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MHG9033 - St. Clement's Aisle, Dingwall

Summary

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Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

(NH 5494 5898) Church {NR} (Site of)
(NH 5497 5899) St. Clement's Aisle {NR} (Remains of)
(The southern portion is shown unroofed on the 1st Ed., but roofed on the 2nd Ed.)
OS 25"map, Ross-shire, 1st ed., (1876)

St. Colin's Church, Dingwall, was united with Priory of Urquhart before A.D. 1455. There was a chapel of St. Clement within the bounds. H Scott 1928.

All references met with give St. Clement's Aisle in Church of Dingwall as a place of burial. N Macrae 1923.

No trace remains of the old church of Dingwall at NH 5493 5898. The remains of St. Clement's Aisle are now used as a burial vault which measures 10.2 by 7.2 metres and 3m in height. S end of the structure, shown roofed, contains a large arched recess. The remainder of the aisle is unroofed.
Visited by OS (W D J) 17 April 1963.

St. Clements Aisle is almost certainly remains of part of earlier parish church that burnt down. It appears to have been latterly used as a memorial chapel. It is now unroofed. The walls survive to over 2m and a series of other large tombs cluster around it. The building is in a dangerous state, fences and marked. Tombs around it are collapsing. Externally N wall has been heavily cement rendered in past, so phasing features etc not visible. Photos -
The attributed saint - Clement - is often associated with Norse religious sites. The location of this church at the opposite end of the High St to the castle site and beside the posited "thing" site is of particular interest. The graveyard is large and raised. Looking at its shape, it is possible in spite of this that it has been partly truncated.
HAW 10/2002

See also:
NH55NW0007 Symbol stone
NH55NW0019 Church and burial ground
JHooper, 18/10/2002

Looks like new scaffolding in place since last visit - ie on the side facing the newer church. Planks & poles loose in the graveyard - HAW 10/2003

The graveyard was subject to a geophysical survey in 2011 by OJT Surveys as a part of the research and community project investigating the archaeology of Dingwall's Viking assembly or 'thing'. The survey aimed to locate the remains of Dingwall Old Parish Church that was demolished at the end of the C18th. Three linear high resistance anomalies aligned north to south were recorded to the south of the aisle. These were interpreted as truncated foundations of the west and east walls of the old church nave and the site of a rectangular chancel. A low earthwork south-east of the aisle correlated with the geophysical results. <1>

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 5493 5899 (13m by 12m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH55NW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	DINGWALL

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Related Investigations/Events (1)

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