Monument record MHG2551 - St.Tear's Chapel
Summary
No summary available.
Location
| Grid reference | Centred ND 3672 5447 (14m by 10m) (Buffered by site type) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | ND35SE |
| Old County | CAITHNESS |
| Civil Parish | WICK |
| Geographical Area | CAITHNESS |
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
St Tear's Chapel (NR) (site of) OS 6" map, (1968)
St Tear's Chapel, Shorelands: Foundations of St Tear's Chapel are clearly visible. Within a bank which has probably marked the outer faces of the walls, the stones of which have been removed, the measurement is 40 by 23ft.
The chapel associated with a clan feud in 15th century was visited by Bishop Forbes in 1762 and described by him as a 'singular little chapel built of stone and mortar, without lime, roofless with walls almost entire, windowless except in S wall, and resorted to on Feast of Holy Innocents for prayer, offerings, and dancing. Auld lists it as pre-Reformation.
The dedication is a source of speculation and is given as St Tear's, St Tayre, St Tay, St Ere, and St Aire, but may be a transerence in Roman Catholic times from a Celtic dedication to St Airerain or Ereran, whose feast day is one day later than that of the Holy Innocents.
RCAHMS 1911; J B Craven 1886; A Auld 1868.
Footings of this chapel are 11 by 7m. It is known locally as St Tear's (info from Mr Macpherson, farmer, Shorelands).
Revised at 1:2500. Visited by OS (R D L) 21 April 1963.
The name appears to be a translation of the Gaelic 'Cill nan Deur': 'Church of Tears'.
W J Watson 1926.
St Tear's Chapel measures 14 by 9.4m externally and is overgrown and in very reduced condition. About 50 to W is a scatter of large stones, some of which may be dressed and therefore formerly associated with chapel.
C E Batey 1981.
The chapel remains are as described by the previous authorities.
Visited by OS (J B) 22 July 1982.
Sources/Archives (7)
- --- SHG1656 Text/Publication/Article: Myatt, L J. 1975. 'The early ecclesiatical remains of Wick Parish', Caithness Fld Club Bulletin Vol. 1 Oct 1975, p.81-4. Caithness Fld Club Bulletin. 81-4. 81, 82-3.
- --- SHG1925 Text/Publication/Volume: Auld, A. 1868. The ministers and men in the far north. 2, 4.
- --- SHG1959 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Batey, C E. 1981. Caithness coastal survey 1981: interim report. University of Durham, Department of Archaeology. . No. 141; plan.
- --- SHG2077 Text/Publication/Volume: Craven, J B (ed.). 1886. Journals of the episcopal visitations of the Right Rev. Robert Forbes M A of the dioceses of Ross and Caithness and of the dioceses of Ross and Argyll, 1762 and 1770, with a history of the episcopal church in the diocese of Ross, chiefly during the 18th c. 211.
- --- SHG2664 Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1911. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Third report and inventory of monuments and constructions in the county of Caithness. . 193-4, No. 595.
- --- SHG2918 Text/Publication/Volume: Watson, W J. 1926. The history of the Celtic place-names of Scotland: being the Rhind lectures on archaeology (expanded) delivered in 1916. 334.
- --- SHG3470 Text/Publication/Volume: George Watson. Caithness Chapel Sites.
Finds (0)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Jan 28 2008 12:00AM
