Building record MHG16251 - Kilmuir Easter Parish Church (Church of Scotland) & Burial Ground

See also:
NH77SE0074 Graveyard
J Aitken : 17/12/02
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NH77SE 3 7575 7319.
Church on site of St Mary's Chapel (NR) OS 6" map, (1959)

(As above, also:-) Belfry (NR) OS 25" map, Ross-shire, (1907)

Kilmuir Church was built 1798. Attached to E end is an older structure with a round tower. This is probably part of earlier Church of St Mary. The tower, which was being used as a belfry in 1838, bears the inscription 'Beigit 1616' but MacDonald, Polson and Brown (1931) suggest that lower portion is of much earlier date.
NSA (written by Rev C R Mathison - 1838) 1845; Name Book 1873; D MacDonald, A Polson and J Brown 1931.

As described by Mathison and is still in use. The older structure at E end is now used as a burial vault of Earls of Cromartie. Measuring 6.9m x 6.1m, it is constructed of roughly coursed masonry with rubble infilling recently repointed, with an entrance in S. wall, closed by a metal-studded wooden door. The lower part of circular tower attached to E end is similar in construction, but top section, bearing the inscription 'Beigit 1616', is of coursed masonry of finer workmanship, and as suggested by MacDonald, Polson and J Brown (1931) appears to be later. There is no local knowledge concerning the age of the vault.
Revised at 1/2500. Visited by OS (N K B) 24 March 1966.