Baile Na Cille Church Timsgarry, Uig, Isle of Lewis
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Baile na Cille Church Timsgarry, Uig, Isle of Lewis CEUIG & SCT Doors Open Days 10 th & 13 th September 2011 Prepared by Brian Gayton August 2011 Baile na Cille Church, CEUIG & SCT Doors Open Days, 10 th & 13 th September 2011 Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................... 3 Pre 1824 .............................................................................................................. 3 1824 - 1843 ......................................................................................................... 5 1843 - 1875 ......................................................................................................... 8 1875 - 1928 ......................................................................................................... 9 1928 onwards .................................................................................................... 10 References ........................................................................................................ 13 Photographs by Paul Williams, Fotologic, June 2011 ....................................... 14 Development Plans 2011 - Existing .................................................................. 16 Development Plans 2011 - Proposed ............................................................... 21 Cover photograph: used for CEUIG news & Stornoway Gazette press release Information & pictures compiled for the purposes of providing this booklet for the Doors Open Days 10 th & 13 th September 2011 Page 2 of 28 Baile na Cille Church, CEUIG & SCT Doors Open Days, 10 th & 13 th September 2011 Introduction Balnakil Balnakeel Irish Ballynakilla http://places.galwaylibrary.ie/as Ballinakilla p/fullresult.asp?id=36815 Ballinakille The RCAHMS website tells us 4; “An old churchyard, beside the highest point of which stood a church built in 1724. The site was occupied by the earlier church. 'Capail Mor' - Big Chapel' - the foundations of which are said to be traceable in the spring. To the south of it is the site of Capail Beag - 'Little 1 Chapel' - possibly a still earlier church. 'Capail Mor' was a sanctuary. (One of these, probably Whilst some accounts have a church or 'Capail Mor'), is presumably the pre- chapel at Baile na Cille for a 1000 years the Reformation 'St Christopher's Chapel in Uge' records from the 1700s are more detailed noted by Martin).” and tell an interesting and intriguing story. Old churchyard, Baile na Cille cemetery But the story of the present church building photograph from John Macleod’s A Brief starts in 1824 with the arrival of Rev. Record of the Church in Uig p4; Alexander Macleod. 2 The purpose of this booklet is therefore to simply bring together the events, the comings and goings, and other happenings that have affected Baile na Cille. And, as this leaflet is still very much a work in progress, apologies are given if information is inaccurate or any conclusions appear ill-informed. Pre 1824 ‘Baile na Cille’ means 3 farm, settlement or village of the church. Other spellings include; Scottish Balnakeilly Perth 5 Balnakilly Perth Balnakeil Sutherland 1 From John Macleod’s A Brief Record of the Church in Uig p14 4 RCAHMS 1928, visited 1914; M Martin 1934. 2 From John Macleod’s A Brief Record of the Church in Uig p14 http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/4056/details/lewis+baile+na+cille+c 3 See Ian Armit’s ‘The Archaeology of Skye and the Western Isles’ p211 apail+mor+and+capail+beac/ for the evolution of the ‘baile’ as farming settlements of the 18th century. 5 http://hsewsf.sedsh.gov.uk/eschedule/show?id=5363&OK=Y Information & pictures compiled for the purposes of providing this booklet for the Doors Open Days 10 th & 13 th September 2011 Page 3 of 28 Baile na Cille Church, CEUIG & SCT Doors Open Days, 10 th & 13 th September 2011 Rev Ronald Anguson 1572- 1823 – Following the passing of Rev Munro it seems that a Duncan McCaig was intended Rev John Macleod 1726-1741 to be the next minister at Uig, however, this did not happen. Rev Norman Morrison 1742-1777 10 1749 – Rev Morrison writes giving an account From CEUIG ; of the parish at that time. 6 ‘The following notice appeared in the Rev Hugh Munro 1778-1823 Edinburgh Gazette on 2 July 1823: “The King has been pleased to present the Reverend Duncan M’Caig to the church and parish of Uig, in the presbytery of Long Island and the county of Ross, void by the death of Reverend Hugh Munro.” Rev McCaig didn’t take up the post, for 7 reasons unknown ...’ Whilst this presentation was 15 April 1777, The writer’s research found the following; some 2 months after his predecessor’s • A reference to a book called “Trial of the passing, Rev Munro does not appear to have Rev. Duncan McCaig, minister of the reached Uig until the following year. Gaelic Chapel, Edinburgh” 1796 – Rev Munro provides an account of the parish.8 • “Duncan McCAIG a convict on the Circassian VDL 16 Feb 1833. ....... He In the words of John Macleod (of Carishader) was a Presbyterian Minister sentenced in about Rev Munro; June 1831 in Edinburgh to fourteen years transportation for stealing books from “The overall impression is that of a kindly several shops. He was thirty-seven years generous worthy gentlemen liked and old and unmarried, of good character and respected by his Parishioners; of upright respectable connections. As an educated conduct and character, whose preaching was convict, he was sent to Port Arthur. On orthodox, in tune with MODERATE standard of his day and time, but lacking the 16 September 1833, Booth evangelical zeal so abundantly evident in his recommended him for the position of successor.” schoolmaster, mentioning a favourable report from Rev. J. A. Manton, and In Rev Munro’s time the thatched church was McCaig's "quiet and submissive conduct located adJacent to the old cemetery near while here" (CSO 1/659/14786) In May Baile na Cille manse; 1835, as a Police writer, McCaig was found guilty of having a part of one or more bed ticks in his possession and again sent to Port Arthur. He received a ticket of leave in 1839 and a conditional pardon in 1841”11 • The ‘Edinburgh magazine and literary miscellany, Volume 92’, October 1823, page 504 which lists the following; “- The Re, Duncan McCaig, Minister of the Gaelic Chapel, Edinburgh, having 9 declined accepting the Crown 6 http://www.ceuig.com/history/census-and-reports/parish-of-uig-1749 9 ‘Overgrown footing of Rev Hugh Munro’s church’ from John Macleod’s 7 ‘The North British Intelligencer or Constitutional Miscellany’, Volume V, A Brief Record of the Church in Uig p2 Wednesday, April 23.1777 (page 127). 10 http://www.ceuig.com/archives/1158 8 http://www.ceuig.com/history/census-and-reports/old-statistical-report- 11 http://newsarch.rootsweb.com/th/read/AUS-CONVICTS/2001- 1796 11/1006467771 Information & pictures compiled for the purposes of providing this booklet for the Doors Open Days 10 th & 13 th September 2011 Page 4 of 28 Baile na Cille Church, CEUIG & SCT Doors Open Days, 10 th & 13 th September 2011 presentation, some time ago issued in his favour, to the Church and Parish of Uig, in the Island of Lewis, this MaJesty has been since pleased (on the recommendation of Seaforth) to appoint the Rev. Alex. McLeod, Minster of the Gaelic Chapel at Cromarty, to the vacancy.” There is as yet no conclusive evidence linking the McCain references. 1824 - 1843 Rev Alexander Macleod 1824-1843 14 1824 - In 1824 the Reverend Alexander James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie (1784 – 1843) MacLeod, was appointed at the bequest of Within a short time of Macleod’s arrival he Lady Stewart Mackenzie and he was wrote to Lady Stewart Mackenzie requesting admitted to Uig 21 st April 1824. a larger church. Extracts from the letter 15 ; “Manse of Uig 30th November 1824; Honourable and Dear Madam, ………….. The repairs and additions to the Manse and Offices are still going on and I trust that one our present inconveniences will be over we will comfortably situated. My greatest 12 regret and inconvenience now is the want of a church; the attendance at divine services is so Rev Alexander Macleod 1786-1869 (Uig, 1824-1843) regular and the population to great that up to this date I have not preached within doors but once since my settlement in the Parish; and though I was apprehensive e that preaching in the open air might prove inJurious to my health being not in the habit of it. Yet blessed the God I feed no bad effects from it. I am convinced that I would be disposed to put up with inconveniences to oblige you so far as possible but with many more from the consideration of being made the honoured instrument gaining souls to Christ, yea to go through any difficulty in the strength of divine Grace for the sake of preaching the Everlasting Gospel successfully to immortal souls; and for attending the Dominion of Immanuel’s Realm and sure I am to say the least of it, that no place in this kingdom stood in most need of hearing the Gospel trumpet than this corner. 13 Now on the subJect of a new church, I think it quite unnecessary for me to say anything as I Mary Elizabeth Frederica Stewart-Mackenzie (1783–1862) firmly believe that you and Seaforth are 12 http://www.ceuig.com/archives/171 14 Photograph of painting by Sibad, see; 13 Photograph of painting by Sir Thomas Lawrence, see http://www.flickr.com/photos/sibadd/4254393439/ http://www.thefullwiki.org/Mary_Elizabeth_Frederica_Mackenzie 15 http://www.ceuig.com/archives/233 Information & pictures compiled for the purposes of providing this booklet for the Doors Open Days 10 th & 13 th September 2011 Page 5 of 28 Baile na Cille Church, CEUIG & SCT Doors Open Days, 10 th & 13 th September 2011 warmly disposed to promote Zion’s interest in much inconvenience. That there are lands this place and as this request of building a situated near the manse of Uig which the church with the least possible delay is so Petitioner conceives may be designed for a reasonable it being indispensably necessary Glebe for him, and his successors, ministers and through confidence in your Christian zeal of Uig.