Windhouse

[Windoos from oos meaning ridge, Vindoos, the windy ridge, is mentioned in a deed of 13 Oct 1405] Sometimes Vendos or Vindas

Windhouse 2000

While at Windhouse I wanted to explore the site of the ancient Romish Chapel and chambered cairn burial ground. Chas pointed out its many features. To the west and front of the house stands the mound of a 2000-year-old broch. The heel shaped cairn has been built on a steep slope, with a facade, built on very large blocks, facing west down the slope. The body of the cairn merges with the slope behind. The broch was partly excavated by the proprietor many years ago when a number of typical objects, now lost, are understood to have been recovered.

Many landowners, the ‘Hamburg Gentry’ as they were known, organised small time smuggling of everyday necessities such as tea and a little gin as a sideline. Some of their houses were built in places where they could watch for the Customs and where they could see the tenants fishing.

Information regarding Windhouse can be found dating as far back as 1405. The original 'big' house was built around 1707 but later a new house was built which moved it some distance south of the old one and on the site of the ancient chapel and burial ground. The stones from the first house of Windhouse were used to build the later mansion. In 1880 the house was renovated and when the work was being done skeletons were found. A woman’s remains were under the floorboards at the foot of the stair and a baby’s in the wall of the kitchen. The remains of a pedlar were found under the flagstones at the door.

Sketch showing Windhouse in 1930s

When Charles Neven of Windhouse built the Old Haa of Reafirth his wife used to ride a white horse down from Windhouse every day to see the work.

Windhouse is notable for the ghost stories associated with it and versions of the stories have been passed down through the Herra generations. Ghostly happenings reported are: a lady in silk walking the rooms, a crying baby, a ghostly dog named Earlie and the presence of a tall man in a long black coat. The tall man is said to walk through the wall of the house where the door used to be.

Much has been told and written about Windhouse and although Chas had heard adaptions of several tales he was keen to hear my versions and any information I had about the Neven family who had lived there. I assured him that I had plenty to tell if he was willing to listen.

The following account was told by the Spence family of the Herra.

A youth was helping the shepherds on the Windhouse estate after the clearances. He was asleep in a steading when he was awakened by a fight among the shepherds and the boggers [drainers] who were all working and living on the estate. They had been drinking and the young man was awakened by the noise of fighting. A man was knocked down in the foray. He was a packman known to the boy, and who travelled frequently on the island steamer the Earl of Zetland. He could not be revived so his body was quickly dumped in a recently dug drain by the kitchen and covered by flagstones. The culprits made off. The young man was so upset at what he had seen that he set out for his lodgings over the hill. When he arrived home in the dark he would not tell anyone what he had witnessed as he was terrified he could be targeted. He would not go back to Windhouse to work and only told his story years later.

Windhouse was owned by the Neven family and their armorial crest can be seen above the doorway. The lodge of the estate stands at the roadside and is now used as a camping bod.

The Nevens were notorious for their treatment of tenants on the estate and Ninian had been reported for his conduct.

Ninian Neven was reported to the Privy Council for cruelty to the people. The proceedings were given in the Privy Council Papers:

'Oppressiounes Tirranies and Falcetis and Cruelties done and committit be Neniane Neving upon the poore Inhabitantis of the Countrie of Zetland’ The document alleges nine acts of oppression. He was said to have ‘strok Arthur Robesone, tenant of Howgoland, with ane great battoun on the head and shoulder and uther pairtis of his bodie to the effusioun of his blood in great quantitie’ He is also said to have ‘acquired the lands of Windhouse by instigating the eldest son of the eldest son of Swannie Jonsoun, who was the eleventh man that had succeeded and possessed the 40 merks land of Windhouse, to give him a charter and sasine of the said lands. Armed with these documents and accompanied by a band of men he proceeded in the year 1613, to the house of Windhouse and there by force ejected the other sons of Swannie Jonsoun, with their wives and children, and installed himself therein. The complaint drawn up apparently by Mr John Edmonston, minister of Yell and James Sinclair of Scalloway

the sais Niniane came with ane company of brokin men immediately thairafter to the saidis landis and houssis of Wyndhouss and thair maist violently and maist erfullie brak the dooris and windows thairoff ejectis and outputis all the rest of his haill aires thair wyffis bairnis and servandis gudis and geir and possest himself with his whole familie and dwellis thair presentlie'

One of the family, probably Charles Neven, was described as a strange character who went around accompanied by armed men to enforce his demands. Eventually he was arrested and taken to Lerwick and imprisoned. When released he was a changed character. From being high spirited and portly he became melancholy and forlorn. He wore a long gown reaching to his feet. On his head he wore a red cap and he carried a staff wherever he went. The walls of his rooms were covered in pictures of strange characters relating to dreams, visions and ghost stories. Mr Neven was extremely superstitious and would tell of ghostly encounters. He told how on one dark night at a certain eerie spot he saw a gigantic figure waiting for him. To keep safe he walked by it keeping a flooded peat bank at one side and his knife at the other. However the apparition loomed beside him and he realised it was the devil. He stabbed at the devil behind him with his knife but in the fight he himself was stabbed by the knife and he returned home with his knife in his own behind.

