St Nicholas Chapel (Orkney)
The east-west oriented St Nicholas Chapel on the Orkney Island Papa Stronsay in Scotland is the northernmost early Christian monastery chapel. It dates back to the 11th century, the time when Christianity was introduced in this region.
It must have been a community of monks who lived on the eastern edge of the island. The chapel, which was modified in the 12th century, was abandoned after the Reformation and was used as an agricultural building. In 1795 the stones were removed to build a stable. When the University of Birmingham started excavations in 1998, only bumps in the ground were visible. There were found the 0.6 m wide foundation walls of an inside 5.3 × 3.95 m chapel with a later separated choir of 2.5 by 2.7 m.
A Celtic cross used as a tombstone was found near the chapel in the 18th century. It was lost, but a drawing exists that stylistically dates the plate to the 8th century.
On the tiny island there was a second small chapel, that of St Bride. However, both chapels are said to have been pilgrimage stations rather than permanent objects.
The murder of the last offspring of the Sinclair, Earl Rognvald Brusason, by Earl Thorfinn Sigurdsson and von Thorkel, his henchman, took place near St Nicholas Chapel in 1046 AD . Thorfinn was a son of the Viking king Sigurd II , who was killed in the Battle of Clontarf in 1018 .
See also
literature
S. Buteux, J. Hunter, C. Lowe: St Nicholas Chapel, Pap Stronsay (Stronsay parish), medieval chapel , Discovery Excav Scot, 1998. P. 72 S. Buteux, J. Hunter, C. Lowe: St Nicholas Chapel , Papa Stronsay (Stronsay parish), Iron Age activity; medieval chapel , Discovery Excav Scot, 1999. P. 68 J. Downes, A. Ritchie (eds.) Sea Change: Orkney and Northern Europe in the later Iron Age AD 300- 800 . Balgavies, Angus. 2003 pp. 3–10
Web links
- Description Engl. and pictures
- Entry on St Nicholas Chapel in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database
- Description Engl.
Coordinates: 59 ° 8 ′ 53 " N , 2 ° 34 ′ 45.7" W.