Saints in Scottish Place-Names
Funded by a Leverhulme Trust Project Grant
Gavin's Kirk, Halkirk
Grid reference
ND 077 546 (accurate position)
Six-figure easting & northing
307700 954600
Latitude
58.47020943389694
Longitude
-3.582557292529692
Altitude (metres)
95
County
Sutherland
Nearby places
Torr Phadruig (1.07 miles)
St Peter's Chapel, Halkirk (2.2 miles)
St Trostan's Well, Halkirk (3.05 miles)
St Trostan's Chapel, Halkirk (3.35 miles)
Blàr Mairi, Reay (3.66 miles)
Object Classification
Antiquity
Ecclesiastical
Is linear feature?
No
Notes
From Scottishchurches.org.uk: This chapel known as Gavin's Chapel is now a ruin, with only the walls upstanding. The remains of the chancel measures 15' by 15' and the nave is 20' by 18'. It was thought to be used by the Bishop of Caithness, and was apparently a detachment of Thurso parish until 1891. The remains are overgrown with weeds and general weathering and erosion is taking its toll. Researched by G. Watson, compiled by J. Dowling, 21/11/03. Canmore records: 'Gavin's Kirk', also known as 'Temple Gavin', was a chapel which has consisted of a nave and chancel, the former measuring 15 by 12ft and the latter 8 by 7ft. The total length of the interior has been 27ft and the exterior walls were 3 1/2ft thick. T Pennant 1774; RCAHMS 1911. It stands within an enclosed graveyard enlarged before 1872 (when the present wall was erected): at this date the earlier and perhaps coeval wall was still traceable. Name Book 1872. The remains of this chapel are as described above. The collapsed walls now stand to a maximum height of 1.0m and are in an extremely poor condition. The graveyard, also in a poor state of preservation, is known as Dorrery Graveyard.
Names
1 head-name linked to this place ?Gavin's Kirk
Head name
Gavin's Kirk
Place
Gavin's Kirk, Halkirk
Certainty that this name applies to this place
Certain
The status of this name is
Current
Is this a current OS form? ?
Yes
Is this the original referent of the place?
Yes
Is the association of this name to this object hypothetical?
No