What is the date of this church? The chancel is larger than of any of the churches described, and has a sedile and, perhaps, Easter sepulchre. The chancel arch resembles Egilsey, but is not part of a vault. It has
[Illustration: FIG. 126.--Kirk of Ness. View of Chancel Arch.]
the peculiarity at the impost. The doors and windows are flat-headed. The former have rebates, which is not the primitive form, though Egilsey has them--the latter have the early form of jambs. Taking all the points, it may be assigned with probability to the fourteenth century.
The interior length of the nave is equal to the diagonal of the square of the width. The length of the chancel is that of an equilateral triangle on the east end of the nave. The height of chancel walls is equal to the width of the chancel.
According to Mr. Irvine there was, a few years ago, a rude cross gravestone here, like those at Uya.
A bell, which in 1856 was lying on the shore at Cullyavoe, once hung at this church. It is said to have been obtained from a wrecked ship, but is evidently a church bell. It has an inscription in Dutch, and the date 1694. The late Mr. Irvine of Midbrigg had a small bell, said to have come from this church. It had no inscription.
Since 1856 the chancel arch and gable over it have fallen.
The church was surrounded with an enclosing wall.
This ruin is on the north-east coast of Bressay, on a small low promontory. It is enclosed in a “garth” or churchyard, the wall of which is ruinous, and which appears not to have been used for many years.
[Illustration: FIG. 127.--Church at Culbinsbrough. Plan.]
The dedication is not known. It originally consisted of a nave, north and south transepts, and chancel, and lies about west by north and east by south. (Fig. 127.) There remain now only the lower portion of the north transept, lower portions of the chancel, and a small fragment of the east wall of the south transept. It is built of the grey stone of the locality in rude courses of moderate-sized stones. On the north side of the nave, and at the west end, is a modern wall about 3 feet high, but as this is on the foundation of the original north wall, it is probable that it marks the extent westward of the old nave. Assuming this, the nave was 21 feet 6 inches by 10 feet inside. The walls were probably 2 feet 3 inches thick. The position of the doorway is not evident, but probably was in the west end. Traces of the south wall remain. The north transept is 12 feet north and south by 8 feet 6 inches east and west inside. The north wall is 2 feet 3 inches thick, and the east and west walls 2 feet thick. The north end is 9 feet high, and retains the window, which is square-headed (Fig. 128), 1 foot 9 inches high, and 1 foot 3 inches