Lewis, Baile Na Cille, Capail Mor And Capail Beag
Burial Ground (Medieval), Chapel (Medieval)(Possible), Font (Medieval), Parish Church (Medieval)(Possible), Parish Church (18th Century) (1724)
Site Name Lewis, Baile Na Cille, Capail Mor And Capail Beag
Classification Burial Ground (Medieval), Chapel (Medieval)(Possible), Font (Medieval), Parish Church (Medieval)(Possible), Parish Church (18th Century) (1724)
Alternative Name(s) Cnoc Eothail, Baille Na Cille
Canmore ID 4056
Site Number NB03SW 2
NGR NB 04805 33882
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/4056
- Council Western Isles
- Parish Uig
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Ross And Cromarty
NB03SW 2 0480 3387.
(NB 0480 3387) Burial Ground (NAT)
OS 6" map, (1965)
An old churchyard, beside the highest point of which stood a church built in 1724. The site was occupied by the earlier church. 'Capail Mor' - Big Chapel' - the foundations of which are said to be traceable in the spring. To the south of it is the site of Capail Beag - 'Little Chapel' - possibly a still earlier church. 'Capail Mor' was a sanctuary.
(One of these, probably 'Capail Mor'), is presumably the pre-Reformation 'St Christopher's Chapel in Uge' noted by Martin).
RCAHMS 1928, visited 1914; M Martin 1934.
Scheduled as Cnoc Eothail, Baille na Cille, burial ground and site of chapel.
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 27 April 1992.
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. A plane-table survey was made of this chapel site.
R Barrowman 2005
Field Visit (8 July 1914)
A short distance to the SSE of the main seat Uig, at Baille na Cille, there is an old kirkyard, beside the highest part of which stood the old church, built in 1724. The site was occupied by an earlier church, Capail Mor (Big Chapel), the foundations of which are said to be traceable in spring. To the south of it is the site of Capail Beg (Little Chapel), possibly a still earlier church. Capail Mor was once a sanctuary, and there is a tradition that a Macleod fleeing from a Macaulay was killed just as he reached the threshold of the church.
RCAHMS 1928, visited 8 July 1914.
OS 6" map (1898) unnoted
Field Visit (28 June 1969)
This burial ground is on a knoll, on the summit of which are traces of stony banks which may be the remains of the chapel, but they are now so obscured by grave slabs, loose boulders and vegetation that the general shape and outline is impossible to define. There is no trace of the other two chapels, and there is no local knowledge of them, nor of the dedication. Within the burial ground, which was last used over 20 years ago, is a stone font.
Visited by OS (R L) 28 June 1969.
Aerial Photography (27 September 2004)
Photographed by RCAHMS in 2004
Measured Survey (2005)
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. A plane-table survey was made of this chapel site.
R Barrowman 2005
Note
Title: Chapel-sites on the Isle of Lewis: Results of the Lewis Coastal Chapel-sites Survey
Journal: SCOTTISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTERNET REPORTS (e-ISSN: 2056-7421)
Author: Barrowman, R C
Publisher: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Edinburgh
Date: 2020
MCE (2023): Reviewed as part of the GAPR. Publication was completed in 2020. Open Access publication with SAIR. Publication grant-aided by HES.
