Saints in Scottish Place-Names
Funded by a Leverhulme Trust Project Grant
Kilmoire, eccles., Barra
Grid reference
NF 703 067 (assumed location)
Six-figure easting & northing
70300 806700
Latitude
57.03333121519793
Longitude
-7.436066541466166
Altitude (metres)
10
County
Inverness-shire
Nearby places
Barra, parish aka Kilbarr (0.45 miles)
Cille Bharra, eccles. Barra (0.45 miles)
Eilean Sheumais, Barra (3.33 miles)
Rubha Mhìcheil, Barra (3.7 miles)
St Brendan RC Church, Barra (4.12 miles)
Object Classification
Antiquity
Ecclesiastical
Is linear feature?
No
Notes
In about 1630 the site of 'Kilmoir' or 'Kilmoire' was described as lying on the west side of a large sandy place (Traigh Cille Bharra), on green ground, on the south side of a hill on the other side of which Cille Bharra apparently stood. This corresponds more or less to the situation of the burial ground shown on OS 6 inch map at the above NGR. This is probably the chapel mentioned by Martin Martin 'about half a mile on the south side of the hill near St Barr's church', though he does not mention its name. The 1630 account adds: 'In this Chappell as the Inhabitants say that there is a certaine earth within this Chappell which if anie man wold carrie the samen with him to the sea, And if the wind of stormie strong weather were cruell and vehement if wold caste a litle of this earth into the sea it wold pacifie the wind and the sea wold grow calme immediatelie efter the casting the earth into the sea' (Geog. Coll. ii, 178-9). NMRS records the presence of a small rectangular building in the enclosure, which may be the remains of a chapel.
Relationships with other parishes
Within Barra, parish aka Kilbarr
Names
1 head-name linked to this place ?Kilmoire
Head name
Kilmoire
Place
Kilmoire, eccles., Barra
Certainty that this name applies to this place
Certain
The status of this name is
Obsolete
Is this a current OS form? ?
No
Is this the original referent of the place?
Yes
Is the association of this name to this object hypothetical?
No
Kilmoire 1630, Geog. Coll. II
Historic formKilmoire Head nameKilmoire PlaceKilmoire, eccles., Barra Certainty that this name applies to this placeCertain SourceGeog. Coll. II, 178 Date of citation1630 approx x 1630 approx Feature named in sourcechapel |
Source code
Geog. Coll. II
Source title
Macfarlane's Geographical Collections
Editors
Arthur Mitchell (Sir)
Series
Scottish History Society
Volume
2 of 3
Kilmore 1630, Geog. Coll. II
Historic formKilmore Head nameKilmoire PlaceKilmoire, eccles., Barra Certainty that this name applies to this placeCertain SourceGeog. Coll. II, 179 Date of citation1630 x 1630 |
Source code
Geog. Coll. II
Source title
Macfarlane's Geographical Collections
Editors
Arthur Mitchell (Sir)
Series
Scottish History Society
Volume
2 of 3
Saints in this place-name
Mary, Mary the Blessed Virgin, Our Lady (ns) (certain)
Mary the Blessed Virgin (certain)