Monument record 479 - ST KILDA, ST BRIANAN'S CHURCH

NF09NE 1 0976 9838.

(NF 09769838) St Brianan Ch. (NR) (Site of)
OS 6"map, annotated by J Mathieson (1928)

St Brianan's church or chapel was noticed by Martin in 1698 as a thatched building with churchyard attached and in 1764 Macaulay describes it as having 'an altar within, and some monkish cells without it. These are almost entire, and must be of later date than the chapels of St Columba and Christ' (M Martin 1934). It was, however, in ruins when Wilson visited the island in 1842(4), but nothing now remains (J Mathieson 1928).
M Martin 1934; K Macaulay 1764; J Wilson 1842; J Mathieson 1928.

No traces. The site, within a stone-walled enclosure, has been cultivated.
Visited by OS (J L D) 7 August 1967.

Martin Martin, 1695a, A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland c. 1695, 443-5 (Bibliographic reference). SWE5082.

K Macaulay, 1764, The History of St Kilda, 71-2 (Bibliographic reference). SWE12859.

J Wilson, 1842, A Voyage round the Coasts of Scotland and the Isles, Vol. 2, 38 (Bibliographic reference). SWE12867.

J Mathieson, 1927-8, Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 124 (Bibliographic reference). SWE5190.

M Harman, 1976-7, Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 254-8 (Bibliographic reference). SWE2914.