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MHG6474 - Kilmuir Church

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Full Description

NG37SE 1 3999 7175.

NG 3999 7175 Chapel (NR) (Ruins of)
OS 6"map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1904)

Kilmuir parish was anciently named Kilmaluag, and the church stood at Kilmaluag on the NE coast of the parish. After the Reformation the church of Kilmuir, dedicated to St Mary, and situated on the NW coast, seems to have become the parish church. Its cemetery remains, but the present church, built in 1810, stands on a different site (OPS 1854).
Of the old church nothing remains (M E M Donaldson 1923).
The graveyard, Reileag Mhoir Choirn Donvill, burial place of the Macdonalds of the Isles, is sadly neglected (Donaldson 1923). In it stands the broken tomb of Flora Macdonald, who died in March 1790, and the probably late 17th century grave-slab of Charles Mackarter (Macarthur) celebrated piper of the Macdonalds (RCAHMS 1928).
Donaldson (Donaldson 1923) considers the accepted dedication of the church to St Mary (see Martins map {M Martin 1934}) to be wrong but is alone in this belief. Johnstons Map of Skye (1824) shows 'Kirk' at NG 390 716) without dedication.
Orig Paroch Scot 1854; M E M Donaldson 1923; RCAHMS 1928; M Martin 1934; S Gordon 1950.

RCAHMS make no mention of this church but there can be little doubt that the building shown as a ruin on the original 25" survey was Kilmuir Chapel. Although the plan can no longer be made out, a thick stone wall at the site, built about 12 years ago by a crofter from the rubble heap which stood here, is composed of stones many of which still have mortar adhering to them. The site, which occupied a small shelf on a S. facing slope, is still known locally as the site of Kilmuir Chapel.
Note: The 1810 church referred to by (OPS 1854) situated at NG 381 709, is now disused and ruinous.
Visited by OS (C F W) 26 April 1961.

Site of church in a ploughed field and generally as described by previous OS field surveyor.
Visited by OS (I S S) 9 September 1971.

Effigy and late medieval carved grave-slab in church-yard at Kilmuir.
Ms Scot 1967 (DOE)

'Lochaber and Skye Monumental Inscriptions', pre 1855
Monumental inscription survey completed by Alastair G Beattie & Margaret H Beattie . 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 may be encountered. Published 1993.
J Aitken : 20/12/02

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 3991 7186 (80m by 80m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG37SE
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	KILMUIR

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