16. KILCHIEVEN OR KILCOIVEN, Kintyre.
Simple oblong, a good deal demolished; 51 feet 8 inches long by 17 feet 8 inches wide internally. North-west pointed doorway; remains of two-light window in south wall, and hole in south wall for piscina. ([Fig. 67.])
Fig. 67.—Kilchieven Church. Plan.
Egilsay, Interior of Choir.
CHURCHES IN ORKNEY AND SHETLAND.
DRAWN AND DESCRIBED BY SIR HENRY DRYDEN, Bart.
About forty years ago the ancient churches of Orkney and Shetland were minutely examined by Sir Henry Dryden, who then made measured plans and drawings of the buildings, showing their condition at that time.
In 1870 Sir Henry deposited copies of his drawings (copied by Mr. William Galloway) and descriptions of these churches in the hands of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. As these drawings and descriptions contain much information, which, from the natural decay of the structures, is now lost, it appeared to us that the information collected so long ago by Sir H. Dryden would form an interesting chapter in this work on the ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland.
This view has been adopted by Sir Henry, who has most kindly agreed to allow his drawings and descriptions of the ruined churches of Orkney and Shetland to be embodied in this book. The consent of the Council of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland has also been freely given, and these valuable drawings and descriptions of ancient churches, which are rapidly disappearing, are now published for the first time.
The descriptions are arranged, as far as possible, in the order of the type of the plans, commencing with the oldest type of simple oblong, one-chambered churches, and then continuing with the churches containing architecturally distinguished choir and nave. (See Note by Sir Henry Dryden, pp. 172, 173.)