A tall symmetrical haa above the waterfront expresses the prosperity and status of an eighteenth-century Shetland laird’s household.
Quick facts
- Date
- Circa 1750, with later alteration
- Architect / designer
- Unknown local masons; built for James Scott and Katherine Sinclair
- Type
- Three-storey five-bay former laird’s house
- Designation
- Listed building, Category A (LB18558)
- OS grid reference
- HU 40378 39369
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
Harl-pointed rubble walls and sandstone dressings frame five regular bays. A lugged, corniced doorway and armorial panel focus the front, while slate roofs, gable stacks, garden walls and a later double staircase complete the composition.
Its story
The armorial panel commemorates the 1750 marriage of James Scott and Katherine Sinclair. Built at a prominent moment in Scalloway’s post-castle development, the house later became flats but retains its formal relationship to New Street and the harbour.
Why it is included
Category A listing identifies it as one of Shetland’s finest surviving haa houses and a major element in Scalloway’s waterfront townscape.
What to notice
- The carved armorial panel above the principal door.
- The disciplined one-three-one grouping of the five-bay front.
- The later double stair rising from street to entrance level.
Reading the surroundings
The building is private housing. View from the public street without using the entrance steps, garden or boundary openings.
Timeline
- Circa 1750 The laird’s house was built above the Scalloway waterfront.
- 1750 The doorway panel marked the marriage of James Scott and Katherine Sinclair.
- 20th century Conversion created private flats within the former house.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The designation records later alteration but does not date every change or the residential conversion.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Old Haa of Scalloway, LB18558 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Shetland Islands Council: Scalloway Conservation Area Character Appraisal — Townscape setting, historic development and the building’s relationship to the conservation area.
Location
OS grid reference HU 40378 39369 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms the Place relationship, history or current identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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