Archaeology Notes
Date - 1973
Event ID 847857
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/847857
NB56NW 3 51928 65157
(NB 519 652) Teampull Mholuidh (OE) (In Ruins)
OS 6-inch map, (1898)
The 'Church of St Mulvay' was associated with shallow-tide sacrifices to the sea-god Shony, which ceased only 32 years before Martin's visit.
(M Martin 1716)
Depicted as unroofed and annotated as Teampull Fo Luith (in ruins) on the 1st Edition of the Ordnance Survey 6-inch map (Island of Lewis, Rosshire, 1853, sheet 1). The Object Name Book(OS) describes the site as 'The ruins of a Church, the walls of which are still standing and apparently not much decayed. It had four windows; two in the sides and two in the ends. It is one of the largest ruins of Churches in the Lewis island. There is very little known regarding it, but it appears to be of considerable antiquity'
(Name Book 1852).
'Teampull Moluach' is briefly described, with plan before restoration.
(D MacGibbon and Ross 1896)
The 'Teampull Mor at Europie', variously called St Molua's, St Malvay's, St Olaf's and St Mallonvy's, had various pagan rites associated with it. The original building, which may date from the 14th century (RCAHMS 1928), was completely restored about 1902 and religious services have been held there from time to time, the last in 1955 (Information from OS (WS) 8 September 1956).
W C MacKenzie 1919
Teampull Mholuidh, at NB 5192 6515, is as described and planned by the Commission.
Visited by OS (RL) 16 June 1969
Church name-board states: "Church of St Moluag; The Teampull Mhor"
OS Revision July 1973
