MHG8468 - Nigg Parish Church
Summary
An early 17th-century church which replaced an earlier church on the same site.
Type and Period (4)
- CHURCH (Built, 17th Century - 1626 AD to 1626 AD)
- CHURCH (Renovated, 18th Century - 1725 AD to 1725 AD)
- CHURCH (Enlarged, 18th Century - 1786 AD to 1786 AD)
- CHURCH (Alterations, 19th Century - 1864 AD to 1864 AD)
Protected Status
Full Description
Canmore description:
NH87SW 5 8045 7171
This parish church, dedicated to St Fiacre, built 1626, renovated 1725, enlarged 1786; Andrew Maitland, alterations, 1864. It is a simple, long T-plan church with main portion E-W and Twing to N. The earliest reference to a church on this site occurs in 1255-6.
OSA 1794; NSA 1845; Orig Paroch Scot 1855; N Macrae 1923; G Hay 1957;
I B Cowan 1967; RCAHMS 1979. <1>-<7>
This church is still in use. The bell is dated 1624 as is oldest dated gravestone in graveyard, which is also still in use. The dedication is not in use, church being known as Nigg Parish Church. Visited by OS (ISS) 25 August 1972.
REFERENCE: SCOTTISH RECORD OFFICE
Heritors Records (HR 361/4 Nigg) Report on Ecclesiastical Buildings of Nigg 1878. New floor inserted 12" higher than previous floor. N gallery to be removed. East and West galleries to be partitioned off to make a more comfortable church. A Maitland & Sons, Architects, Tain. Later reports cover minor repairs.
Exterior photos, planning app 03/881/LBCRC to renovate - HAW 11/2003
The scheduled area was reduced in 03/2004 to cover just the Pictish stone - HAW 12/2004
Site visit 8/2004. Electricians lifting part of the floorboards. The current wooden floor level is about c30-40cm above the old ground surface, this looks to be sandy with old woodworking and other debris on it. The W side of the church has raised floor & pews. Checking through an inspection hatch it was possible to see that timber joists are laid on a short, part mortared, wall - the area visible showed suspiciously well dressed stone blocks in the lowest level - HAW 8/2004
Professor George Henderson advises that the RCAHMS reference above to a dedication to St Fiacre is spurious, the church having been confused with one at Nigg in Aberdeenshire. This church has no recorded dedication. <8> <9>
A rapid photographic survey of the church was carried out in 2005 in connection with repairs and renovations. Some details of the fabric of the church became visible with the removal of small areas of harling and these were photographed. See event record (link at the bottom of this record) for photographs and report. <10>
The Listing description was amended on 09/18/2012. <11>
Sources/Archives (14)
- --- SHG11760 Image/Photograph(s): Church, house and farm, Nigg.. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
- --- SHG2582 Text/Publication/Volume: Nigg Old Trust. 1998. Nigg Old Church Visitors Information. 2nd.
- --- SHG4233 Image/Photograph(s)/Aerial Photograph: B/W Negative. .
- <1> SHG2606 Text/Publication/Volume: Sir John Sinclair (ed.). 1791-9. The statistical account of Scotland, drawn up from the communications of the ministers of the different parishes. Vol. 8, 17.
- <2> SHG2597 Text/Publication/Volume: NSA. 1845. The new statistical account of Scotland by the ministers of the respective parishes under the superintendence of a committee of the society for the benefit of the sons and daughters of the clergy. Vol. 14, Ross and Cromarty, 36.
- <3> SHG342 Text/Publication/Monograph: OPS. 1855. Origines parochiales Scotiae: the antiquities ecclesiastical and territorial of the parishes of Scotland. 2/2. 454.
- <4> SHG2489 Text/Publication/Volume: MacRae, N. 1923. The romance of a royal burgh: Dingwall's story of a thousand years. 289.
- <5> SHG2307 Text/Publication/Volume: Hay, G. 1957. The architecture of Scottish post-Reformation churches, 1560-1843. 169, 273.
- <6> SHG367 Text/Publication/Volume: Cowan, I B. 1967. The parishes of medieval Scotland. 157.
- <7> SHG2670 Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1979. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. The archaeological sites and monuments of Easter Ross, Ross and Cromarty District, Highland Region. . 27, No. 231.
- <8> SHG25229 Text/Publication/Article: Henderson, I. 2001. "The Cross-Slab at Nigg, Easter Ross" in New Offerings, Ancient Treasures: Studies in Medieval Art for George Henderson, Binski, P and Noel, W (eds). Paper (Original). p 144, note 7.
- <9> SHG25230 Text/Correspondence: Henderson, G. 2011. Letter and photographs from Prof. George Henderson regarding monuments in Nigg churchyard. Yes. Digital.
- <10> SHG22473 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: John Wood. 04/2006. Watching Brief and Photographic Record: Nigg Old Church. Highland Archaeology Services Ltd. 25/10/2006. .
- <11> SHG25982 Text/Designation Notification/List of Buildings: Historic Scotland. 2012. Combined Statutory and Descriptive List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Highland Council, One Hundred and Thirty Ninth Amendment) 2012.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NH 8044 7170 (25m by 19m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NH87SW |
| Geographical Area | ROSS AND CROMARTY |
| Civil Parish | NIGG |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Investigations/Events (1)
External Links (2)
- http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB14044 (Online designation description (Historic Environment Scotland))
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/15299 (View HES Canmore entry for this site)
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