Was built in a remote age. The mortar is washed out of the joints. The only door is at north end, with inclined jambs, and so low as to require stooping position on entrance; 4 feet 7 inches high; covered with undressed lintel. Little rectangular windows like portholes. Chancel 14 feet long by 15 feet broad; nave 33½ feet long and 14¼ feet broad. East wall 5 feet thick; east window 2¾ feet by 6 inches wide, greatly splayed at sides inside. Chancel walls—2 feet 2 inches thick—do not bond into nave. Nave window in north wall 14 inches by 7 inches. South wall windows—east one 10 inches square, the other 14 inches by 8 inches. Chancel probably added by Lady Amy end of fourteenth century.[99]
A small island lying off the Knapdale coast. “A little way up from the landing-place stands the half-roofless, though in other respects scarcely at all ruinated, shell of ‘Kilvicoharmaig, the Mother Church of Knapdale,’ surrounded by an open and nearly obliterated burying-ground. Its external plan (Fig. 53) is a simple oblong, measuring 37 feet 5 inches in length and 20 feet in width. Internally the building is divided into chancel and nave, the division being a gabled wall open by a semi-circular arch composed of long thin slates. An apartment, which was probably a comparatively modern contrivance, appears to have gone over the nave, as there is a fireplace and chimney in the upper part of the west wall, not bearing marks of antiquity.
“The chancel is covered by a low waggon vault, between which and the external roof there is a chamber lighted by a square window in the apex of the west gable. In the east end of the chancel (Fig. 54) are two small round-headed windows placed considerably apart, the north one, like the window at the neighbouring Kiels, having its interior sill underdrawn and levelled for an altar.
“In the interior south wall is a large round-headed recess, containing the tomb and headless effigy of an ecclesiastic, and in the wall opposite are two smaller recesses of the same kind—the eastern one having a window behind and a square lychnoscopic-looking aperture on one side near the ground.
“The chancel evidently belongs to an early period, and in style mostly resembles Norman, though some alterations (designed, there can be no doubt, to procure more shelter) have somewhat modified the pristine character of its detail. Originally the entrance was by a round doorway in the north side of the nave; but this has been built up, and another one, square and smaller, opened through the wall opposite. The window lights have all been reduced by the inserting of a slate pierced with a short and narrow lancet—that on the south, in the east end, plain
pointed, the other one trefoiled. But the most important alteration is in the chancel arch (Fig. 55), which has been lessened by blocking to a small flat-topped doorway with a square hole right through the wall on each side of it; over each of these holes, within the chancel, is an ambry of the usual square form.”
In a recess among the rocks are remains of a rectangular building, measuring internally 11 feet 3 inches by 10 feet 10 inches—the walls rudely built without cement, and more than 4 feet in thickness. This is the Chapel of St. Carmaig, “made by his own hands” soon after he came to the place for retirement and devotion. The entrance to the building
is a narrow flat-headed doorway of primitive character in the east wall. This structure communicates with a natural cave, and probably existed as a religious cell long before the neighbouring Kilvicoharmaig was erected.[100]
A long narrow building of two compartments, divided by a thick wall, containing arched passage. Eastern compartment internally 62 feet in length by 17 feet in width; western one 23 feet by 16 feet 3 inches. Different parts erected at different times from character of masonry. In eastern or larger compartment, windows are mere flat-headed slits, flush outside, widely splayed inside; east one 4 feet 4 inches by 7½ inches; south one 3 feet 8 inches and only 3 inches wide. In western division masonry less primitive looking; resembles Norman. Windows—one in west end, one in north side, and one, together with door, in south side; all round-headed, flush outside, and widely splayed inside.[101]
Long narrow building, with small round-headed windows and doorway in side walls only.
