Archaeology Notes

Event ID 652402

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/652402

NC96SE 3.00 96905 64831

NC96SE 3.01 NC 9691 6483 Cross-Slab

(NC 9691 6483) Church (NR) (Remains of)

OS 6" map, Caithness, 2nd ed., (1907)

The remains of the old church, allegedly a Roman Catholic chapel, are used as the burial place of the MacKays of Bighouse.

Name Book 1873.

The church was dedicated to Colman, evidently a Celtic foundation. Part of the old building, used as the parish church until the new church was built in 1739, may yet be seen in the walls of the house recently renovated in the old burial ground.

D Beaton 1909.

In the NE. corner of the churchyard of Reay are reconstructed remains of part of the old church, measuring interiorly 16' 2" x 11' 8". Towards the S. end is a tablet bearing two cojoined shields. Dexter, On a chevron between two bears' heads couped; a buck's head erased between two hands holding daggers, all proper; Sinister, Quarterly, 1st and 4th, the Sinclair galley; 2nd and 3rd a lion rampart; dividing the quarters a cross engrailed. Beneath, the remains of an inscription to the effect that the aisle or a part of it belongs to Angus Mackay of Bighouse. On the end wall to the right of the entrance is another panel bearing at the top the initials DMM and MML in the centre, a shield charged with an eagle's head erased, dividing the date 1691 and the motto TIME DEUM. On the lower part is an inscription narrating that the fourth part of this "ile" belongs to Mr David Munro and Margaret Munro.

Visited by RCAHMS, 16th September 1910