In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described West Burra like this:
Burra, an island, an ancient parish, and a quoad sacra parish in the S of Shetland. The island lies about 3¼ miles W of the nearest part of the mainland, and 10½ miles SW of Lerwick, under which it has a post office; measures about 6 miles in length from NNE to SSW, and from ½ mile to 1¾ mile in breadth; has an irregular outline and a rocky coast; and consists, in a general view, of a hill ridge. ...
The ancient parish, comprising Burra, House, Hevera, and Papa islands, is united to the parishes of Bressay and Quarff. House island, sometimes called East Burra, extends parallel to most of Burra, at nearly mid-distance between it and the mainland; approaches Burra so near at one point as to communicate with it by a rude timber bridge; measures about 5 miles in length, and nearly 1 mile in mean breadth; and consists mostly of a hill ridge, but terminates on the S in a long, narrow, grassy peninsula. Hevera and Papa will be separately noticed. The quoad sacra parish (stipend, £120), in the presbytery of Lerwick and synod of Shetland, comprises, since 1833, the ancient parishes of Burra and Quarff. Pop. (1861) 890, (1871) 952, (1881) 918, of whom about 425 belong to Burra island. See Bressay.
West Burra through time
West Burra is now part of Shetland Islands district. Click here for graphs and data of how Shetland Islands has changed over two centuries. For statistics about West Burra itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of West Burra in Shetland Islands | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/21342
Date accessed: 13th June 2024
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