Length outside 75 feet 3 inches; width only 18 feet 10 inches; unbonded juncture 29 feet from east end, shows that chancel has been extended to west; masonry of usual rude description; stones of added part are squared and like Norman work. Plain round-headed doorway on south-west, and two or three small round-headed single windows.[102]
Chapel, rather more than 58 feet in length, nearly entire; all apertures
square-headed. North wall blank; seems to have been lengthened by about 20 feet; fissure at junction similar to that at Kiels.[103]
[We give Plan and View (Fig. 56, 57) of this church, originally 36 feet 7 inches long by 17 feet wide internally. The and windows are square-headed and built with freestone, now much decayed; the remainder of the
walls is built with whinstone. The added chancel is marked by the freestone corners of the east end of the original church, which still exist. The chancel measures 19 feet in length by 17 feet in width. The east wall is now demolished.]
[We also give Plan and View of this structure (Fig. 58, 59). A simple oblong church, 40
feet 11 inches long by 17 feet 3 inches wide internally, with one round-headed window, 6 inches wide, cut out of a single stone in south wall. A chancel, 27 feet 4 inches long by 17 feet 3 inches wide, has been added, of which the junction is quite apparent. One small pointed window in east end of chancel.]
A rudely constructed building (Fig. 60) consisting of chancel and nave. Flat-headed doorway, 3 feet 5 inches high, with inclining jambs, in west end (Fig. 61), and possibly another door in south wall. No
windows except, perhaps, one high up in east gable. Chancel entrance same as west doorway.[104]
Not much wasted; consisting of chancel and nave; respectively 12 feet 8 inches and 19 feet 10 inches long inside, with flat-headed windows—one east and one south in chancel, and one in west end of nave. Chancel arch and south-west doorway broken; former seems to have been pointed.[105]
Consists of nave and chancel; respectively 23 feet and 7 feet 10 inches in length inside. Only ground plan left.[106]
(This and St. John’s, Bragair, the only churches in Lewis with chancel and nave constructively separated.)
Old church, oblong, 33 feet long and 15 feet 2 inches in width. One long lanciform window in east end (Fig. 62); stone font.[107]
In Islay numerous traces of chapels are found, of which the following are the best preserved; some have lancet windows, and the others, with square or round heads, do not appear to be very old.
Church, 60 feet long. East end contains two long lanciform windows, recessed semi-circularly within—one in west gable and one in each side wall. In south wall a canopied piscina and effigy of mailed figure.[108]
Church, internally 38 feet long; west end blank. Small narrow window in east gable.[109]
Church, 30 feet long, and not very old. Two windows, short and wide—one in east elevation and one in south wall. Arches semi-circular, of thin stones.[110] (Fig. 63.)
East end and fragment of south wall of chapel. No window, but two recesses in east wall inside, with ambry and projecting piscina.[111]
An island off the east coast of the Mull of Cantyre. The church is an oblong, 32 feet 9 inches. (Fig. 64.) Walls pretty entire. Doorway
plain, chamfered, and flat-headed, at north-west. Windows small and flat-headed. (Fig. 65.) Small circular piscina. Lying inside, bowl of font.[112]
At the mouth of Loch Erisort is St. Columba’s Chapel, externally 35 feet 6 inches in length and 18 feet 7 inches in width. East elevation nearly entire; contains flat-headed window, 4 feet by 6 inches, and in west gable smaller one same shape. South side contains a narrow lanciform window, and broken doorway on left. North side nearly gone.[113]
Chapel, 39 feet 9 inches long internally. Three narrow single-light windows, with heads slightly curved; doorway similar. East end blank.[114]
Chapel, 35 feet long internally. North side, long lanciform window and round-headed door; heads of one stone; east end of south side long, narrow round-headed window; west end, window with drip-stone; east end blank. Basin of octagonal font.[115]
Remains of church; seems to be of early first pointed date; simple oblong, 40 feet 8 inches long by 19 feet 8 inches wide, with small ruined sacristy on south-east. Flat buttresses at corner of east end, which contains two long lancet windows enormously splayed inside. Side walls have each one similar window, and broken doorway in north wall. Circular piscina.[116]
First pointed. Internally 46 feet in length. In west end two short narrow lancets, semi-arched inside, one in middle of wall, the other aloft in gable. In east end one similar. In south wall two windows and flat-headed doorway, and inside a large semi-recess in wall.[117]
Perhaps Mother-Church. Details more elaborate than usual, vaulted, and sacristy or chantry chapel at north-east. A south-west doorway, and another near east end of south wall, and apparently an unusually distinguished chancel. Narrow round-headed lights on both sides. East end a very long couplet, formerly separated by a buttress; tooth ornament round exterior openings; moulded label, string and cornice, and corner nook shaft.[118]
Large, not much ruined.[119]
Teampull Moluach. Simple oblong; internally 44 feet long by 17 feet 9 inches wide, with north-east sacristy and south-east chapel, both roofed with lean-to. (Fig. 66.) Doorway at south-west, semi-arched;
east window round head, rear arch pointed; west window smaller, round head with round rear arch. At top of east and of side walls two small square windows close together, and to west one large and round-headed of one stone. Windows in side buildings mere slits, flat in head.[120]
Walls of old church apparently first pointed.[121]
Simple oblong, a good deal demolished; 51 feet 8 inches long by 17 feet 8 inches wide internally. North-west pointed doorway; remains of two-light window in south wall, and hole in south wall for piscina. (Fig. 67.)
