St Columba, S tornoway

  

St Columba lies west of Stornoway, over the causeway that leads to the Isles Eye Peninsula. Its position is precarious, as the ocean slowly erodes the exposed north shore.

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The oldest parts of the church date from the 13th century, but it is believed that the site was occupied as far back as the 6th by St Catan, who built his monk’s cell there. In the 14th and 15th centuries further additions were made and in the 16th century the west chapel was also added.

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St Columba is also the final resting place of nineteen Macleod clan chiefs and a memorial to the 7th, Roderick Macleod, still survives in to this day. There are further memorial stones housed in the only indoor section of the church, one of which depicts the head of a stag.