Westray, Peterkirk
Chapel (Medieval), Mound (Iron Age)
Site Name Westray, Peterkirk
Classification Chapel (Medieval), Mound (Iron Age)
Canmore ID 2819
Site Number HY44SE 2
NGR HY 49986 40081
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/2819
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Westray
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
HY44SE 2 4998 4008.
(HY 4998 4008) Peterkirk (NAT).
OS 6" map, Orkney, 2nd ed.,(1900).
Practically all traces of Peter Kirk, with its burial ground, have disappeared, but the chapel has apparently been erected as the site of a prehistoric structure; presumably Iron Age, since numerous fragments of coarse, broch-type pottery occur in the debris of rude, drystone building which can be detected here and there along the adjoining bank.
RCAHMS 1946, visited 1928.
At the site of Peterkirk is an amorphous turf-covered mound approx 25.0m in diameter, eroded by the sea and quarried, which undoubtedly covers an ancient structure. Midden material of shells and animal bones is visible in places, but no pottery was seen. Near the S side of the mound erosion has exposed 2.7m of straight drystone walling three courses high, which may be the outer face of the W wall of the church. A further 1.0m of similar walling may be the inner face of the N wall, and if this is so the church has been off-square, and has been at least 5.0m in width, but there are insufficient remains to enable further measurement. Approx 7.0m N. of the walling, an upright slab, facing E-W, protrudes through the turf, which may be a grave slab.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (AA) 3 July 1970.
Three body sherds of early Iron Age pottery were found in an exposure of rubble next to a low wall. The whole site seems to have been heavily eroded since 1983, and is now structurally unclear. The pottery was deposited in Tankerness House Museum (THM 1990.104).
D Lynn and B Bell 1990.
HY 4998 4008 Rescue excavations were carried out on an eroding mound at the Point of Peterkirk. The mound was found to comprise the remains of a broch with extra-mural settlement, enclosed by a rock-cut ditch. Finds include worked bone and pottery. A polished stone axe was recovered from destruction deposits overlying the ditch.
Sponsor: Historic Scotland
H Moore and G Wilson 2000
Field Visit (July 1981)
Apart from the two parish churches, Peterkirk is the only
church in Westray in Clouston's list, and the only reference
given is to the OS map. [R1]
Perched on a small rocky knoll close to shore; practically
all building traces gone. Church evidently built on site of an
ancient structure. - Indications of rude drystone walling here
and there along banks, numerous fragments of coarse 'broch'
pottery picked up at time of visit. [R2]
Further erosion along a geo from the W has exposed more of
the OS wall. Much more of this is now visible, it is not straight
and there appears to be masonry of at least three periods. It is
not possible to say which if any of these goes with the short
length of E-W wall which OS suggested as N wall of church. At S
side of mound above cliff is a confusion of close-packed erect
slabss. The slab mentioned by OS on N of mound is one of several
which are associated with odd bits of masonry protruding through
turf. It is impossible to say which walls are of the church and
which belong to the underlying prehistoric structure. On NW arc
of mound, 3 slabs of a small cist-like slab-formed box visible.
No midden material apparent. About 30m SE on flat ground is a
rectangular slab-formed structure just visible in the turf, 1.5m
back from the shoreline.
Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Jun 81.
Field Visit (June 1983)
Peterkirk HY 4998 4008 HY44SE 2
This site, on the W shore of the SW extremity of Westray, appears to be a more than usually considerable chapel occupying the site perhaps of a broch. The mound, some 25m across, is much altered by quarrying and sea-erosion; midden material can be seen in exposures, and on the S side is a substantial wall, which, however, is not straight and exhibits at least three distinct periods of building. This wall runs N-S and its ends are buried; higher up the mound is exposed a short length of E-W wall but it is impossible to connect the two or say whether they belong to the church or to the older structure. Occasional erect slabs protrude all over the mound, and on its NW slope a small cist-like box is exposed. Some 30m SE of the mound, on level ground, is a rectangular slab-formed structure, barely visible in the turf and too hidden to be measured; it lies 1.5m back from the shoreline.
RCAHMS 1983, visited June 1983
(RCAHMS 1946, ii, p. 344, No. 1031; OR 724).
Field Visit (1998)
A large, amorphous mound measures 25m in diameter and stands up to 2m high. The sides of the mound are pitted and structural remains are revealed both in the side of the mound and in a coastal exposure to the seaward side. Structures (i) and (ii) are set into a mound which appears to predate them. A short exposure on the seaward side of the mound reveals stony midden deposits with peat ash and inclusions of bone, shell, charcoal and worked whalebone. It would appear that these deposits derive from an earlier period of settlement, possibly associated with structure (iii).
(i) To the south side of the mound a rectangular structure may be the chapel which is alleged to have stood on this site. It measures 7m by 3.5m internally and is defined by a coarse walling which protruded from beneath a turf covering. Inside, there is a central division formed by an upright slab set at 90 degrees to the inner wall face.
(ii) To the west side of the mound there is a length of substantial walling which is visible for almost 10m and stands at least 0.3m high. It may form an outer wall face to the chapel (i) or part of an associated enclosure wall.
(iii) To the northwest side of the mound an oval depression appears to form the interior of a structure. There is some stone visible to the side of this depression which may be walling. This putative structure measures 5m wide by 6m long.
Moore and Wilson, 1998
Coastal Zone Assessment Survey
Field Visit (11 May 2015)
Site as described, structural remains visible in coast edge include drystone walling, slabbed paving and upright orthostats.
Visited by Scotland's Coastal Heritage at Risk (SCHARP) 11 May 2015
