Lady Kirk facts for kids
The Lady Kirk, also known as St Mary's Kirk, is an old church building on the island of Westray in Orkney, Scotland. It's a ruin now, meaning it's partly fallen apart. This church was built in 1674, but it stands on the foundations of an even older church from the 1200s! Inside, you can see two special stone grave slabs from the 1600s. They are in great shape and are protected by glass. These slabs have cool carvings and writing from that time. In 2014, Historic Environment Scotland made it a 'scheduled monument,' which means it's an important historical site that needs to be protected.
Exploring Lady Kirk
The Lady Kirk was first built way back in the 1200s. Not much is left of that very old church. You can still see the lower part of the south wall of the main room (called the nave). You can also see the bottom of the west wall (called the gable) and a piece of the arch leading to the special area near the altar (called the chancel).
In 1674, the church was rebuilt and made bigger. The main room (nave) was expanded, and the chancel was rebuilt as a "laird's aisle." This was a special section for a wealthy landowner or noble family. A beautiful arch made of red sandstone connects the nave and the chancel. The main room used to be about 14.5 meters long and 5.8 meters wide. When it was rebuilt, it got a bit wider, by about 0.5 meters. The chancel is now slightly off-center compared to the main room.
Special Features and History
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You can see the year 1674 carved into one of the lowest stones on the east wall, near the roof. The west wall has a "birdcage" bellcote on top. This is a small structure that held the church bell, and it has a round decoration called a finial.
The church walls are made from rough stones (called rubble) held together with a mix of sand, lime, and water (called lime mortar). Some parts also use smoother, cut stones (called freestone). The very oldest parts of the church walls were built using clay instead of mortar.
Inside the chancel, which was the "laird's aisle," there are two special grave slabs from the 1600s. They are protected by glass screens because they are in excellent condition. These stone slabs have detailed carvings and writing. They show images that remind people about life and death from that time. On the north wall, you can find the graves of Michael Balfour, George Balfour (who died in 1657), and his wife, Marjorie Baikie (who died in 1676). On the east wall is the grave slab for Helen Alexander (who died in 1676). People continued to use this church and its graveyard until 1879. In 2014, Historic Environment Scotland officially protected the site as an important historical monument.
See also
- Westside Church
- St Boniface's Church, Papa Westray
- St Olaf's Church, Unst
- St Magnus Church, Birsay
- List of churches in Orkney
