Scalloway Castle Shetland

Scalloway Castle, Shetland Islands

Scalloway Castle

Scalloway is a stone's throw from Lerwick, and was the Shetland Island's capital in the seventeenth century.

This picturesque and surprisingly leafy village is shielded from Atlantic gales by the rugged isles of Trondra and Burra, and its sheltered harbour has long been a place of refuge for ships on the archipelago's wild Atlantic coast.

Overlooking Scalloway Harbour is the Earl Patrick Stewart's Scalloway Castle, built by forced labour between 1599 and 1607.

It was carefully positioned to control the safe anchorage and the fertile farmlands to the north. It was occupied for less than a century and is now roofless, although the stark ruins still dominate the skyline.

It remains one of only two castles built in Shetland.

Scalloway Castle, Shetlands, Scotland — Scalloway Castle, Shetland Islands, Scotland

History

The castle or rather tower house was built by Patrick Stewart (1566-1615), the illegitimate son of King James V and the tyrannical 2nd Earl of Orkney.

The castle was not Stewart's official residence but served as a meeting place for the parliament (thing) of Shetland during Patrick's harsh and unpopular rule.

Work on the castle was unpaid and forced on the local populace under duress.

After complaints by the Shetland lairds, Stewart was arrested and imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle. He was later executed in 1615.

The castle was later abandoned and by the 18th century lay largely in ruins.

Scalloway Castle, Shetland Islands, Scotland

Architecture

The main L-shaped tower rises to 18 metres and consists of four storeys, with an additional garret over the main tower. The roof of the tower no longer exists.

The ground level has kitchen areas, store rooms and a well. There is a hall on the first floor with nine windows and two fireplaces, with a spiral staircase leading to the upper floors.

The architect was Andrew Crawford, who was also responsible for Muness Castle on Unst.

Access & Opening Hours

Closer to the Arctic Circle than London, the islands of Shetland have been a vital staging post for Vikings, Hanseatic traders, merchant sailors and itinerant fishermen from faraway lands. Yet somehow, this same archipelago remains off the map of British consciousness.

Those who with the adventurous spirit to journey this far, however, will discover an archipelago that remains vivid in the memory long after any visit.

The fastest route to Shetland is to fly in to Sumburgh Airport about 30 kilometres to the south of Lerwick (FlyBe has regular flights from a range of Scottish cities), although there is also an overnight ferry to Lerwick from Aberdeen (www.northlinkferries.co.uk).

Scalloway harbour, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK — Scalloway Harbour, Shetland Islands, Scotland

It's definitely worth renting a car on arrival - more than any other place in Scotland you'll need it to get the most out of your exploration. Both FlyBe and Easyjet fly routes up to Scotland from London airports. The Shetland Islands are 80 km north east of Orkney.