Lewis, Teampull Ronaidh
Church (Medieval)(Possible)
Site Name Lewis, Teampull Ronaidh
Classification Church (Medieval)(Possible)
Alternative Name(s) Ronan
Canmore ID 4418
Site Number NB56NW 2
NGR NB 52307 65425
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/4418
- Council Western Isles
- Parish Barvas
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Ross And Cromarty
NB56NW 2 52307 65425
(NB 523 654) Teampull Ronaidh (NR) (Site of)
OS 6" map, Ross-shire, 2nd ed., (1898)
Depicted as (site of) and annotated Teampull Ronaidh on the 1st Edition of the Ordnance Survey 6-inch map (Island of Lewis, Ross-shire, 1853, sheet 1). The Object Name Book (OS) describes the site as 'The ruins of a small hut, on the summit of an arable Knoll, at the Butt of Lewis. It is about 20 feet long by 12 wide, and is supposed to be of great antiquity. It is said to have been built by a person named Ronaidh who with his sister inhabited it.
The supposition that it was a church, appears to be fabulous, so it is not borne out by either tradition or appearance.
No part of the walls is now standing'
(Name Book 1852).
The ruin of Teampull Ronaidh, listed as the Church of St Ronan by Martin (M Martin 1934) and locally believed to be much the oldest church in northern Lewis (W C Mackenzie 1919), is an irregular rectangular stony mound about 24ft long by 18ft broad and oriented almost ESE and WNW, on the summit of a slight elevation.
(W C Mackenzie 1919; RCAHMS 1928, visited 13 July 1914; M Martin 1934).
Teampull Ronaidh, at NB 5229 6542, is generally as described by the Commission, although traces of the footings of the west end of the church can be seen.
Revised at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (R L) 16 June 1969.
Field Visit (13 June 1914)
Teampull Ronaidh (‘Ronan’), Eoropie, Ness.
The ruin of Teampull Ronaidh, distinguished by an irregular rectangular stony mound about 24 feet long by 18 feet broad and orientated almost east-south-east and west north-west, is on the summit of a slight elevation 500 yards north-east of Eoropie church (No. 8) and about ¾ mile south by east of the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse.
RCAHMS 1928, visited 13 July 1914.
OS map: Lewis i
Management (19 March 1992)
Scheduled as Teampull Ronaidh, chapel. Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 19 March 1992.
Reference (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.
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.
