St Columba's Church (Aignish)

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Ruins of St Columba's Church

The St Columba's Church , and Chapel of Ui , Chapel of Eye , Old Kirk of Eye , Eye Church , Aignish Church or Eaglais Na h-Aoidhe is a ruined church on the Scottish Hebridean island of Lewis . In 1971 the structure and the surrounding cemetery were included in the Scottish list of monuments in the highest category A. In 2015 the entry was changed and now only refers to the cemetery. The church ruins, however, are protected as a Scheduled Monument .

history

Saint Cathan, a contemporary of Saint Columban to whom the church is consecrated, built a chapel on this site in the sixth or seventh century. It is not known exactly when the current church building was erected. However, it is believed to date from the 14th century and expanded in the 15th or early 16th centuries. In 1829 the last service was held in the church. Coastal erosion threatened the structure, which is now only in ruins, which is why the coast on this section was stabilized.

description

St Columba's Church is located on the Eye Peninsula in the northeast of the twin islands of Lewis and Harris . It is located directly on the coast near the isthmus to the Isle of Lewis near the village of Aignish . The roughly 80 cm thick masonry of the 19 m × 5 m building is made of quarry stone. In the 15th or early 16th century, a seven-meter-long part of the building was added to the west and the west gable was redesigned. The former gable roof of the church no longer exists today. The entrance was originally on the south side, but has since been closed. There are several burial niches in which members of the MacLeod clan were buried. This area was previously separated from the nave by a wooden panel. Two ornate cross plates are set into one wall. Outside the church is the associated cemetery, which is enclosed by a quarry stone wall.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  2. ↑ a b c Scheduled Monument - entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  3. ↑ a b Entry on St Columba's Church  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)

Web links

Coordinates: 58 ° 12 ′ 25.8 ″  N , 6 ° 17 ′ 0.2 ″  W.