Walls, traditionally pronounced Waas, is a settlement on the south side of West Mainland,

Shetland Islands Shetland (until 1975 spelled Zetland), also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the Uni ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

. The settlement is at the head of Vaila Sound and sheltered even from southerly storms by the islands of

Linga A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, wher ...

and Vaila. Walls is within the parish of Walls and Sandness which includes the islands of Foula, Papa Stour, Vaila and Linga.

Etymology

The name is from the

Old Norse Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...

: ''Vágar'' meaning voes or bays. This became Waas in the Shetlandic dialect - but how this then came to be spelled "Walls" is not certain. MacBain quotes F. W. L. Thomas: "How, I ask, could ''vágr'' come to be represented by wall? Whence came the ''ll''? Was it that Scottish immigrants finding the sound of ''vá'' represented it in writing by 'wall,' the ''ll'' at first being silent?" One form of the area's old name was ''Vágarland'', hence the pen name of local poet ' Vagaland'.

History

A pier was built at Walls in the 18th century, and from 1838, it was a centre for fish curing. Walls itself is a quieter place than once it was. The large houses of Bayhall, now converted into flats, and Voe House are signs of past wealth, as are the three churches visible around the head of the sound. Two are still in use, while the third bears a sign showing its later conversion to a bakery. On June 25, 1958, the

Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also

...

fisherman Erich Teayn (a.k.a. Erik Klaub) escaped from the Soviet ship ''Ukrania'' in Walls by commandeering a motorboat. He was pursued across the countryside by 30 Soviet crewmen, but he managed to evade capture and was eventually granted asylum by the British government. Walls was the childhood home of two poets, Vagaland (Thomas Alexander Robertson, 1909–1973) and Christine De Luca (born 1947). In 1884 it was the birthplace of both Peter Fraser (1884–1966), musician and founder member of the Shetland Fiddlers' Society, and William Moffatt, author.

Community

A little to the east of the centre of the village is the marina, making this a popular base for leisure sailors. The fishing vessels that are still based in Walls tend to use the pier a few hundred yards along the west side of Vaila Sound. This is also the terminus for the ferry service to the island of Foula, which lies west, out into the Atlantic."Foula Ferry Booking Information"
BK Marine Ltd. Retrieved 29 June 2024. Today it is home to the

Shetland dialect Shetland dialect (also variously known as Shetlandic; broad or auld Shetland or Shaetlan; and referred to as Modern Shetlandic Scots (MSS) by some linguists) is a dialect of Insular Scots spoken in Shetland, an archipelago to the north of main ...

children's writer Iris Sandison, also secretary to the local history group. Walls has long been noted for its annual

agricultural show An agricultural show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which selective breeding, bree ...

. A short film of 'da Waas Show' in the early 1960s, by the late Albert Hunter, is available at the link below.

Notes

References

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External links

map''Waas Show'' - early 60s film by Dr. Albert Hunter
Villages in Mainland, Shetland {{Shetland-geo-stub