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MHG31416 - Cemetery - Stoer Church

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

The graveyard around the former Stoer Parliamentary Church, the burial ground is enclosed by rubble drystone wall. (see MHG13061 for the church).

The church and burial ground were listed at Category C in 1971.

Telford church.
S Hackett and N Livingston 1984.

Monumental inscription survey completed by A.S.Cowper & I.Ross. The survey may not include inscription information after 1855 and each inscription transcribed does not give the full details that appear on the stones, abbreviations used. Some ommissions and inacuracies. First published 1989, reprinted 1991, 1996 & 1999. <1>

A geophysical resistance survey was undertaken by Rose Geophysical Consultants in 2014 within the graveyard surrounding the derelict church at Stoer Church, with the aim of locating unmarked graves and buried gravestones prior to redevelopment of the church. Although the whole graveyard was investigated the area of interest is the north-western corner of the graveyard where it is planned to run services from the redeveloped church. Anomalies suggestive of potential burials have been noted immediately to the north of the limit of visible burials (i.e. grave markers) in the northwest corner of the graveyard. Micro-topographic changes in the turf coincide with the northern and western edges of these resistance anomalies. There is no evidence in the data for further burials to the north or west of these suspected burials. Further anomalies in this area were believed to be due to variations in the depth of bedrock, which is outcropping in places. <2>

The church and burial ground were re-assessed by Historic Environment Scotland in 2017. They were assessed as no longer meeting the criteria for listing. <3>

The church and burial ground were de-listed by Historic Environment Scotland with effect from 14/08/2017. <4>

The GIS polygon was amended to that shown on OS MasterMap in 2017. <5>

A photographic survey of the building and churchyard was undertaken by West Coast Archaeological Srvices in 2019 in advance of proposals for the restoration and conversion of the building to domestic use. <6>

An evaluation was carried out by West Coast Archaeological Services in 2021 which included the hand-excavation of service trenches through the graveyard surrounding the former church. The works did not encounter any graves, grave cuts, or human remains, within generally shallow soils within the graveyard. However, in close proximity to the northwest corner of the church material identified and recovered from the service trenches included roofing slate, iron nails, sherds of window glass, and a raft of irregular-sized stone that had been laid down in hollows within the natural bedrock to form solid foundations for the church walls. Within one of the service trenches adjacent to the west enclosure wall around the church, a layer of sharp stone fragments most likely result from the dressing of the sandstone blocks used in the church walls. Several fragments of glass recovered with the stone deposit appear to be trimmings from windowpanes used in the church windows. The only other artefacts identified during the excavation of the service trenches included abraded sherds of post-medieval ceramics and glass, and one clay pipe stem fragment. <7>

NC20NW 12 0405 2853
For Stoer parish manse (NC 0386 2860), see NC02NW 13.

See also:
NC02NW0018 Manse
NC02NW0016 Church
JA itken : 12/12/02

Sources/Archives (7)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 0405 2853 (38m by 28m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC02NW
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	ASSYNT

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Related Investigations/Events (2)

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