Symbister House
Symbister House, Whalsay, was built in 1823 by the sixth Laird Bruce of Symbister, Robert Bruce (2), at a cost of £30.000, despite using forced labour.
It is built of Nesting granite, from a quarry in North Nesting, and is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the North Scotland area.
The last resident Laird died in 1944, and in 1960, Symbister House became the local school. A new building has been erected nearby for the primary school, but the secondary pupils still use the original building. It has undergone an extensive refurbishment, interiors at all levels re-instated to excellent condition, and the wings that were added and given flat roofs in 1960, have been subsequently re-covered with peaked, slate covered roofs.
Robert Hunter Bell died in the house in 1907.
File:Anne Bruce of Symbister - Shetland Museum and Archives NE02983.jpg A group of men carrying Mrs Anne Bruce of Symbister House, wife of Robert Bruce, on sedan in the 1890's.<br>Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives. |
File:Doocot Symbister House.JPG Doocot behind the house |
File:Stables - Symbister House.JPG Stables on the backside of the house |