There are several adaptations to the many stories of the unnatural which Mr Neven had to tell.

William John Neven dwelt at Windhouse and his brother Robert at Reafirth. William duped people and took their land. He threatened to kill Jarom Robertson of Basta [Jeremiah Robertson born before 1700]. One day folk working outdoors saw William on horseback with his sword glinting in the sunlight and knew he was heading for Basta. The men set off and arrived just in time to see William with his sword lifted to Jarom. They grabbed William’s arm dislocating it while trying to get the sword from him. They called their dogs and set them on the horse. Neven got home but later died from his injuries.

Robert Neven also took spite against people. He fell out with a Williamson man. He got his men to drag Williamson out of the Mill of Filda. They dragged him over the ebb stones. This treatment resulted in him having severe head injuries.

It was said that another Neven of Windhouse decided to make Yell into two islands by cutting between the head of Whalefirth and Mid Yell Voe. Twice he got all his tenants ready to begin the work but each time a great storm arose and as he was persuaded that omens were against him he gave up the idea.

Undoubtedly the lairds at Windhouse were ruthless and greatly disliked but as Chas and I discussed all the tales about them we wondered how many of those were true or were construed to portray them in the worst way possible. We couldn't decide if the following two snippets were true or not.

One day when Neven was going to Mid Yell he spoke to an old woman who was making her way there too. He told her to sit in his wheelbarrow to save her legs but when he got to Linkshouse he dumped her in the burn to have fun at her expense. He must have felt some remorse later as he paid for her goods at the shop.

Another time a tenant was behind with his rent. The man was recently widowed. Neven requested that the tenant come to the house and play the fiddle and dance for him. The tenant did not refuse out of fear of eviction. While playing and dancing the man started to cry. Neven thought it so funny seeing him doing all three things at the same time that he cancelled the debt.

Records of the following case brought by Swainson are documented.

In 1762 Bartholomew Swainson, Raga, took Neven of Windhouse to court. Swainson had built a new house on his land as the original house was in poor state. Robert Neven sent men to pull the new building down saying that the land belonged to Windhouse. Bartholomew had nowhere to go and it was the onset of winter. He had to rely on others to give him shelter. Witnesses were called and all testified that at no time had they heard that the land belonged to Windhouse and that Charles Neven had given Swain Bartleson, Bartholomew's father permision to build the original house.

Neven was found guilty and asked to pay Swainson's costs.

More complaints about Neven were reported to the Sheriff. The Sheriff sent word that Neven was to be detained at the first chance. He was drinking with Charles Scott of Gardie. Gilbert Scott of Graveland heard where he was and went to find him. Neven was thrown down and bound. He was found guilty and was imprisoned and threatened with transportation if arrested again.

While at Windhouse we searched the rocky shoreline for signs of a tunnel opening as tradition has it that a tunnel connected the broch to the shore. A man known as Rowland studied magic in Italy and was visiting at Windhouse. He told that there was an underground passage. Many people have hoped to find the secret passage but so far it has been undiscovered.

Ghost stories were probably told to scare off anyone who might interfere with property and several ghost stories and hauntings are associated with Windhouse. The house is said to be visited by the ghost of a trow every Yule E'en. A survivor of a ship lost at the Daal of Lumbister told how he killed the trow. Bjarky Park, the green area in front of the house is where the trow was buried. Perhaps the story was told in order to prevent if possible, people from plundering the wreck.

Bjarky might be derived from the word barka which denotes the root of the tormentil which was used for tanning skins and hides for sea clothes and boots.

Trows were assumed to live underground in hillocks and knowes. They only left their homes in darkness. Trows could be good or bad depending on their mood, stealing food, interfering with livestock and so on or they might help someone who was down on their luck. No one ever knew what to expect. If a trow was out in daytime they became day-bound and could not return to their home underground but would have to become invisible or spend the time hiding in some secret place. Sea trows lived in the sea or at the shore among rocks or in caves.

Story of The Windhouse Trow

There are several versions of the Windhouse Trow story this being one of them.

An important ship was wrecked at the Daal of Lumbister on December 24th and the captain was the only survivor. He was very daring and strong and made it to shore on a piece of board taking a poleaxe and a knife with him. He walked through Lumbister and Volister and eventually reached Windhouse. He went to the laird’s house and was taken inside where he described the shipwreck. He asked if he could be given a bed for the night but this was refused. The explanation given by Mr Neven was that anyone who spent the night of Yule’en in the house would be murdered by some unknown being so he and his family and servants would all be leaving. The captain was told that the murderer was probably a Troll, or Sea Trow. As the captain did not altogether believe the story and needed shelter he asked if he could stay by himself and all he would need was some food, a Bible, his poleaxe and his knife. Mr Neven tried to persuade him to change his mind but when he couldn’t do so the captain was given food, a Bible and candles. Mr Neven left the captain with the food and wine after showing him where he could sleep.

