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Outer Urrigar, Peter's Kirk And Burial-ground
Burial Ground (Period Unassigned), Church (Medieval), Midden (Period Unassigned), Settlement (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Outer Urrigar, Peter's Kirk And Burial-ground
Classification Burial Ground (Period Unassigned), Church (Medieval), Midden (Period Unassigned), Settlement (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 2210
Site Number HY32NW 12
NGR HY 3374 2870
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/2210
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Evie And Rendall
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
HY32NW 12 3374 2870
See also HY32NW 16.
(HY 3374 2870) Peter's Kirk (NR) (In Ruins)
Burial Ground (NR)
OS 6" map, Orkney, 2nd ed.,(1900).
The remains of this church stand beside a burial ground within 15ft of the edge of a low sea-cliff. It apparently consisted of a rectangular nave, about 25 ft 9 ins by 22ft overall, and a chancel about 15ft 6 ins by 16ft 9 ins overall. The proportions suggest a date in the 13th century although the walls are much destroyed and have obviously been altered and added to.
On the edge of the cliff are slight traces of an indeterminate structure, probably a habitation to judge by the kitchen midden beside it, which may have furnished the stone for the church.
RCAHMS 1946.
Peter's Kirk and the disused burial ground are as described by the Commission. The traces of the structure in the edge of the cliff to the NE are unsurveyable.
Visited by OS (NKB) 4 June 1967.
Field Visit (April 1981)
Nave and chancel as described. There appears on the inside face of the S wall of the nave, about half-way along its length, to be a doorway. The church stands upon a substantial shapeless mound some 70m E-W, highest under church. The mound is cut by the cliff showing complicated exposure, up to 3m thick, of stone structures, clearly large prehistoric site, which may possibly include a broch. A straight wall-face running flush with the cliff-face at the E end of the exposure may be the kirkyard boundary wall. The cairn noted by OS is on the fringe of the settlement-mound and is evidently part of the complex. On its N side there is a row of erect slabs forming a concave face open to the N, suggesting the interior wall-face of a building. - To the E of the church, again on the fringe of the mound, are several large isolated upright stones possibly grave-markers.
Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Apr 81.
