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Graemsay, Old Parish Church Of Graemsay

Burial Ground (Period Unassigned), Church (18th Century), Midden (Period Unassigned), Settlement (Period Unassigned), Lamp (Stone)

Site Name Graemsay, Old Parish Church Of Graemsay

Classification Burial Ground (Period Unassigned), Church (18th Century), Midden (Period Unassigned), Settlement (Period Unassigned), Lamp (Stone)

Alternative Name(s) Dean, Graemsay

Canmore ID 1574

Site Number HY20SE 1

NGR HY 25667 04534

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/1574

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Orkney Islands
  • Parish Hoy And Graemsay
  • Former Region Orkney Islands Area
  • Former District Orkney
  • Former County Orkney

Archaeology Notes

HY20SE 1 25667 04534.

(HY 2566 0453) Church (NAT) (In Ruins)

OS 6" map, Orkney, 2nd ed., (1903).

The remains of the old parish church of Graemsay, built in 1780, replaced in 1867 by the adjacent church, measure externally 37 feet 11 inches by 16 feet 10 inches. the walls no where more than 5 feet 10 inches high.

Traces of a building, revealed by excavation some years ago but obscured by debris, can be seen in a low mound about 40 feet long by 28 feet wide lying 15 feet 6 inches s. of the vestry at the E end of the parish church Relics from this structure are in private possession.

Visited 6th August 1929. (See also HY20SW 1 for possible confusion). RCAHMS 1946; Name Book 1880.

The remains of the pre-1867 church are as described above. According to Mr. R. Mowatt the ...building.. 15'6" S of the vestry " at HY 2569 0452 is, in fact, three circular dry stone structures, with interconnecting passages, excavated by Mr. Anderson, parish minister of Hoy "over 30 years ago". Only one of these structures could now be defined, as a grassy depression, approximately 3.0m in diameter. Three stone axes were believed found during excavation, and in 1914 a stone lamp 11" x 9" was discovered here by Mr. Ritch who presented it to the Stromness Museum in 1937.(Information from Mr H Ritch, Scarrataing, Graemsay, Orkney). Mr Mowatt reports seeing burnt stones, probably hearth material, in the ditch adjacent to these structures.

Much evidence of dry stone buildings has been found from time to time by Mr Mowatt in the kirkyard including in June 1964 the remains of a 2ft wide improved passage way roofed with stone slabs situated at HY 2567 0455 (Information from Mr R Mowatt, Rainreay, Graemsay, Orkney.). Here further burnt stones were found.

At HY 2560 0456, 5.0m of the NW corner of the kirkyard an empty cist-like structure was unearthed while ploughing. It consisted of lid, base, and four slabs set on edge to form the sides, and measured approximately 1.1m x 0.6m x 0.6m deep.

At HY 2562 0457 in a small hillock, large quantities of limpet shells have been revealed, which together with the presence of dry stone buildings indicate that this is a domestic settlement of unknown period.

Church re surveyed at 1/2500.

Domestic settlement (rems. of) surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (NKB), 17 September 1964.

Activities

Field Visit (August 1997)

This is the site of the old parish church of Graemsay, built in 1780. The church was replaced in 1867 and has since been abandoned; the building is currently used as a hay barn. This later church lies 15m from low cliffs. It measures 16m by 8m, has an arched doorway and is surrounded at its W end by a graveyard. The walls are of ashlar masonry, partly rendered. The roof is relatively intact. A porch or vestry annex, measuring 4m by 6m, lies at the E end and has a south-facing door. The graveyard is enclosed by a mortared perimeter wall and extends to within 3m of the cliff edge. A metalled trackway lies to the E of the church.

Moore and Wilson, 1997

Coastal Zone Assessment Survey

Field Visit (August 1997)

A number of artefacts and structural footings have been found in the vicinity of Dean Church. It is reported that three circular drystone structures with interconnecting passages were excavated by the parish Minister of Hoy earlier this century. Three stone axes and a stone lamp were found; the lamp is now at Stromness Museum. In 1964 a 2' wide passageway with a slabbed roof was discovered by accident in the kirkyard. In the NW corner of the kirkyard an empty cist-like structure was unearthed while ploughing. It measured 1.1m by 0.6m and was 0.6m deep; it was covered with a slab. A small mound, in which quantities of limpet shells were visible, was found nearby. The visible remains were surveyed at 1:2500 by OS.

During this survey, an amorphous grassy mound to the SE of the church, adjacent to the coast was noted. It appeared to be an accumulation of structural debris, but was so overgrown that it was not possible to tell if the debris was in-situ or an old spoil heap. No trace of the footings described above was visible.

Moore and Wilson, 1997

Coastal Zone Assessment Survey

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