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Auskerry

Chapel (Early Medieval)

Site Name Auskerry

Classification Chapel (Early Medieval)

Canmore ID 3257

Site Number HY61NE 1

NGR HY 67702 16039

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/3257

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

  • Council Orkney Islands
  • Parish Stronsay
  • Former Region Orkney Islands Area
  • Former District Orkney
  • Former County Orkney

Archaeology Notes

HY61NE 1 6768 1602

(HY 6768 1602) Chapel (NR) (In ruins) (NAT).

OS 6" map, Orkney, 2nd ed., (1900).

Little remains of this ruined chapel, which has been rectangular on plan measuring externally 23' by 16' 3". The east gable stands to a maximum height of 5' and is 3' thick, while the side walls which are even lower, are of indeterminate thickness, but probably 2'6". The masonry is of rubble, dry-built. The entrance has probably been in the west gable, which has collapsed.

RCAHMS 1946, visited 1930.

The ruins of a chapel, dedication unknown, generally as described by the RCAHMS, except that the E gable is not square, and no entrance is visible. A crude modern shelter is built against the NE angle. Some 5.0m W of the chapel are the turf-covered remains of an indeterminate structure visible as disturbed ground with several upright slabs, facing SW, protruding through the turf.

Surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (NKB), 20 July 1970.

The chapel near the E shore of the island, although accurately oriented, is irregular on plan, averaging 4.7m by 3.6m within walls of variable thickness Thee S and E walls, apparently unmortared, stand to a maximum height of 0.9m the N and W walls are almost reduced to rubble, but the position of the doorway in the W wall can be seen. Earthfast erect slabs indicate structures probably older, which seem partly to underlie the chapel and extend some 10m from it, and a further vestige of a destroyed wall can be traced at a point 3m SE of the chapel's SE corner.

RCAHMS 1984, visited August 1983.

Activities

Orkney Smr Note (August 1983)

E gable-wall now more broken-down, height of walls nowhere

exceeds 0.9m above the surrounding rubble. Plan is very

irregular, about 4.7m x 3.6m internally, walls vary greatly in

thickness. Entrance was in W wall where part of the N side of

the doorway is exposed. Slab-structures extend some 10m W from

the chapel and appear to represent buildings which may partly

underlie the chapel. There is a vestigial wall running ESE-WNW

traceable for a length of some 2.5m, 3m SE of the chapel's SE

corner. Chapel surrounding structures planned at 1:50.

Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Aug 83.

References

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