About forty years ago the ancient churches of Orkney and Shetland were minutely examined by Sir Henry Dryden, who then made measured plans and drawings of the buildings, showing their condition at that time.
In 1870 Sir Henry deposited copies of his drawings (copied by Mr. William Galloway) and descriptions of these churches in the hands of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. As these drawings and descriptions contain much information, which, from the natural decay of the structures, is now lost, it appeared to us that the information collected so long ago by Sir H. Dryden would form an interesting chapter in this work on the ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland.
This view has been adopted by Sir Henry, who has most kindly agreed to allow his drawings and descriptions of the ruined churches of Orkney and Shetland to be embodied in this book. The consent of the Council of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland has also been freely given, and these valuable drawings and descriptions of ancient churches, which are rapidly disappearing, are now published for the first time.
The descriptions are arranged, as far as possible, in the order of the type of the plans, commencing with the oldest type of simple oblong, one-chambered churches, and then continuing with the churches containing architecturally distinguished choir and nave. (See Note by Sir Henry Dryden, pp. 172, 173.)
The brough is on the east coast of Deerness, and measures on the top about 400 feet north and south by 240 feet east and west. It is separated from the mainland on the south-west by a narrow ravine or “geo,” which is almost wet at high water. (Fig. 68.)
The brough is highest on the north, and at that part is about 90 or 100 feet high. (Fig. 69.) The coast hereabouts is steep and rocky. The use of the word brough for a detached rock, when no fort is placed on it, is not unfrequent.
The chapel (Fig. 70) is near the centre of the brough, enclosed in a yard 57 feet by 45 feet, of which only the foundation remains. The
entrance into this is not evident. The chapel is a parallelogram, 24 feet 5 inches by 17 feet 4 inches outside. The west wall is 3 feet 2 inches, and the others 3 feet 11 inches thick. Only about 4 feet 6 inches and 5 feet in height remain above ground. It stands nearly true east and west, the west end facing a little south of west. It is built of clay slate from 1 foot to 3 feet long, and 2 to 7 inches thick, now much covered with yellow lichen. It has only one doorway (Fig. 71), which is in the west
end, and apparently was only 2 feet wide; but the west wall is irregular, and appears to have been altered and repaired. The upper part of the doorway is gone, but probably it was square headed, with a stone lintel. The jambs are not splayed, and have no rebate for a door, nor is there any bar hole.[122] By digging at the west doorway it appeared probable that the floor inside was about 6 feet below top of sill of east window, but the level is uncertain, as the interior is much covered with debris.
Apparently there was only one window, which is in the east end. (See Fig. 71.) The top is gone, so that it is doubtful whether it was flat or arched. One jamb is gone and the other somewhat mutilated, but 1 foot 9 inches in height of it remains. The window had a clear opening of 1 foot 3 inches, with jambs splayed inside, to 3 feet 6 inches in width. It appears to have had the outer 11 inches of the jambs parallel, and to have contained glass. On a part of the east wall is built a beacon used for the survey.
