Walls is a parish in Shetland. It consists of the districts of Walls and Sandness on the mainland, and of the islands of Foula, Papa Stour, and Vaila. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Greenland, Norby, Walls
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The four parishes were united in the 16th century.
Walls. The church of Walls was dedicated to St Paul.
Sandness. The church of Sandness was dedicated to St Margaret. The church of Sandness is now in use as a mission chapel.
Papa Stour. The church of Papa Stour is now in use as a mission chapel.
Foula. There is a mission chapel at Foula.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
(1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
Parish registers turned over to the Registrar-General, as a result of the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (Scotland) Act of 1854. The letters B. D. and M. indicate Births (or Baptisms), Deaths (or Burials), and Marriages (or Proclamations of Banns) respectively. Numbers indicate separate volumes or books. Note: These records are by no means complete or without damage; consult the Detailed List of the Old Parochial Registers of Scotland (1872) to learn more about the condition of the records.
| OPR and RD Numbers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date Range | Name | Number | Type |
| 1771-1772 | Walls | 12 | OPR |
| 1772-1782 | Walls and Papa Stour | 12 | OPR |
| 1783-1786 | Walls, Papa Stour and Foula | 12 | OPR |
| 1787-1854 | Walls, Sandness, Papa Stour and Foula | 12 | OPR |
| 1855-1971 | Walls | 12-1 | RD |
| 1855-1971 | Sandness | 12-2 | RD |
| 1855-1971 | Papa Stour | 12-3 | RD |
| 1855-1971 | Foula | 12-4 | RD |
| 1972-2006 | Walls | 113 | RD |
| 1972-2006 | Papa Stour | 111 | RD |
| 1972-2006 | Sandness | 112 | RD |
| 1972-2006 | Foula | 114 | RD |
| 2009 | (Papa Stour) Shetland Islands, Papa Stour | 111 | RD |
| 2009 | (Sandness) Shetland Islands, Sandness | 112 | RD |
| 2009 | (Walls) Shetland Islands, Walls | 113 | RD |
| 2009 | (Foula) Shetland Islands, Foula | 114 | RD |
| 2026 | Shetland Islands Council; Sandness and Walls Community Council | ||
(2009: Parishes and Registration Districts of Scotland - Old and New, National Records of Scotland)
Local community councils (2026) are provided as a potential source of additional information for settlements within the original boundaries of the parish. (Source)
Statistics from informal and official censuses
Walls: Coutts, Fraser, Georgeson, Henry, Jamieson, Manson, Robertson, Scott, Thomson, Williamson
Sandness: Cheyne, Christie, Coutts, Fraser, Georgeson, Jamieson, Moncrieff, Sinclair, Walterson, Williamson
Papa Stour: Coutts, Fraser, Georgeson, Henderson, Hughson, Isbister, Jamieson, Johnston, Scott, Sinclair
Note: Names appearing in research materials, other than censuses. Simple names (First name, surname only) have been omitted unless they appear associated with large properties. All women's names, and men's names with occupations, military ranks, or peerage titles are included.
By the Reverend Mr David Thomson.
"In the island of Papa leprosy was very frequent in former times; and so alarming was it, that collections were made in several parts of the country for the support and cure of the numerous persons affected with it. The common belief is, that it was produced in consequence of the people having eaten too great a quantity of fish, not properly prepared, some wet seasons succeeding, which kept the peats (their only fuel) from being fully dried. The lepers were kept in small huts, erected on purpose, apart from places inhabited. Fuel and victuals were carried to the doors of their miserable hovels, and the persons employed in this charitable office avoided all intercourse with them. Thus left to themselves, and poorly sheltered, it is to be presumed, that many became victims to this shocking distemper. Some persons would, perhaps, be doomed to this solitary and wretched existence, upon being seized with cutaneous disorders, which, with a little assistance, might have been easily removed; but which ignorance, and fear of infection united, might have judged proper to be thus separated. Shut out from society, sequestered from their friends, what a joyless life must they have dragged out? Humanity, at the recollection of this, drops a tear."
(This section contains excerpts, at times restructured or paraphrased, from an article appearing in Statistical Account of Scotland, Sir John Sinclair, 1791-1799)
Primary Sources:
Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-1799), Volume 20, p. 97
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 15, Section IV, p. 19
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
