance was called into question and in June 1843 his name appears in a list of ministers who had given their adhesion to the Free Presbyterian Church in Scotland in the so-called Disruption of 1843
. The "parish living" in Quarff became vacant and the Rev. Alexander Webster was appointed on 31 July 1943.
The church was described in 1845 as “a beautiful and commodious building built to contain 320.” The area experienced a Christian revival
in 1863; a contemporaneous report reads: “Formerly Quarff was noted for its coldness and apathy in matters of religion. … Now, however, the people are in the deepest concern about the interests of their souls, …”
The church is now no longer in use, and services are held in the Old Manse on the Lerwick Road each Sunday at 11:30 am. The churchyard is well maintained, however, and is still used for burials.
catered for local children in the 5 to 12 age range, and was open from 1879 until it was closed by the council in 2003. In 2001 the school won an award from the National Association for Gallery Education
for a long-term art project involving the whole school (12 pupils with teacher Anne Halford-MacLeod), Bonhoga Gallery
and artist Ruth Brownlee.
The number of pupils decreased from a peak of 25 in 1987 to only 12 in 2001, thought to be a result of parents working in Lerwick taking their children to Lerwick schools. When the teacher moved to Cunningsburgh
School in 2003 the school was closed and the pupils were transferred to the school in Cunningsburgh four miles to the south. School transport is available.
The nearest secondary schooling is at Sandwick
or Lerwick.
Shetland Islands
Shetland is a subarctic archipelago of Scotland that lies north and east of mainland Great Britain. The islands lie some to the northeast of Orkney and southeast of the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is located on the main A970 road, 5 miles south of Shetland's only town, Lerwick
Lerwick
Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 100 miles off the north coast of mainland Scotland on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland...
. The village is spread along a classic glacial valley that runs east-west across the island between high hills to north and south, with centres of population at Easter Quarff which is near the main road and the east coast, and Wester Quarff which is 1½ miles west and faces the Atlantic Ocean. A narrow road runs along the valley between the two.
History
In Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
, the word 'Quarff' means 'the portage
Portage
Portage or portaging refers to the practice of carrying watercraft or cargo over land to avoid river obstacles, or between two bodies of water. A place where this carrying occurs is also called a portage; a person doing the carrying is called a porter.The English word portage is derived from the...
'. The village has long been a site where goods and boats could be transported across between the east and west coast, avoiding what would otherwise be a sea journey of about 40 miles round Sumburgh Head
Sumburgh Head
Sumburgh Head is located at the southern tip of the Shetland Mainland in northernScotland. The head is a 100 m high rocky spur capped by the Sumburgh Head Lighthouse. The Old Norse name was Dunrøstar høfdi, it means "The Head onto the Thunderous Noise", referring to the noise of Sumburgh Roost...
. Sir John Sinclair
Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet
Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet was a Scottish politician, writer on finance and agriculture and the first person to use the word statistics in the English language, in his vast, pioneering work, Statistical Account of Scotland, in 21 volumes.Sinclair was the eldest son of George Sinclair of...
reported in 1794 that, "The people of Quarff are frequently employed in transporting goods from one side of the country to the other, which brings them in considerable sums."
In 1830, when the church was built, the villagers were reported to be mostly sea fishermen, catching cod
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
, ling
Common Ling
The common ling or simply the ling, Molva molva, is a large member of the cod family. An ocean fish whose habitat is in the Atlantic region and can be found around Iceland, Faroe Islands, British Isles, the Norse coast and occasionally around Newfoundland, the ling has a long slender body that can...
and herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
. They also cultivated small patches of land, growing potatoes and corn.
There is evidence of Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
occupation in the area. In 1900 a local crofter excavated a mound on his croft and found a stone slab covering a stone-lined chamber containing a skull and a bowl. Similar chambers were found in the locality.
Population
In recent years the population of Quarff has increased. Twenty-five years ago, Easter Quarff had 12 croftsCroft (land)
A croft is a fenced or enclosed area of land, usually small and arable with a crofter's dwelling thereon. A crofter is one who has tenure and use of the land, typically as a tenant farmer.- Etymology :...
and 28 houses; by 2004 there were over 70 dwellings. Wester Quarff, however, has remained fairly constant with thirteen dwellings in small clusters.
