Archaeology Notes

Event ID 663529

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/663529

NH77SE 3 75756 73194.

(NH 7575 7319) Church on site of St Mary's Chapel (NR)

OS 6" map, (1959)

(As above, also:) Belfry (NR)

OS 25" map, Ross-shire, (1907)

Kilmuir Church was built in 1798. Attached to the east end is an older structure with a round tower. This is probably part of the earlier Church of St Mary.

The tower, which was being used as a belfry in 1838, bears the inscription 'Beigit 1616' but MacDonald, Polson and Brown (1931) suggest that the lower portion is of much earlier date.

New Statistical Account (NSA, written by Rev C R Mathison - 1838) 1845; Name Book 1873; D MacDonald, A Polson and J Brown 1931.

Kilmuir Church is as described by Mathison and is still in use.

The older structure at the E end is now used as a burial vault of the Earls of Cromartie. Measuring 6.9m x 6.1m, it is constructed of roughly coursed masonry with rubble infilling recently repointed, with an entrance in the S. wall, closed by a metal-studded wooden door. The lower part of the circular tower attached to the east end is similar in construction, but the top section, bearing the inscription 'Beigit 1616', is of coursed masonry of finer workmanship, and as suggested by MacDonald, Polson and J Brown (1931) appears to be later. There is no local knowledge concerning the age of the vault.

Revised at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (N K B), 24 March 1966.