In the north wall, near east end, is an ambry 2 feet 4 inches wide, not less than 2 feet 4 inches high (top is gone), and 1 foot 11 inches recessed. It has no traces of having had a door.[123] Supposing the floor to have been 6 feet below sill of east window, probably the side walls were about 8 feet high, and the points of the gables about 18 feet from floor. The roof was probably of large slabs of stone along the eaves and above them, either of smaller slabs or of “divots,” fastened down with “simmons” as on houses.
The external length is equal to the diagonal of the square of the width. About 35 yards south of the chapel is a tank or well.
On the south edge of the brough are stones which appear to have once formed a wall, and at this point is the entrance from the “geo.”
Spread over the top of the brough are foundations of at least 18 huts. They are mostly parallelograms, of about 24 feet by 12 feet outside, and the walls 2 feet 6 inches and 3 feet thick. These were for the use of devotees who used this as a place of pilgrimage.
A survey of our coasts and lakes will show how strong a partiality existed in early times for selecting as sites for churches and monastic establishments small islands, isolated rocks, or promontories difficult of access—for instance, the two St. Michael’s Mounts, Lindisfarn, Iona, Ireland’s Eye, Inisfallen, &c. Nor was this taste for isolation peculiar to the coasts. We find throughout Europe, and, indeed, in the East also, numbers of peaks difficult of access, bearing such buildings. The brough of Deerness and the brough of Birsay are good examples.
This is situated within a few yards of the shore, and not many feet above water level. It is only a heap of ruins, but the measures are just ascertainable. It is a parallelogram, measuring 37 feet east and west by
15 feet 4 inches north and south inside. The north and south walls are 2 feet 6 inches thick, and east and west ends 3 feet 3 inches, and are of the red sandstone of the locality. There was a door in the south wall. Planned in 1870. (Fig. 72.)
This is now wholly destroyed, and even the foundations taken out, but the measures were obtained by Mr. G. Petrie so soon after the removal of the latter that the thickness of the walls could be accurately determined.
It was a parallelogram, 21 feet by 14 feet inside. The walls were 2 feet 6 inches thick. The place of the doorway was not ascertained. Planned in 1870. (Fig. 73.)
ST. TREDWELL’S CHAPEL, Papa Westray.
This chapel is situated on a little holm in a fresh water loch on the east side of Papa Westray. (Fig. 74.) It appears probable that a Pict’s
house was constructed on this holm, and that the chapel was built on its ruins. This St. Tredwell is the same as St. Triduana, whose day in the Roman calendar is October 8th. She is not mentioned by Alban Butler. The chapel was much frequented in its day, and many benefits were said to
be obtained from the Saint by her devotees. It is a plain parallelogram (Fig. 75), 20 feet 3 inches east and west by 13 feet 10 inches north and south inside, and stands west by south and east by north. There is a narrow doorway near the west end of the south side. Only the lower portions of the walls remain, except at north-west angle, which measures 8 feet high; but here we have, as usual, the unfortunate information that within memory the east gable and south wall were standing. The thickness of the wall on the north is 3 feet 11 inches; east, 4 feet 2 inches; south, 4 feet 3 inches; and west, 4 feet 9 inches. It is stated that there was a window in the east end, and that the doorway was flat headed. No trace of a window remains, and only about 3 feet 6 inches of the door jambs remain. These have a rebate into which a door is fitted, but whether in a wooden frame or not cannot be ascertained. The original floor appears to have been 10 feet above water level.
There is no means of assigning a date to the building, but the difference in the thickness of the walls makes it possible that it has been altered since its first erection. Planned 1870.
