MHG2551 - St.Tear's Chapel
Summary
No summary available.
Type and Period (1)
- CHAPEL (Early Medieval to 19th Century - 561 AD to 1900 AD)
Protected Status
- None recorded
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: Watson, G.. 1991. Caithness Chapel Sites.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred ND 3672 5447 (14m by 10m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | ND35SE |
| Civil Parish | WICK |
| Geographical Area | CAITHNESS |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (1)
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/9146 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
Comments and Feedback
Do you have any more information about this record? Please feel free to comment with information and photographs, or ask any questions, using the "Disqus" tool below. Comments are moderated, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible.