St Clement's Church, Rodel

St Clement's Church (Scottish Gaelic: Tur Chliamainn, meaning Clement's Tower) is a fifteenth century church in Rodel, Harris, Scotland, built for the Chiefs of the MacLeods of Harris. It is dedicated to Pope Clement I. It is sometimes known as Eaglais Ròdal or Rodal Church

Architecture

The church was built using local Lewisian gneiss rock. Its ground plan is cruciform and there is a tower at the west end. The choir and the sanctuary with the high alter, which used to be separated by the nave by a wooden screen, are located at the opposite east end of the church. In the transepts leading off from the nave on both sides, there are additional chapels. The architectural style is essentially that of 1520 to 1550.

In 1528, Alasdair Crotach Macleod, 8th Chief, prepared for himself a magnificent wall tomb on the south side of the choir - possibly the finest medieval wall tomb in Scotland. The 9th Chief, Alasadair or Alexander's son William, had his grave prepared in the south wall of the nave in 1539. In the south transept, there is a third grave belonging to John MacLeod of Minginish, the 10th Chief.

History

According to Dean Donald Munro in his 1549 work about the Wester Isles, the church was built in the 15th century for the Chiefs of the MacLeods of Harris, who lived in Dunvegan Castle in Skye, and is considered the first church on the site as there is no evidence of an older celtic church. Munro described the church as a monastery, but as there is no evidence hinting to a monastic community, this expression is believed to refer to a minister, and with it to an important parish church. It was a Catholic church before falling into disuse shortly after its completion around 1560 as a consequence of the reformation, but the churchyard continued to be used as a MacLeod burial site. The church's decayed roof was renewed in 1784 by Captain Alexander MacLeod of Berneray, but burned down shortly after and had to be rebuilt once again in 1787. In the 19th century it was used as a cow byre before being restored by Catherine Herbert Countess of Dunmore in 1873. Today, the church is under the care of Historic Scotland.

External links

• Panorama of St Clements Church (QuickTime required)
• St. Clement's Church / Tur Chliamainn, Rodel