Whalsay Kirk, Kirk Ness, Whalsay

1733, with remodelling of 1867. Symmetrical T-plan kirk comprising 4 x 1-bay galleried hall with 2-storey wing containing aisle and laird?s loft centred to N (rear). Harl-pointed rubble walls with stugged and droved sandstone ashlar dressings. Projecting cills to windows.

S ELEVATION: symmetrical, tall principal windows with high cills in bays flanking centre, smaller windows with lower cills flanking in outer bays.

W (ENTRANCE) GABLE: round-arched door centred at ground with modern timber door and plate glass fanlight in arch-head; window centred in gablehead surmounted by (19th century) plain polished ashlar pointed-arched bellcote.

N (REAR) ELEVATION: gabled aisle and lairds loft advanced at centre with loft stair and window adjacent to right re-entrant angle and matching window to left fronted by memorial enclosure to Alexander Shand in re-entrant angle. 2-leaf wide-boarded and studded door to segmental-arched opening centred in N gable of aisle; small window at 1st floor adjacent to re-entrant angle of E side; harl-pointed rubble forestair with sandstone cope and steps rising to vertically-boarded timber door adjacent to re-entrant angle of W side with small window to left.

E GABLE: cement-rendered infill (dated 1968) to central segmental-arched former doorway; window centred in gablehead above with cill dated 1767.

Timber sash and case windows, predominantly 12-pane, with 18-pane glazing flanking centre of S elevation and 8-pane glazing to aisle. Modern grey tile roof, piended to S end of aisle, with stugged sandstone ashlar skew-copes. Rubble gablehead stack with stone cope to aisle.

INTERIOR: mid 19th century timber fittings surviving including vertically-boarded wainscoting, horizontally-boarded pews, loft, gallery, and canted and panelled pulpit with sounding board centring E wall accessed by stair on N side.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND GATEPIERS: harl-pointed rubble wall enclosing kirkyard, extended to W and N by (well-built) modern wall with semicircular concrete cope. Rubble-infilled opening to S wall, centred opposite S elevation of kirk; crude cement-rendered and lined square entrance gatepiers to W, with pyramidal caps and wrought-iron gate with medallions.