The Lady Kirk at Pierowall is one of two ruined churches on the island of Westray. It was built in 1674, on the foundations of the 13th-century church.

The church is mostly complete with the exception of the roof. Many of the walls stand to a high height, but some of it is 17th century built on the foundations of an earlier church. The south wall of the nave is largely from the original church. The nave altogether is rectangular, with a largely complete gable at its west end, topped off by a bellcote. A line of holes in the gable suggest there was originally a gallery at this end. The east end of the 1674 church formed a laird's aisle, erected on the site of the 13th-century chancel. The laird's aisle and the nave are separated by an arch that may have copied (or perhaps even reused parts of) the earlier chancel arch.

There are many different tomb stones in the church and its graveyard, many with clear inscriptions. One example, located within the laird's aisle is a memorial in red marble to The memory of James Stewart of Bruce, the munificent donor of the Stewart Endowment, died 25 June 1858. Nearby, in a transparent case to protect it from the elements is the large pink graveslab of Michael Balfour and others, dating back to 1657 and beautifully engraved. Next to it is another graveslab, of Helen Alexander, who died in 1676.

References:

Comments

Your name



User Reviews

Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Sé Catedral (Cathedral of Lisbon)

The Cathedral of Saint Mary Major, often called Lisbon Cathedral or simply the Sé, is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Lisbon, Portugal. The oldest church in the city, it is the seat of the Patriarchate of Lisbon. The cathedral has survived many earthquakes and has been modified, renovated and restored several times. It is nowadays a mix of different architectural styles. 

The site where it stands was the principal mosque of Lisbon when it was an Arab settlement. The construction of the cathedral started around 1150, three years after the city was conquered from the Moors during the Second Crusade. Shortly after the victory the English knight Gilbert of Hastings was named bishop of the city of Lisbon.

One good reason to visit the Cathedral is to visit its charming cloisters located in the back. There are several tombs in the cathedral, the most notable of which is the beautifully sculpted tomb of Lopo Fernandes Pacheco and his wife.