Monument record 947 - CILLE PHEADAIR, KILPHEDDER, NORTH UIST

NF77SW 2 726 743.

(NF 7265 7437) Cille-Pheadair (NR) (site of)
(NF 7260 7438) Cross (NAT)
OS 6'map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1904)

There is no trace of the chapel of Cill-Pheadair, or Kilpheder, but the burial ground is said to have been revealed by ploughing. The site is grassy plateau immediately south of Kilpheder Cross, which stood in the graveyard but was removed to its presnt position 1830-40. The chapel, dedicated to St Peter, is probably that shown on Speed's map of 1610 as 'St Patricius'.
Kilpheder Cross is of Latin form and of 'round hollow-angle' type, bearing on its south face apair of plain bosses in relief.
E Beveridge 1911.

The site of the chapel is considered locally to be a little to the SW of the OS site but no reliable evidence is available as the site has not been ploughed for many years
The cross is as described and photographed by E Beveridge 1911.
Visited by OS (J T T) 12 June 1965.

The cross alone is scheduled. MML 30.8.99

A scattering of human remains was identified in a shallow depression, characterised by rabbit burrowing activity in early April 2024. The varied nature of the fragments may represent remains that had previously been disturbed by earlier ploughing (as well as rabbit activity), as noted by Beveridge. A single nail fragment with oxidised wood is likely to have represented part of a coffin. A closer inspection of the burrows, showed that the site comprises of windblown sand below the level of the grass field and did not indicate any signs of insitu burials near the surface. The general feeling is that the former church and burial ground are at some depth below the current ground level. Find site location NF7264874349.
K.Murphy (Arch Service CnES). 17/04/2024

Erskine Beveridge, 1911, North Uist: its archaeology and topography (Bibliographic reference). SWE12876.