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MHG1794 - Site of St Tustan's Chapel

Summary

Site of St Tustan's Chapel and possible cemetery remains. Only a slight turf covered rise and stony ridge now remain.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

All that is visible at chapel site, in margin of a field adjacent to Brabstermire House, is a turf-covered rise approximately 22m E-W by 14m transversely by 0.5m high, much broken up by cattle using it as a feeding point; random stones were noted. Outside E end of rise a slight stony ridge may indicate course of burial ground wall. The minister at Canisbay and local people had no knowledge of a name applying to chapel site.
Visited by OS (J M) 28 April 1982.

St Custan's Chapel (NR) (site of) OS 6" map, (1960)

The dedication is a corruption of Drostan, late 6th century, which might indicate a Celtic origin for this chapel, but building seen exposed by Beaton (1909) consisted of a nave, 19 by 11ft, and a chancel, 8ft square, walls being 4ft thick, dry-built and plastered with shell-lime internally. At that time (c1909) baptismal font was in Brabster House (known since at least 1873 as Stonyhill: ND 321 697, now in ruins). By 1910 chapel remains had been re-covered (RCAHMS 1911).
D Beaton 1909; RCAHMS 1911, visited 1910; W J Watson 1926.

St Tustan's Chapel (NR) (Site of), Graveyard (NR) (Remains of)
OS 6" map, Caithness, 2nd ed., (1873)

A chapel dedicated to St Tustan stood on a small eminence. No vestige of it remains but several old people remember having seen part of it. Its garveyard is defined by an old bank about 2 chains (40.2m) long and 130 links (26m) broad. Some of old people can remember its being used for burial.
Name Book 1873.

Sources/Archives (5)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 3171 6937 (40m by 40m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	ND36NW
Civil Parish	CANISBAY
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

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