Lerwick

Infobox UK place
official_name= Lerwick
gaelic_name=
scots_name=
local_name=
country= Scotland
map_type= Scotland
population= 6830
population_density=
os_grid_reference= HU474414
edinburgh_distance=
london_distance=
latitude= 60.155278
longitude= -1.145556
post_town= SHETLAND
postcode_area= ZE
postcode_district= ZE1
dial_code= 01595
constituency_westminster= Orkney and Shetland
civil_parish=
unitary_scotland= Shetland
lieutenancy_scotland= Shetland
constituency_scottish_parliament= Shetland
website= :"For the aircraft, see Saro Lerwick"

Lerwick is the only burgh and main port of the Shetland Islands in Scotland, found more than 100 miles (160 km) off the north coast of mainland Great Britain. Lerwick has a population of approximately 6,830 residents ["Shetland in Statistics", Shetland Islands Council, 30th Edition 2003.] and is by far the northernmost town in Scotland. Lerwick is about 210 miles from Aberdeen and 230 miles from both Bergen in Norway and Tórshavn in the Faroe Islands.

Lerwick lies on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland. It was founded in the seventeenth century as a herring and white fish seaport, and still thrives as a fishing and ferry port. The harbour is also busy with vessels supporting the offshore oil industry. Ferries from Lerwick sail to Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands, Aberdeen, Fair Isle, Out Skerries and Bressay.

Lerwick is the focus of most events in Shetland, including the largest of the annual Up Helly-Aa fire festivals.Significant buildings in Lerwick include Fort Charlotte, Lerwick Town Hall, the Böd of Gremista and Clickimin Broch.

Local independent radio station SIBC broadcasts daily from Lerwick. Shetland College, a constituent partner institution of the UHI Millennium Institute, is also based in the town, offering degree-level education (and other further education courses) to locals who unsurprisingly find it difficult to study further afield. In the village of Scalloway, another UHI institution, the North Atlantic Fisheries College, offers courses with a marine bias. The next closest university-level institution is the University of Aberdeen, a twelve hour boat journey away. The Gilbert Bain Hospital provides secondary care services to all of Shetland.

Lerwick is a name with roots in Old Norse and its local descendant, Norn that was spoken in Shetland until the mid-19th century. The name "Lerwick" means "bay of mud". The corresponding Norwegian name is "Leirvik", "leir" meaning "mud" and "vik" meaning "bay" or "inlet".

Lerwick has a friendship agreement with Måløy in Norway.

Churches

There are several churches in Lerwick, including:
*Adam Clarke Memorial Methodist Church (a congregation of the Methodist Church of Great Britain).
*Assemblies of God.
*Baptist Church, Clairmont Place. [http://www.lerwickbaptist.org.uk/]
*Congregational Church.
*Emmanuel Christian Fellowship.
*St. Columba's Church - one of three buildings of Lerwick and Bressay Parish Church (part of the Church of Scotland). [http://www.shetlandcommunities.org/lbpc/]
*St. Magnus Church, Greenfield Place (part of the Scottish Episcopal Church). [http://www.stmagnus.org.uk/]
*St. Margaret's Roman Catholic Church.

References

See also

* Leirvik - a harbour on the island of Stord in Norway
* Leirvík - a harbour on the island of Eysturoy, one of the Faroe Islands
* Smyril Line (international ferry service), but no longer serving Shetland after 2007

External links

* [http://www.shetlopedia.com/Lerwick Shetlopedia.com - Lerwick Pages]
* [http://www.lel.ed.ac.uk/dialects/nis.html Listen to recordings of a speaker of Lerwick Scots]
* [http://www.scotlandontv.tv/?channel=Town+and+Country&clipid=1380_SMG114 Weir's Way visits Lerwick]
* [http://www.shetland.gov.uk/council/documents/sins2006.pdf Shetland in Statistics, published by Shetland Islands Council 2006]