Saints in Scottish Place-Names
Funded by a Leverhulme Trust Project Grant
St Michael's Chapel, North Uist
Grid reference
NF 881 548 (accurate position)
Six-figure easting & northing
88100 854800
Latitude
57.47606717038058
Longitude
-7.204457001437904
Altitude (metres)
10
County
Inverness-shire
Nearby places
St Michael's Point, North Uist (0.14 miles)
Loch na Trionaid, North Uist (5.06 miles)
Teampull na Trionaid, North Uist (5.23 miles)
Cnoc nan Aingeal, North Uist (5.27 miles)
Tobar na Trionaid, North Uist (5.29 miles)
Object Classification
Antiquity
Ecclesiastical
Is linear feature?
No
Notes
NMRS records: The ruins of St Michael's Chapel on Grimsay are on a small plateau on the highest point of a promontory. They are oblong, 23ft 2ins by 13ft 8ins, within walls 28 to 30ins thick. In 1915 the west gable was about 8ft height. The chapel stands in an enclosure, 63ft by 54ft, 'evidently once serving as a graveyard but disused for many years'. (E Beveridge 1911) The foundations of the boundary wall are overgrown with grass. The foundation of the chapel is attributed to Amie MacRuari (c.1350-90). About 150 yds to the north-east, A A Carmichael (1871) noted 'another chapel and burying ground upon another point of land jutting into, but only a few feet above the level of, the sea. There was hardly any traces of this chapel and I have hitherto failed even to ascertain the name.' Beveridge saw no remains. A A Carmichael 1871; F W L Thomas 1890; E Beveridge 1911; RCAHMS 1928. St Michael's Chapel and its surrounding enclosure are as described by the above authorities. The north, south and east walls of the chapel are now only about 0.5m high. There is no trace of the other chapel and burying ground mentioned by Carmichael. Visited by OS (R D) 8 June 1965.
Relationships with other parishes
Within North Uist, modern parish
Relationships with other places
Adjacent St Michael's Point, North Uist
Names
2 head-names linked to this place ?St Michael's Chapel
Head name
St Michael's Chapel
Place
St Michael's Chapel, North Uist
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
St Michael's Chapel 1843, OS 6 inch first edn.
Historic formSt Michael's Chapel Head nameSt Michael's Chapel PlaceSt Michael's Chapel, North Uist Certainty that this name applies to this placeCertain SourceOS 6 inch first edn. Date of citation1843 x 1882 Notes on the context of this place-nameMid to late 19th c. |
Source code
OS 6 inch first edn.
Source title
Ordnance Survey 6 Inch to the Mile, First Edition
Notes
Mid to late 19th c.
Saints in this place-name
Michael (ns) (certain)
Michael, Archangel (certain)
Relationships with other place names
Same specific as St Michael's Point, St Michael's Point, North Uist
Teampull Naomh Mhìcheil
Head name
Teampull Naomh Mhìcheil
Place
St Michael's Chapel, North Uist
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
Saints in this place-name
Michael (ns) (certain)
Michael, Archangel (certain)