Field Visit

Date 20 August 1910

Event ID 926510

Category Recording

Type Field Visit

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/926510

Another sculptured stone taken from the wall of this chapel, in which it had been used as building material, lies in the museum at Thurso.

In the museum at Thurso lies in pieces a remarkably fine sculptured stone, taken from the chapel at Skinnet. It is a rectangular slab of sandstone 7' 6" in length 2'2" in width, and 7" in thickness, and is sculptured partly in relief and partly with incised lines on four faces, thus:

Front- A cross in relief in the centre of the slab, having four equal arms with expanded ends and small round hollows in the angles; a long, narrow shaft, and a rectangular base. In the background, round the head of the cross, four circular bosses or medallions; on each side of the shaft a serpentine creature, and below the base a pair of stepping horses, evidently yoked together. The ornamentation consists of spiral work, interlaced work, plait work and loops.

Back- A cross in the centre of the slab, having a head with square ends and rectangular hollows between the arms: a long, narrow shaft, and a rectangular base, the outline being formed by a band, making a loop at each corner. Though much defaced, the cross had apparently been filled with interlaced and spiral work. Below the cross is the triple oval symbol similar to that on the Sandside and Keiss stones, and at the bottom of all, the crescent and V-shaped sceptre symbol, both being decorated with spiral work in relief.

Right side- Divided into three panels, one containing an eight-cord plait, another interlaced work almost obliterated, and the third being defaced.

Left side- defaced.

This stone was discovered by Mr T.S. Muir in 1861, and the circumstances of its discovery and the state in which it then was, are narrated in his Ecclesiological Notes. It was subsequently moved to Thurso Museum.

Visited by RCAHMS, 20th August 1910.