This is in a graveyard, close to the west shore of Rousay, about a mile north of Westness. It consists of a long parallelogram, and, but for a stoup near the door, and apparently an ambry near the east end, might be taken for a post-Reformation building. It has been used till within memory. It stands about east and west. (Fig. 76.) It is 52 feet 11
inches east and west by 14 feet 5 inches north and south inside; and the walls are 2 feet 6 inches on north and south, 2 feet 11 inches on east, and 3 feet 8 inches on the west. It is now roofless, and in some parts broken. From the floor to the top of side walls is 9 feet 10 inches.
There is one doorway near the west end of south wall. (See Fig. 76.) This is flat headed and rebated, measuring 3 feet 4 inches clear width. To the west of this doorway and low down is a window 2 feet 11 inches by 1 foot 4 inches clear, flat headed, and splayed inwards and outwards. Between the window and the doorway (inside) is a recess, probably for holy water. To the east of the doorway is a window 3 feet 3½ inches by 1 foot 4 inches, flat headed, and splayed as before. The head is nearly as high as the eaves. Farther east is another similar window. About midway along the north wall is a window 2 feet 1½ inch by 1 foot, clear opening, flat headed, and splayed as before. The head is nearly as high as the eaves. In the east end (Fig. 77) is a window, of which the sill is nearly as high as the eaves, 4 feet by 1 foot 2 inches, clear opening, with flat head, and splays in and out; under this window, and across the end inside, is a sort of shelf at the height of the top of the altar. In the west end is a
window above the level of the eaves, 3 feet 5 inches by 1 foot 4 inches. There is a seat inside, along the west end and part of the north side. The east and west gables are in steps, which remain tolerably entire. The floor of the church is gone. In the yard are numerous rough tombstones, and a few more modern. Outside the north-west corner of the yard is the foundation of a small, strong, rectangular building, which has more the appearance of a fort than a church; but close to it, as is stated, were found some carved stones of the red sandstone, now at Westness, one of which appears to be the cap of an elaborate church doorway, with three shafts on each side. Planned 1870.
This church stands in Bridge Street Lane, and is now a carpenter’s shop and warehouse, the property of Mrs. John Reid. It formerly was enclosed in “a close” or court, and was once converted into a “poorhouse,” from which the close was called “Poorhouse Close.” It has been so much mutilated in its several conversions that little can be stated of its original style and arrangement.
It stands about west by south and east by north. It consists of one parallelogram, 35 feet by 18 feet inside. (Fig. 78.) The south side
abuts on the lane, and a house is attached to the west end, from which house into the chapel a modern doorway has been cut.
The south wall is 2 feet 11 inches thick, the west 3 feet 6 inches.
The original entrance is on the south, 17 feet from the exterior west angle. (Fig. 79.) It is 3 feet 5 inches wide, with a semicircular head and continuous mouldings of a hollow, ornamented with four-leaved flowers and a filleted roll, like many of the mouldings in the cathedral, except as to the flowers. When the street was paved about thirty years ago the ground was raised, the jambs were covered up 9 inches, two stones were inserted just below the impost and the arch raised. What the height of the side walls was is not now evident. They are now about 20 feet above the original floor at the entrance. Probably the ridge was about 24 feet high.
The east end has no trace of an original window, but a modern one has been inserted. In the south wall near the east angle is a modern window, but probably in the place of an original one. The other original windows cannot be traced. Probably there was a step at 10 feet or 11 feet from the east end, and perhaps a screen. A few feet east of the entrance inside was a stoup or piscina (see Fig. 79.). In the north wall near the east angle remains an ambry (see Fig. 79.) 1 foot 4¾ inches wide, 2 feet 1 inch high, and 1 foot 3½ inches recessed. The head is an ogee arch under a hood moulding, and it is flanked by buttresses with finials. The bottom of this ambry is 5 feet 1 inch above what appears to have been the original level of the floor. The moulding of this resembles that of the entrance, except in having no flowers.
In the east wall near the south angle is a smaller ambry, also ogee headed and less ornate, the bottom of which is 2 feet 6 inches above the floor. The use of the ogee is very rare in Scotland. The only curves of that kind in St. Magnus are in fragments of Bishop Tulloch’s tomb.
