Lewis, Teampull Nan Cro' Naomh
Cemetery (Period Unassigned), Chapel (Period Unassigned), Church (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Lewis, Teampull Nan Cro' Naomh
Classification Cemetery (Period Unassigned), Chapel (Period Unassigned), Church (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Teampull Na Cro Naomh
Canmore ID 4346
Site Number NB45NW 1
NGR NB 43280 59315
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/4346
- Council Western Isles
- Parish Barvas
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Ross And Cromarty
Teampall nan Crò Naomh (Church of the Holy Blood), possibly 13 th century Sunken remains of chapel with lonely burial ground, sited where stone-dyked pastures run down to meet the sea. The lumpy ruin is gable-less now, but putlock holes and evidence of openings can still be seen. All about lie weathered tombstones, and one or two unadorned 18th century burial chambers with large-bouldered, squared-off corners. Notice the good survival of shell lime harl and mortar clinging to the inner and outer walls of the northernmost chamber.
Taken from "Western Seaboard: An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Mary Miers, 2008. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk
NB45NW 1 43280 59315
(NB 433 593) Teampull nan Cro'Naomh (NR) (In Ruins)
OS 6"map, Ross-shire, 2nd ed., (1898)
The Object Name Book describes the church as ' The ruin of a church on the sea shore, which is about 45 links long, by 30 links wide. Its walls are about 5 feet high. Tradition says nothing about it, beyond that it was much visited to by Catholics in former times; so much so that they came from all the adjacent islands on a pilgrimage to it. It was built of stone and mortar with a loft. Attached to it is a grave yard in which are two vaults'.
Name Book 1852
"Holy Cross Church in Galan" listed.
M Martin 1934.
"Teampull nan Cro'Naomh..., situated within an old grave-yard".
"The two gables are destroyed, and the earth outside the church reaches almost to the wall-heads". Despite Martin's version, "as it stands the name would appear to mean Church of the Holy Blood".
RCAHMS 1928, visited 28 June 1921.
"Part of the outer walls remain, in a crumbling condition"
OS Reviser (W S) 21 June 1956.
Teampull nan Cro' Naomh, at NB 4329 5931, is as described and planned by the Commission. The graveyard is still in use and the name is still known locally.
Visited by OS (N K B) 16 June 1969.
This chapel site was included in a research project to identify the chapel sites of Lewis and surrounding islands. The Lewis Coastal Chapel-sites survey recorded 37 such sites.
R Barrowman 2005