Throughout the evening the captain read and checked the weather a few times, the night was clear and fairly still. At midnight it changed and a terrible storm rose to hurricane force which shook the house. The house seemed to be shaken by a terrible roaring force. He barricaded the door for a time then decided to confront whatever it was. On opening the door the apparition made off towards the head of the Voe of Mid Yell as if trying to get to the sea. The captain swung his axe and the creature fell. It was impossible to describe what the ‘thing’ was as it had no earthly shape. It was described as a great mass resembling blubber. The captain returned to Windhouse but he did not attempt to sleep until morning.

Mr Neven returned to Windhouse expecting the worst and was surprised to find his guest asleep. While he fetched his family home the captain went to retrieve his axe from the mass which was the creature. He dug a hole and buried the mass at the front of the house. Where it was buried produces an abundance of very green grass.

Brucie Henderson of Arisdale was a great teller of stories relating to folklore. His version told how the apparition was buried in the heather nearer to Mid Yell Voe and overnight the heather disappeared being replaced by green grass.

There are records on Windhouse and the Nevens for anyone keen to do research and two graves with tombstones and inscriptions bearing the names of Gilbert Neven, laird of Windhouse, and his wife Katharine Umphrey and that of William Neven and his wife Barbara Kennedy are in the kirkyard beside the Old Chapel of Mid Yell.

Robert Neven (22.11.1802 – 16.12.1863), succeeded his mother in part of the estate of Windhouse. Robert and his son both practised law. The family consisted of 11 children, some of whom went to Australia or New Zealand. The eldest son in New Zealand left the estate to his sisters who sold it.

About 1835 Windhouse, Volister, Lumbister, Setter and Graveland were cleared. Prior to the Windhouse scattald division and enclosure the pasturage was supervised by shepherds. This venture did not become a success. In 1849, 50 houses were rebuilt and 11 families in all were put back to Setter, Volister and Lumbister. Factor John Walker took over in 1865. He increased rents and separated hill grazing from crofts. People were forced to leave the crofts and eventually Lumbister, Volister and Setter were put to sheep again. The crofts of Windhouse and Holsigarth were also cleared for sheep.

When Harrison took over Windhouse in the 19th century he decided that keeping sheep was more profitable than having people on the estate. On evicting his tenants, one old lady who was forced from her home cursed Windhouse and everyone who would ever live in it.

In the 1870s Harrison owned Windhouse and a large part of Mid Yell. He had a grandiose scheme to have Mid Yell as a fishing centre and Windhouse would provide farm produce for the workers. He built cottages at Reafirth and at Linkshouse, the Steading and Lodge at Windhouse and he renovated and extended the big house adding two wings. Everything was of very high quality, slate roofs etc. The Steading alone had housing for many cattle and horses. There was a bothy, a manager's house, a large water driven threshing mill, a heated gig house, a dovecote and other buildings. Some stone came from Orkney. All must have required a large work force. At the time there was only the east public road in Yell, the west public road came later.

This enterprise ended in shambles with, no or poor crops, starving animals and bad fishing. Harrison went bankrupt and, as was the norm, sent to jail so the estate was owned by a bank until about the turn of the century when William Gordon, a Broughty ferry solicitor, became owner.

William Gordon, a bachelor, was writer to the Signet which gave him authority to supervise the use of the Royal Signet. he resided in the big house with servants. The estate was stocked with Blackfaced sheep. Shepherd Donald Sutherland from Caithness lived at the Steading with his large family.

Prominent in the community, Gordon gave advice and chaired committees.

High iron gates with spiked top from a prison were erected at the entrance near the Lodge. Stone pillars built by stonemasons Andrew Mann, Herra and John Clark, Mid Yell, one each, were erected. Gordon's yacht was moored in Whalefirth and crewed when required by locals including my grandfather William Spence and his brother Gilbert. Volister and Lumbister lochs were stocked with Loch Leven trout and grouse were introduced. Many people visited Windhouse for the shooting and fishing, including two Scottish international rugby players.

When Gordon's dog Earlie died it was buried at the brough neat the house and a tombstone was set up.

Gordon went on many trips and cruises latterly asking Laurence Johnson, Setter to 'keep an eye on the place'. Gordon died on his last trip and was buried in the Red Sea leaving the estate to his nephew Jim Gordon.