South of the chapel in what is now the lane were found, in forming the lane, gravestones and human bones. Close by the chapel was lying, in 1855, a stone, having on it, sculptured in relief, apparently a shield, under a mitre, but too much defaced to be recognised, and below the shield, “Robertvs ...,” and a date or letters illegible. Bishop Robert Reid held the see from 1540 to the Reformation; and as the mouldings (especially the four-leaved flower and the ogee arch) point to the fifteenth century, perhaps the chapel may be a late example of the style, and be assigned to him. His coat of arms is a stag’s head cabossed.
The parish in which the town of Kirkwall is situated is that of St. Ola, and it is certain that in this part of the town was the parish church, dedicated to the great warrior saint of Norway—St. Olaf.
The fact of burials having been made close to this building makes it probable that this was the parish church; not a chapel of ease or of private endowment. Of course, this building was not the first parish church, though it may have occupied the site of the first, and probably did so.
It was probably after the constitution of Kirkwall as a royal burgh, about 1470, that the cathedral became practically the parish church, and St. Ola became merged in Kirkwall. The name Kirkwall (Church-bay), being wholly Norse, is some evidence that the name was caused by a Norse, not a Culdee, church. The situation could hardly fail to induce settlement of the Norsemen there. In the name Egilsey we have inference of a different origin, as will be hereafter mentioned. But supposing that the conjecture as to the name of Kirkwall is correct, it does not prove that there was not a Culdee church there.[124] Planned 1855.
According to Jo. Ben, whose description of Orkney is dated in 1529, St. Ola’s Church was reduced to ashes by the English, probably during one of their many raids on the islands about that time. One of the raids was on 13th August 1502. As apparently corroborative of Sir Henry Dryden’s conjecture, that St. Ola’s Church was the parish church before the cathedral was so styled, an old charter in my possession proves that not only was the church known as St. Ola’s Kirk, but it had “St. Olaf’s Kirkyard,” “St. Olaf’s Burn,” and “St. Olaf’s Brig” in its vicinity. I think the fair inference from this is, that a church built here during the early part of the Norsemen’s possession of the islands was dedicated with its “kirkyard” to St. Olaf. The name soon extended to the neighbouring small stream or burn, and the “brig” by which it was crossed; and in the course of time embraced a considerable portion of the surrounding country. It is very probable that St. Ola’s Kirk occupied the same site on which stood the older building, from which the town was named by the Norsemen Kirkevaag (Kirk-bay), which was anciently pronounced “Kirkwaw,” and appears in that form in some old documents in my possession.
The fact that St. Ola’s Church had been destroyed in the beginning of the sixteenth century renders it almost certain that Sir Henry Dryden must be correct in attributing the erection of the church, of which there are considerable remains, to Bishop Robert Reid, as the style of architecture, as shown by Sir Henry, is in keeping with the period to which he supposes the building to belong.
The charter I have referred to is dated at “Kirkwall in Orknay ye last of July” 1580, and granted by “John Tailyor and Henrie Tailyor brether germane, and airis to our umqle fayir (father) Andro Tailyor, to our weil-be-louit friend Magnus Paplay” of “All and Haill ane hall, ane seller, ane chalm. yr.aboue wyt. yaird and pt.nents yr.to p.tene.g quhatsomeuir lyand adjacent to Sanct Olaiffis brig, Kirk and Kirkyaird of the samy. having on the Est pt. y.roff the housses p.tene.g to Symound Beatoun; on the West pt. Sanct Olaiffis Kirk and yaird of the samy.; on the South pt. the housses p.tene.g to Johnne Vysshart and Sant Olaffis burne yr. betuixt and to ye North pt. Sanct Katereins quoyis.”
This stands on a flat piece of ground about the middle of the island, in a walled burial-ground, still used. The chapel has no roof, and is much filled up with rubbish. Large parts of the south wall have tumbled, as well as smaller portions of other walls. (Fig. 80.)
It is built of grey whinstone, without any freestone dressings. The stones average about 1 foot 6 inches long by about 5 inches thick. It