Skye, Eynort, St Maelrubha's Churches

Heritage listing

Date Added 26/04/1993 Last Date Amended 20/04/2017 Type Ecclesiastical: burial ground, cemetery, graveyard; chapel Local Authority Highland Parish Bracadale NGR NG 37569 25988 Coordinates 137569, 825988 — The monument consists of the remains of a chapel on a site originally dedicated to St Maelrubha, of medieval origin but rebuilt after the Reformation and used as a burial chapel for the Macleods of Talisker: a cadet family of the Dunvegan branch. In the stone-walled burial ground are several sculptured tombstones of medieval date. The church, situated at the head of Loch Eynort, is located to the E of a larger ruined church of 18th-century date. The smaller building is rectangular-plan, orientated and measures 6.5m by 3.3m within walls 0.75m thick and 2.5m to wallhead level (gable c.5.5m). The walls are rubble with freestone quoins and dressings. Small, square-headed windows pierce the walls and the interior is much lower than the external ground level. Two panels with armorial bearings commemorating the MacLeods are incorporated in the chapel walls. Recent restoration has shown that the one on the E end of the S wall seems to have been planned for in the construction of the chapel. If this is the case the chapel was probably built or re-built in 1732. The churchyard contains several fine decorated grave-slabs of 14th/15th century date. The area to be scheduled is irregular, measuring a maximum of 55m E-W by 40m N-S, but specifically excluding the fabric of the larger, later, ruined church, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.