Bressay History Group

CULLINGSBROUGH

One of the most interesting places to visit in Bressay is Cullingsbrough, on the east side of the island. Vehicles can be left parked at the turning point which is at the end of the tarmac road past Setter.

A short walk along the shore will take you firstly to the remains of an 18th/19th Century fishing booth. Slightly further north we come to the ruined township of Cullingsbrough, compromising a mixture of houses and outbuildings which were inhabited by crofters and their families who worked the surrounding land. Adjacent to the township, to the south east are a number of rectangular foundations of fishermen's huts, associated with the booth.

De-population in the late 1800s was the major factor in the abandonment of these houses. The last people to live in Cullingsbrough were Laurence Manson and his daughter Catherine. They lived in the house known as 'The Manse' or 'Garth' A photograph taken in 1887 by J. Valentine shows the pair sitting by the fire in their crofthouse. When Laurence died Catherine moved to the west side of Bressay.

Next to the settlement lies the burial ground of Cullingsbrough. Within the walled enclosure can be found the ruins of the 12th century pre-Reformation Chapel of St Mary's - the only cruciform (cross shaped) chapel in Shetland.

A minister named John Duncan was ordained at 'Culbinsburgh' on 23rd March 1715. He resided in the Manse and preached in the chapel which was then the Parish Church of Bressay. The chapel ceased to be used in 1722 when the Minister transferred to the new church at Mail and manse on the west side of Bressay which then became the main place of worship.

Around 1899 the churchyard was extended eastwards. The south wing of the chapel was demolished at that time when, regrettably, stones from the abandoned church were used in the process of building the surrounding dyke.The north west corner wall intersects the remains of an iron age broch. Undoubtedly, stone from the broch was used in the building of later structures in Cullingsbrough.

Some interesting gravestones are to be found in the churchyard. One of them covers the grave of Dutch Commander 'Claes Jansen Bruyn of Burgerdan' who died on August 27th 1636 in the service of the Dutch East India Company. Captain Bruyn's ship the Amboina was en-route from Surat with a cargo of Persian silk when disease claimed over half of her crew. The ship lay for a time in the bay of Cullingsbrough (or Nancie's Bay) where Captain Bruyn also succumbed to illness. The stone was transported from Holland the following year.

It was also at Cullingsbrough where the famous 'Bressay Stone' was found. This Pictish cross-slab, now recognized as dating between the 8th and 9th centuries A.D. was found by a workman in 1852 'in a piece of waste ground near the Chapel of Saint Mary's, Culbinsburgh'. The stone is sculptured and is transcribed with ogham script, which is not easily translated; however, research continues. The Bressay Stone was gifted to The National Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh in 1864. In 2000 a replica of the Bressay Stone was erected inside the churchyard gate by the Shetland Council of Churches to celebrate the millenium.

Up until approximately two years ago Cullingsbrough churchyard was still used as a burial ground. People with family connections on the east side of Bressay continued to express their wish to be buried in this remote but beautiful place. Although this practice has now ceased the yard continues to be maintained and kept immaculately.