Archaeology Notes

Event ID 798307

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/798307

HY62NE 41 6662 2927

HY 6662 2927 A font was recovered near the old water pump, to the N of the farm steading, some 300m to the NW of St Nicholas Chapel (HY62NE 14). Roughly octagonal in form, it has been carved from a block of red sandstone, some 0.45m across and 0.3m high. The bowl is 0.35m across and 0.25m deep. There is an incised equal-armed cross, 3cm long, at the base of the bowl (possibly with a second stroke on one arm). Halfway up are traces of what are probably fixture points for a wooden cover. The font may have been taken from St Nicholas, or perhaps from the nearer site of St Bride's chapel (HY62NE 15) which is traditionally located at the farm steading.

Sponsors: Historic Scotland, Arts & Humanities Research Board, University of Birmingham, Hunter Archaeological Trust, Orkney Islands Council, Russell Trust, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

S Buteux, J Hunter and C Lowe 1999.