CHURCH AT UYA.
The island of Uya, or Uyea, is not more than 2½ miles by 1 mile across. It lies to the west of Unst. The ruin is near the east shore. The dedication is unknown.
Fig. 118.—Church at Uya. Plan, South Elevation, &c.
It consists of a nave and a building like a chancel to the west of the nave ([Fig. 118]), and lies true east and west.
About 7 feet 6 inches high on an average of the side walls remain. The material is the grey whinstone of the island, and the blocks from 4 feet by 1 foot by 1 foot downwards.
The nave is 16 feet 9 inches by 13 feet inside. The east wall of the nave is 3 feet 6 inches thick, and the others now vary from 2 feet 10 inches to 3 feet 1 inch. The side walls vary from 6 feet to 7 feet 6 inches in height. No window remains, but probably there was one on the south side.
In the east end is an arch or doorway ([Fig. 119]), 2 feet 2 inches wide, with parallel unrebated jambs, and a semicircular head of one rectangular
Fig. 119.—Church at Uya. Elevations and Sections.
order, with simple unmoulded projections for caps. The arch is formed by overlapping the stones as in the cells of broughs. At the west end is an opening 2 feet 6 inches wide, of similar character, except having a ruder arch and no caps. Above this arch, 6 feet 4 inches in height of the gable remains. Through this is the west apartment, resembling a chancel, which is 10 feet east and west by 10 feet 2 inches north and south, and has walls 2 feet 3 inches thick.
There is an entrance in the north wall near west end, apparently not original. The west gable is 9 feet 6 inches high. The eaves appear to have been 8 feet above the ground. In the south wall of the nave, and near the west end of it, is a rough stone stoup built into the wall. (See [Fig. 118.])
This little chapel is a puzzle, and has been mentioned before under Enhallow, Orkney. Is the apartment in the west original, and if so, what is it?
It is in the same position as the adjunct at Enhallow. If original, it probably was a sacristy. The writer, in taking the plans in 1855, did not observe on the spot that this adjunct was on the west, which was not noticed till the plans were laid down at a distance, and no opportunity has occurred since of minutely inspecting the building. Muir (Eccles. Notes) is incorrect in his plan.
The east archway (entrance) appears original, yet too small for a chancel arch. Supposing the adjunct on the west was original, and a sacristy, and that the east arch is original, it must have been a chancel arch, and there must have been a chancel, now gone.
The position of the stoup seems to indicate that the arch from the nave into the west adjunct is the original west entrance, and that the adjunct is not original. There are no other church arches in the islands formed as these are by overlapping stones.
In the churchyard are some rude crosses, formed of slabs 2½ inches thick. These were placed upright at the foot or head of graves. One is about 2 feet high, the limbs of the cross being 7½ inches wide and pattee. The limbs of another are 8½ inches wide.