Haa of Gardie, Mid Yell

Former laird's house comprising 2-storey 3-bay near-symmetrical house of rectangular plan, with single storey 2-bay outbuilding to E, and single storey barn to W, adjoining NW corner of house. Random rubble walls. HOUSE: near-symmetrical S elevation with centre bay off-set slightly to left, entrance door at ground in centre bay, windows in flanking bays, regular fenestration at 1st floor. 2-bay E gable with windows at ground and 1st floor in left bay only. Door off-set to right of centre at rear elevation, single window centred at 1st floor. Blank W gable. Corrugated-iron roof to house and tarred roof to barn, with concrete skew-copes. Harled gablehead stacks to house with concrete copes and circular cans. E outbuilding roofless, with rubble stone-coped stack to E gable. GARDEN WALLS: drystone walls enclosing garden centred to S of house, and extending from outbuildings to E and W to enclose fields.

Haa of Gardie was once the home of Laurence Williamson, a Shetland historian and genealogist. (Historic Scotland)

August 2000: External inspection reveals the buildings to be unoccupied. Stonework remains in a reasonable condition, although the barn roof is now severely collapsed. The eastern outbuilding is now roofless. The property was acquired by the father of the present owner in 1936, and was in a derelict condition at that time. The haa has remained unoccupied ever since. June 2006: External inspection reveals the building remains in a poor condition with both the barn and outbuilding roofless. The corrrugated iron roof of the house is deteriorating exposing the wall head. The house is not secure and animals are free to roam in the interior, little of which remains.

March 2010: Limited site inspection possible due to the presence of sheep in the surrounding fields. The building appears to remain in the same condition as our previous visit. It remains disused. The roof is largely intact but all window and door openings are open to the elements.

January 2012: A member of the public advises that the main roof came down during gales at Christmas.

25 June 2014: External inspection confirms the roof has been removed. Otherwise, the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously.

5 October 2022: External inspection was limited to eastern viewpoint due to access. Building appears to be in similar condition to previous survey. Boundary walls remain in similar condition as well.