Balta, St Sunniva's Chapel
Chapel (Early Medieval)(Possible)
Site Name Balta, St Sunniva's Chapel
Classification Chapel (Early Medieval)(Possible)
Alternative Name(s) Balta Isle; St Sineva's Chapel
Canmore ID 87
Site Number HP60NE 1
NGR HP 6595 0806
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/87
- Council Shetland Islands
- Parish Unst
- Former Region Shetland Islands Area
- Former District Shetland
- Former County Shetland
HP60NE 1 6595 0806.
(HP 6595 0809) St Sineva's Chapel (NR)
(Site of) (Outline of building shown aligned ENE-WSW).
OS 6" map, Shetland, 1st ed. (1881).
Site occupied by later building on different alignment.
OS 6" map, Shetland, 2nd ed. (1900)
Grass-grown chapel foundations still to be seen near landing-place; also traces of other buildings indicating perhaps the site of an early monastic settlement (J R Tudor 1883). Dedication to Norwegian saint Sunniva (J M Mackinlay 1914).
Nothing remains above ground. A couple of rectangular dark patches in lighter turf probably represent buildings. That on edge of shore aligned E-W; other is c. 30 yds inland and lies N-S - rickle of small stones round the edges is probably the remains of walling. Dark line to north of this runs in from the shore at the edge of the bay ESE for some 40 yds; c. 2' wide it incorporates a massive boulder and may represent a boundary of some sort. Other dark markings in the turf are too vague to interpret.
The probable site was finally destroyed when fish-curing station built.
Information from A MacDonald, 26 August 1967.
No trace of the chapel. The alleged buildings described by MacDonald are too indefinite for classification.
Visited by OS (R L) 30 April 1969.
