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Archaeology Notes
Event ID 644626
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/644626
HY41SE 8.00 4504 1116
See also HY41SE 9 and HY41SE 31.
HY41SE 8.01 HY 450 111 Hogback Stone
(HY 4504 1116) Site of St Ola's Church (NR)
OS 25" map, Orkney, 1st ed., (1881).
St Ola's Church, Kirkwall: A building long occupied as a dwelling house, but, to judge from its ecclesiastical details, in all probability representing what is left of "St Ola's Kirk" rebuilt by Bishop Robert Reid, (J Wallace ed. 1883) who held the see from 1540 to the Reformation. It was planned and described by Dryden in 1855, (D MacGibbon and T Ross 1896) and is a single oblong, measuring externally 42'3" by 23'9". It is not certain that the rebuilding was completed. In 1726 the fabric was ruinous, but Bishops Reid's name and coat of arms could then be seen upon it. There must have been a church of this dedication before the period of Bishop Reid, for "Schir Walter Havyck, persone of Sant Olave Kirk" was witness to a disposition in 1481, (J S Clouston 1914) the title being here used to indicate a priest. The writer known as Jo Ben records that "there is another church here, reduced to ashed by the English named St Ola's Kirk, where criminals are now buried." (Macfarlane's Geographical Collections Vol.3). Such burials would be in the "yaird", which is mentioned in 1580. (Macfarlane's Geogrphical Collections Vol.1). The formation of the lane S of the church revealed evidence of a graveyard, including a stone visible in Dryden's day.
RCAHMS 1946.
This building, at HY 4506 1116, known locally as St Olaf's Church, has been much mutilated, and is now being incorporated in to a modern building. The southern doorway remains intact. Mr J L Hibbert, Custodian, Earl's Palace, Kirkwall, confirmed the discovery of graves in the lane immediately S of the church.
Visited by OS (NKB) 5 April 1964.
The sole remnant of this church is its S doorway, now preserved in a wall on the N side of St Olaf's Wynd (for which, see HY41SE 31).
Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (AA) 23 May 1973.