Infrastructure
The Quarff water supply is from the Sandy Loch reservoir at Lerwick. There is currently no mains drainage in Quarff; each property has its own septic tankSeptic tank
A septic tank is a key component of the septic system, a small-scale sewage treatment system common in areas with no connection to main sewage pipes provided by local governments or private corporations...
. The village has mains electricity.
Regular buses between Sumburgh Airport
Sumburgh Airport
-Other tenants:*Maritime and Coastguard Agency *Bristow Helicopters*Bond Helicopters -Incidents and accidents:...
and Lerwick pass through Easter Quarff.
Quarff has a community hall used for youth clubs, play groups, as a venue during the folk festival and for other events.
Quarff church
Quarff Government church and manse in Easter Quarff were completed in 1830, to a design by Thomas TelfordThomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
. It is located on a rising bank, about 500 yards from the sea-shore, and its first minister, Mr James Gardner, was inducted in September 1830. However, in 1843 his allegiance was called into question and in June 1843 his name appears in a list of ministers who had given their adhesion to the Free Presbyterian Church in Scotland in the so-called Disruption of 1843
Disruption of 1843
The Disruption of 1843 was a schism within the established Church of Scotland, in which 450 ministers of the Church broke away, over the issue of the Church's relationship with the State, to form the Free Church of Scotland...
. The "parish living" in Quarff became vacant and the Rev. Alexander Webster was appointed on 31 July 1943.
The church was described in 1845 as “a beautiful and commodious building built to contain 320.” The area experienced a Christian revival
Christian revival
Christian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
in 1863; a contemporaneous report reads: “Formerly Quarff was noted for its coldness and apathy in matters of religion. … Now, however, the people are in the deepest concern about the interests of their souls, …”
The church is now no longer in use, and services are held in the Old Manse on the Lerwick Road each Sunday at 11:30 am. The churchyard is well maintained, however, and is still used for burials.
Education
The Quarff Primary SchoolQuarff Primary School
Quarff Primary School, Shetland, Scotland, was a primary school that provided education for the district around Quarff from 1879 to 2003.It was established in 1879 with an advertisement in the Glasgow Herald: "... for Quarff New Public School, a Female Teacher , to enter immediately...
catered for local children in the 5 to 12 age range, and was open from 1879 until it was closed by the council in 2003. In 2001 the school won an award from the National Association for Gallery Education
Engage (visual arts)
engage, National Association for Gallery Education, is based in the United Kingdom and promotes the visual arts through gallery education. engage's work helps galleries encourages people to participate in and enjoy the visual arts and become confident users of galleries and museums...
for a long-term art project involving the whole school (12 pupils with teacher Anne Halford-MacLeod), Bonhoga Gallery
Weisdale Mill
Weisdale Mill is a watermill in the village of Weisdale, Shetland. It is located near the head of Weisdale Voe on the west of the island, a twenty-minute drive from the main town of Lerwick.-History:...
and artist Ruth Brownlee.
| Year | 1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17 | 19 | 23 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 12 | n/a |
The number of pupils decreased from a peak of 25 in 1987 to only 12 in 2001, thought to be a result of parents working in Lerwick taking their children to Lerwick schools. When the teacher moved to Cunningsburgh
Cunningsburgh
Cunningsburgh, formerly also known as Coningsburgh , is a hamlet and ancient parish in the south of Mainland, Shetland. The hamlet is on the coast, nine miles south south west of Lerwick, about half way between there and Sumburgh Head. The parish was merged with Dunrossness and Sandwick...
School in 2003 the school was closed and the pupils were transferred to the school in Cunningsburgh four miles to the south. School transport is available.
The nearest secondary schooling is at Sandwick
Sandwick
Sandwick may refer to:* Sandwick, Orkney, parish on the west coast of Mainland, Orkney, Scotland* Sandwick, Shetland, settlement on the east coast of Mainland, Shetland, Scotland, south of Lerwick-See also:...
or Lerwick.