Lamb Holm, Italian Chapel

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Alternative Names Scapa Flow
Site type CHAPEL (20TH CENTURY)
Canmore ID 2380
Site Number HY40SE 26.00
NGR HY 48829 00628
Council ORKNEY ISLANDS
Parish HOLM
Former Region ORKNEY ISLANDS AREA
Former District ORKNEY
Former County ORKNEY

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Treasured Places - HLF funded

The Italian Chapel at Lamb Holm was created by Italian prisoners-of-war held at nearby Camp 60 during the Second World War.

Behind the bright frontispiece, two conjoined Nissen huts are oriented east-west, in keeping with ecclesiastical tradition. Inside the chapel, a 'vaulted' ceiling of painted plasterboard disguises the steel-ribbed structure of the hut. The altarpiece was painted by Domenico Chiocchetti, the principal creator of the chapel.

Information from RCAHMS (SC) 21 June 2007

An image of this site has been nominated as one of Scotland's favourite archive images. For more information about the project visit http://www.treasuredplaces.org.uk

Archaeological Notes

HY40SE 26.00 48829 00628

HY40SE 26.01 HY 48763 00594 Statue

For (associated) prisoner-of-war camp, see HY40SE 28.

Visible on air photograph (OS 63/45/146, flown 1963).
(Undated) information in NMRS.

Double Nissen hut with barrel vaulted currugated iron roof, joined end-on is situated on the N shore of Lamb Holm. The W elevation has been given Doric columns supporting a pediment and there is a date panel at the entrance, 'A D MCMXLIV' and a pointed-arched bellcote above. Two pointed arched narrow windows flank the door.
The huts are the only surviving upstanding structure from the Italian Prisoner-of-war camp 60 which stood to the S. The concrete bases for the huts are still visible in the field to the S. The remains of the camp are visible on a RAF vertical air photograph (106G/Scot/UK137, 3014, flown 3 July 1946).
The huts were decorated internally for use as a chapel by one of the prisoners during the war.
The huts were renovated in the 1960s.
Visited by RCAHMS (DE, GS, SW), August 1999

Notes and Activities

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ORKNEY SMR NOTE

Notes Chapel ingeniously improvised out of a Nissen but
embellished with scrap materials, made by Italian
prisoners-of-war quartered on Lambholm while assisting the
building of the Churchill Causeways. Now maintained by an ad-hoc
committee, has been extensively restored and is a major tourist
attraction.
Information from Orkney SMR [n.d.]

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1942 to 1944

CONSTRUCTION

Notes The principal creator was Domenico Chiocchetti.

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1960

CONSERVATION

Notes Domenico Chiocchetti returned to Orkney for three weeks to carry out restoration work.

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1961

REFERENCE

Notes A carved figure of Christ was given to the island by citizens of Chiocchetti's home town Moena.
Chapel Preservation Committee 1999

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13 June 1995

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Project 1995 RCAHMS Aerial Survey

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2 May 1996

PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY

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5 June 1997

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Project 1997 RCAHMS Aerial Survey

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4 August 1997

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Project 1997 RCAHMS Aerial Survey

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