Jim Gordon with his wife, daughter and son also lived in the big house with servants and a nanny. The Blackfaced sheep were replaced with Shetland sheep. A shepherd was not so necessary and more casual labour was used. John Thomason was employed as 'jack of all trades'.

Jim Gordon had been a lieutenant Commander in submarines. He had escaped from a submarine in the Gareloch that could not surface but the experience had left its mark on him. After a time at sheep farming and making little profit both he and his wife were discontented so he obtained employment at the British Embassy in China. He asked Laurence Johnson to run Windhouse and the big house has not been lived in since. The house was eventually vandalised and contents and material stolen. Gordon suggested it be boarded up.

Another incident with horrific consequences was connected to the estate.

In 1884 fishermen aarled to Windhouse gathered there at weekends. Thomas Moar, a local odd job man, who suffered epilepsy, was sent to Westsandwick to get drink for them. As he returned he was accosted by other fishermen, who regarded him as an imbecile because of his illness, and who tried to take the drink from him. He fought them but the fight resulted in his death. His body was found at Da Grood, a rocky spot near the Burn of Bouster and the main road. Suspects were kept at the Mid Yell school partly to protect them from a mob who threatened to lynch them and it was reported that the riot act was read before the mob would disperse. Two men, Kenneth McLeod and John McDonald, were accused of culpable homicide by assaulting him but no one was found guilty of causing the death. Mr Neven suggested that Moar’s illness possibly had been the reason for his death.

The position of Windhouse on the hill made it a vantage point and during wartime a gun was sited there. Nancy Johnson, South Grummond, wrote a poem about a Windhouse gun crew.

Windhouse gun crew

Ross Jamieson is an awful flirt

for kisses he would sell his shirt

Jim Isbister is a little dear

altho his speech is not quite clear

Fred although of a delicate hue

we have no doubt his heart is true

Peter Tait has eyes so bright

he’s sure to charm some lassie’s sight

Bertie beats them all for charms

so hope he’s fit to use his arms

Laurie from the bonny isle

twa piltock heads wid make him smile

Colvin’s such a strong young chap

he’d carry the big gun on his back

Peter Sraith is number one

and has the firing of the gun

Alex Murray is chauffeur

and drives the car both far and near

J Nicolson and the Johnies two

and that completes the whole gun crew

With love and all good wishes true

to the Windhouse boys that wears the blue.

-Nancy Johnson-

Gun crews were based to respond to sightings of U-boats inshore. A former Indian Army officer commanded such a crew in Yell. One morning they were called out to respond to a U-boat sighting in Whalefirth Voe. The crew raced to the scene in their army truck, towing a six-pounder gun, only to discover when they reached their destination, that they had neglected to bring the ammunition.

This caused some hilarity in the Herra.

Troops using the beach as a training ground during WW2 had to move when they were flooded out by the tide. When the weather turned bad they were allowed to enter Windhouse for shelter. They used some of the panelling for firewood.

The grim connection that Windhouse has with its tyrant lairds, ghosts stories and legends seems far removed from the solitary ruin of today. It was good to know that more everyday events such as agricultural shows were held in a field at Windhouse in the 1930s and except for curious visitors it is a lonely place now.

It looks forbidding in daylight and it is easy to imagine that in darkness it would have a considerable eeriness. Although people who worked there when the house was inhabited said they never saw or heard anything suspicious we were glad that we did not have to be there at night.

I was reminded of times when hearing about Windhouse and its legends we would be asked if we would be prepared stay there all night alone. Young men wanted to prove their bravery and one daring young man's answer was, 'Yea, but I'll tak me gun and if I hear or see onything strange I'll joost shoot it.' Obviously he had suspicions that his friends would try to scare him and was making sure they would not venture near. As far as I know he never did spend a night there. Another time two youths were hunting rabbits at night. One of them jumped a wall and landing on a pile of corrugated iron made a deafening racket. The other remarked, 'Whan I heard dat noise I nearly died o' fright.'

We left Windhouse and headed downhill to the Setter Burn and the Brig of the Houb [a houb is a lagoon at the head of a voe]. The burn floods when the tide comes in. Flag irises grow in plenty at the side of the road. The Burn of Windhouse joins the Houb near by. Chas showed how further up the hillside where the course of the Windhouse Burn, has over centuries, worn its way through the peaty ground until it has reached a harder bottom, there are steep rocky clefts named The Gludderings. There are in many places banks which are both deep and steep. For some distance the branches and roots protrude from the peaty sides showing evidence of what must at one time been a very extensive forest of birch trees. The swampy area beside the burn is The Muggie of Windhouse. The hill with a deep hollow at the foot is Kusenastura.

By now we were weary. Chas remarked on the amount of folk tales. He was surprised that the ground covered had so much history to it. I thanked him for sharing his knowledge of the area and we decided to do the next part of the Herra walk another day.

Some days later we met at the head of Whalefirth. We wanted to begin our walk at Holsigarth.