Description
1619, possibly on earlier site, north aisle of 1692. Roofless
T-plan church, rubble with ashlar dressings. Doorway in
centre of east gable with moulded architraves and with gallery
door (probably to former heritor's loft) above 2 blocked
door. Entrance in east elevation of off-centre north aisle
with moulded jambs and worn date (16..) on lintel. Narrow
4-light Gothic mullioned window in centre of north gable, with
central mullion dividing 2 small pointed headed windows
and with transom, the space between left solid. Bellcote at
apex; crowsteps, some with incised detailing; cavetto
skewputts.
Interior; in SE corner, mural tomb in semi-circular mural
recess with crest above dated 1619, all sheltered by later
gabled porch with shouldered lintel to entrance. Half-round
ashlar margins to internal angles of north aisle.
Burial ground; rubble walled burial ground including some
interesting 18th and 19th century tombs. Also memorial to
Rob Doune (Robert Mackay) erected 1827. Square granite
plinth with marble plaques on each face in Latin, Greek,
English and Gaelic standing on stepped base and supporting
stumpy obelisk with apex finial.
Statement of Special Interest
Scheduled Monument. Doorway in N aisle inscribed; 16... HMK A.
Mural tomb of Duncan MacMorroch with epitaph "Duncan
MacMorroch here lies low, Was ill to his friend, waur to
his foe, True to his master in weird and wo. 1623" Said
to have wished to be buried within church but was interred
within wall as his service to his master in quietly getting
rid of troublesome hindrances made him a doubtful candidate
for burial inside church. Robert Don, Doune or Mackay
was known as the Burns of the North, died 1777 aged 64.
Durness Parish included Eddrachillis and Tongue parishes
until 1724.
Scheduled Area 9 October 2001.
References
Bibliography
NEW STATISTICAL ACCOUNT, xv, (1834) p. 102.
IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF SCOTLAND, i, (Circa 1858) p. 491.
MacGibbon and Ross, THE ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE OF
SCOTLAND, iii, (1879) pp. 557-9 (plans and illustrations).
George Hay, THE ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTTISH POST-REFORMATION
CHURCHES (1957) pp. 54, 167.
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Printed: 29/03/2024 14:51