Alternative Names St Margaret's Hope; Erland Terrace
Site type BUILDING, CHAPEL (POSSIBLE)
Canmore ID 9635
Site Number ND49SW 9
NGR ND 4450 9348
Council ORKNEY ISLANDS
Parish SOUTH RONALDSAY
Former Region ORKNEY ISLANDS AREA
Former District ORKNEY
Former County ORKNEY

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Archaeological Notes

ND49SW 9 4450 9348

(ND 4450 9348) St. Margaret's Chapel (NR) (Site of)
OS 6" map (1900).

The site of an ancient chapel said to be that of one of seven pre-Reformation chapels which are said in 'Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland', to have existed at one time in South Ronaldsay. It is supposed to have been established about the 13th century.
Name Book 1879; RCAHMS 1946.

No trace.
Visited by OS (ISS) 30 April 1973

Excavation in advance of housing development revealed partial foundation of a wall 2.2m long x 1m wide, and curving towards the W at its N end. Successive flagged and clay floors within the arc of this wall overlay an earlier wall to the W. Finds included wall plaster, glass, a thimble and German stoneware showing the later wall to be post-medieval. The evidence did not suggest that the earlier wall was part of the medieval chapel. An L-shaped boundary wall 9m long x 1m wide, was found to the NE of the above.
J Hedges 1979.

On the traditional site of the medieval St Margaret's Chapel, the foundation of an agricultural stone building, 8m by 4m with a curved N wall and drain, was excavated. Imported British pottery and glass bottle fragments suggested a usage between the mid 18th and early 19th century. A lid knob of Westerwald stoneware was also found.
Sponsors: SDD (AM), NoSAS
J W Hedges and B Smith 1981.

The finds from these excavations are held in Tankerness House Museum, Kirkwall, under accession numbers 1985.20-64.
Information from Mrs A Brundle (Tankerness House Museum), 3 August 1995.

Notes and Activities

1979	EXCAVATION

Notes Excavation in advance of housing development revealed partial foundation of a wall 2.2m long x 1m wide, and curving towards the W at its N end. Successive flagged and clay floors within the arc of this wall overlay an earlier wall to the W. Finds included wall plaster, glass, a thimble and German stoneware showing the later wall to be post-medieval. The evidence did not suggest that the earlier wall was part of the medieval chapel. An L-shaped boundary wall 9m long x 1m wide, was found to the NE of the above.
J Hedges 1979

Further details

Books and References

Clark, J (1982) 'Medieval Britain in 1981', Medieval Archaeol, vol.26
Page(s): 221

Hedges and Smith, J W and B (1981) 'St Margaret's Hope (S Ronaldsay p), chapel site', Discovery Excav Scot
Page(s): 26

Hedges, J et al (1979) 'St Margaret's Hope (S Ronaldsay p), foundation', Discovery Excav Scot
Page(s): 26-7

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