Quarff, an ancient quoad civilia parish and a modern quoad sacra parish in the S of Shetland. The ancient quoad civilia parish, forming a narrow part of the mainland, 6 miles SSW of Lerwick, extends 1¾ mile from sea to sea, between the East and West Voes of Quarff. It chiefly consists of an inhabited valley 1¾ mile long and ½ mile broad, with pastoral hill flanks; and, together with the ancient quoad civilia parish of Burra, is united to Bressay. The modern quoad sacra parish comprises the ancient parishes of Quarff and Burra; was constituted by the General Assembly in 1833, and reconstituted by the Court of Teinds prior to 1856; and is in the presbytery of Lerwick and synod of Shetland. Its church is a Government one, and contains 360 sittings. Pop. of q. s. parish (1871) 952, (1881) 918.

(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)