The Old Statistical Account informs us that the church was repaired by the said Alexander M‘Leod, who died (as the inscription on his tomb in the church bears) in 1527.
Of the domestic buildings of the priory not a stone now remains. The church was burnt and was repaired in “1784 by the late patriotic Alex. M‘Leod, Esq., of Harris. After the church was roofed and slated, and the materials for furnishing it within laid up in it to a considerable value, it unfortunately took fire at night through the carelessness of the carpenters, who had left a live coal in it among the timbers. So zealous, however, was this friend of religion and mankind in his design of repairing it, that by his orders and at his expense it was soon after this accident roofed, and it is now [1794], though left unfinished since the time of his death, used as one of the principal places in the parish for celebrating divine service.”
The church was again repaired in 1787. About 1866 it had once more become dilapidated, and was repaired under the supervision of Mr. Alexander Ross, architect, Inverness, to whose kindness we are indebted for permission to use the description and illustrations in his
Fig. 1298.—Priory Church of St. Clement. Plan.
article on St. Clement’s in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, above referred to.
Fig. 1299.—Priory Church of St. Clement. View from South-East.
