Monument record 2496 - TEAMPULL NA TRIONAID, NORTH UIST

NF86SW 24 8162 6028

(NF 8162 6028) Teampull na Trionaid (NR) (Ruins of),
Teampull Clann a'Phiocair (NR) (Ruins of)
OS 6" map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1904)

It seems certain that neither of the twin churches of the Trinity and of the Clan MacVicar, at Carinish, was a parish church.
'It would appear that the former was built from the wood of Columban times into primitive stone; again from Celtic to Gothic style (perhaps by Amie MacRuari c.1350-90) and finally reconstructed during the 16th century into its latter form'. Teampull Clann a'Phiocair, later in origin, probably remained as first erected with little change.
The two chapels are about 5ft apart, and are connected by a passage which is bonded to neither church.
When Beveridge wrote, a substantial amount of the walls still remained, although dilapidated, and both buildings contained burials. To the south was a graveyard still in use.
E Beveridge 1911; F W L Thomas 1890; Visited by OS (D S) 22 July 1956.

Generally as previously described and planned. The walls of Teampull na Trionaid are 1.0m thick and stand to a height of c. 6.0m except at the SE angle where the east wall is reduced to c. 2.5m and the south wall to c. 0.7m. A modern wall has been built on to the south wall at the west end.
The walls of Teampull Clann a'Phiocair are 0.8m thick. The south, east and west walls are 1.4m, 5.0m, and 3.0m high respectively: the north wall has been recently rebuilt to a height of 1.0m.
The passage connecting the two buildings is now blocked with stone and barely visible.
The burials within the buildings and in the graveyard are mainly modern. Several old head-stones were seen but no dates were discernible.
Visited by OS (W D J) 1 June 1965.

Surrounding the mound on which this building and its cemetery stand are a number of other settlement mounds, some topped with the remains of further buildings. The church clearly forms the focus for a much larger, and very long lived, settlement.
MML 1.1.2002

The monument known as Teampull na Trionaid and Teampull Clann a'Phiocair, church, North Uist, comprises the remains of Teampull na Trionaid (Church of the Holy Trinity), the building known as Teampull Clann a'Phiocair (Chapel of the MacVicars), associated structures and graveyard at Carinish, North Uist. The area to be scheduled is irregular, extending approximately 5m in all directions beyond the outer walls of the churches and graveyards, to include the churches, graveyards and an area beyond in which associated remains may survive. Active burial lairs, visible gravemarkers, above-ground elements of the modern field boundaries abutting the site, and existing field drains are excluded from the scheduling, to allow for their maintenance.
HS scheduling document 9.3.2005

NF 8162 6028 A desk-based survey and non-invasive site assessment was made, in association with Simpson and Brown Architects, of the ruined church, burial enclosures and extensive surrounding remains and earthworks (NMRS NF 86 SW 24).
Sponsor: Southern Isles Amenity Trust
Addyman, T 2000, 96

Centre for Field Archaeology, Teampull na Trionaid, North Uist - Archaeological Works (Unpublished document). SWE41303.

Thomas, F. W. L., 1890, Archaeol Scot, 225-39 plan, illusts (Bibliographic reference). SWE7756.

Erskine Beveridge, 1911, North Uist: its archaeology and topography, 280-8 plans, illusts. (Bibliographic reference). SWE12876.

J N G and M Ritchie and Harman, 1985, Exploring Scotland's Heritage: Argyll and the Western Isles, 98-9, no. 37 (Bibliographic reference). SWE6206.

Council for Scottish Archaeology, 2000, Discovery and Excavation in Scotland (Bibliographic reference). SWE41184.

Centre for Field Archaeology, 2011, Teampull na Trionaid, North Uist - Historic Building Survey (Unpublished document). SWE41302.