Twatt, Shetland

Human settlement in Scotland
  • Sandsting
Council area
  • Shetland
Lieutenancy area
  • Shetland
CountryScotlandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townSHETLANDPostcode districtZE2Dialling code01595PoliceScotlandFireScottishAmbulanceScottish UK Parliament
  • Orkney and Shetland
Scottish Parliament
  • Shetland
List of places
UK
Scotland
60°15′47″N 1°24′29″W / 60.263°N 1.408°W / 60.263; -1.408

Twatt is a settlement in the Shetland Islands of Scotland. It is located on the Shetland Mainland on a minor road that leads from the A971 road to Clousta, north of Bixter. The settlement is within the parish of Sandsting.[1]

The settlement name originates from the Old Norse þveit, meaning 'small parcel of land'. The Norse word commonly produces in England the place name element Thwaite.

The name Twatt is similar to the common English expletive "twat", a vulgar word for vulva and also an insulting term meaning a weak or contemptible individual. For this reason, Twatt remains a source of amusement to people from outside the parish. Its name featured at no. 4 of the most vulgar sounding names in Rude Britain, along with its Orkney namesake.

References

  1. ^ "Details of Twatt". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Twatt, Shetland Islands.
  • Canmore - Bridge of Twatt site record
  • Canmore - Twatt Farmstead site record
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