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South Walls, Osmondwall, St Colum's Chapel
Chapel (Medieval), Cross Slab (Early Medieval)
Site Name South Walls, Osmondwall, St Colum's Chapel
Classification Chapel (Medieval), Cross Slab (Early Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) South Waas
Canmore ID 9429
Site Number ND38NW 1
NGR ND 33403 89513
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/9429
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Walls And Flotta
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
St Colm’s Church, Osmondwall, Hoy, Orkney, cross-slab
Measurements: H 0.91m, W 0.51m, D 0.13m
Stone type: grey sandstone
Place of discovery: ND 3341 8953
Present location: National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh (X.IB.169)
Evidence for discovery: found during removal of the foundations of St Colm’s Church in 1887 and soon afterwards presented to the museum in Edinburgh. The chapel site lies at the head of Kirk Hope bay.
Present condition: there is considerable damage to the top and base of the slab, but the carving is largely intact except for the terminal of the upper arm of the cross.
Description
This rectangular slab is incised with a cross which almost fills its width. An equal-armed cross with squared terminals and circular closed armpits is set on a narrow shaft. The base of the shaft is embellished on either side with a spiral.
Date: ninth or tenth century.
References: Cursiter 1898; RCAHMS 1946, no 1004; Scott & Ritchie 2014, no 23.
Compiled by A Ritchie 2017
ND38NW 1 3340 8951.
(ND 3340 8951) Chapel (NR) (Site of)
OS 6" map (1903)
Chapel and Burial-ground, Osmandwall: A chapel dedicated to St Colum ("St Kolms K." - S Sanson 1665) or Columba, formerly existed in the churchyard at Osmandwall but was removed in 1887, when the foundations remaining were thrown out on to the beach. The site was a little W. of a small 17th century vault with crowstepped gables, 19 1/2ft by 17ft externally.
A cross-slab found at the demolition of the chapel is now in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS - IB 169. It bears an incised cross of Celtic design and is 3 1/4ft long, 21 ins in width and 5 ins thick. There are heraldic monuments, of late 16th century date, on the gable of the 17th century vault, and an 18th century tombstone lies in the churchyard.
RCAHMS 1946; J W Cursiter 1898
The cross probably dates from c.500 AD. Christianity came to the Northern Isles between 397 and 432 AD (Stromness museum).
Visited by OS (RD) 19 September 1964
There is no trace of this chapel, save for a vague platform at the position indicated on the OS 6" 1903, now mutilated by graves. The burial ground is still in use.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (NLB) 15 June 1967
'The Orkney Herald' in 1897 describes the discovery of a cross found in the side of the old chapel.
M Howe 2006
Orkney Smr Note (August 1987)
The stone was discovered in 1887 in Kirkhope, Walls, Orkney. It formed part of the foundations of a chapel which being removed. It is now presented to the Museum by Mr J G Moodie Heddle. The slab is of coarse grey sandstone, measuring 3ft in length x 21in in width and about 5in in thickness and has on one of its faces an incised cross of Celtic design. The arms of the cross are of equal length and breadth, viz 5.75in in diameter at each angle of intersection. The lower limb of the cross springs from a base 3in wide at the top, and widening at the bottom to 3.5in. The lines forming the sides of the base are joined by a straight line across the foot, but are prolonged on both sides, turning upwards into a spiral volute. There are no traces of any other sculpture or
inscription on the stone, so far as I can discover. From its position in the building, it must have belonged to an earlier period than the chapel recently demolished. [R1]
A chapel dedicated to St. Colum (St. Kolms K-(a)) or Columba, formerly existed in the churchyard at Osmondwall but was removed in 1887, when the foundations remaining were thrown out on to the beach. The site was a little W of a small 17th Century vault with crowstepped gables 19ft 6in x 17ft externally. A cross-slab found at the demolition of the chapel is now in the RMS - IB169. It bears an incised cross of Celtic design and is 3.25ft long x 21in in width x 5in thick. There are heraldic monuments, of late 16th Century date, on the gable of the 17th Century vault and an 18th Century tombstone lies in the churchyard. [R2]
(a) Les Isles Orcadney ou Orkney, Schetland ou Hetland. 1665, Scale 13.75m = 1in. (S Sanson).
There is no trace of this chapel, save for a vague platform at the position indicated on the OS 6in map 1900, now mutilated by graves. The burial ground is still in use. OS visit 15 June 1967.
No trace. RGL August 1987.
Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) 1987
Field Visit (August 1987)
St Colm’s Chapel ND 3340 8951 ND38NW 1
There is no trace of the church which formerly stood in the burial ground (which contains the Longhope Lifeboat Memorial) at the head of Kirk Hope. A cross-slab, found in the foundations when these were removed in 1887, is in RMS (IB 169).
RCAHMS 1989, visited August 1987.
(Cursiter 1898; RCAHMS 1946, ii, pp. 338-9, No. 1004; OR 1936).
Note (12 August 2011)
For the burial ground, see ND38NW 26.
Information from RCAHMS (LMcC) 12 August 2011
