Bigton
Bigton is a small settlement on the South Mainland of Shetland, Scotland, in the civil parish of Dunrossness. It sits on the Atlantic coast overlooking St Ninian's Isle, with the island of Burra visible to the north. It is about 18 miles by road from Lerwick, just off the B9122, and lies just north of Scousburgh; the nearby settlement of Ireland adjoins Bigton.
Ships have been wrecked in St Ninian's Bay near Bigton, including the Alexander (1793), the Earl Spencer (1822), the Sacre Cour (1897), the Jeune Albert (1902), and the Rene (1904).
Today Bigton has a community shop, a post office, and a cafe. In 2021, Bigton Kirk, a listed church, was sold by the Church of Scotland to Bigton Collective and turned into a community centre. Farming around Bigton is a mix of arable farming and livestock. Bigton House is a protected historic building. The Stewarts owned Bigton from 1634. John Bruce, 4th of Symbister, married Clementina Stewart of Bigton in 1744, adopted the Stewart name, and built Bigton House in 1788. Reverend George Low, visiting in 1774, described Bigton as the largest farm in Shetland, productive with barley and oats. The former Bigton manse was home to author Elizabeth Balneaves for the last 20 years of her life.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 15:52 (CET).