Description

The monument consists of the remains of Kilmuir old parish church (St Mary's) which may date from the fifteenth century. The rectangular building, situated in an old graveyard, measures 18.5m NE-SW by 8m over walls 0.9 to 1m thick. The N wall and both gables are intact, but most of the S wall has been removed. The walls are of roughly coursed masonry with rubble infilling loaded with shell mortar. The S angle is rounded off, unlike the others which have worked quoins.

The NE end incorporates a flat roofed mausoleum. The NE gable has a gothic tripartite-mullioned window, the SW gable has a double pointed-arched one. Incorporated in the SE wall of the mausoleum is a blocked window, its head has been obscured by a later repair. The W end is partly obscured by vegetation. The area to be scheduled is rectangular, extending 2m from the exterior walls and measures a maximum of 22.5m NE-SW by 12m NW-SE, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because it is a well preserved example of a fifteenth century church. In addition it provides evidence and has the potential to produce further evidence, through excavation, which may increase our understanding of ecclesiastical architecture, parish evolution and settlement distribution, burial practices and material culture in the later middle ages.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NH 65 SE 4.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland